Little Nightmares 2 is coming next year, and yes, there'll be more "monstrous" residents to terrify us

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Just in case you missed it in the Gamescom 2019 scrum, Bandai Namco has announced a sequel for its fabulously grim puzzle-platformer, Little Nightmares.

Coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One next year, Bandai invites you to the "disturbing and suspense-filled world of Little Nightmares". Tarsier Studios will once again take the helm, only this time the story will focus on Mono, a young boy "trapped in a world distorted by the humming transmission of a distant Signal Tower".

Bandai also confirmed that, for the first time, players will be able to venture beyond the terrifying environments in The Maw.

Most interestingly of all, however, is news he'll work alongside Six – the girl in the yellow raincoat from the original game – as they "set out to discover the grim secrets of the world whilst fleeing from the monstrous residents out to capture them". But while that sounds like a suitable setting for a co-op adventure, Bandai's press release only confirms that the player will control Mono, and Six will be their "computer-controlled companion". 

The publishers teases us with a hint that the relationship between the two will "play a huge role within the game's story and unveil new gameplay mechanics as the children must work together to traverse through the world".

"At certain points in the game, Mono will also be able to wield a range of items picked up in the environment – a new mechanic added to Little Nightmares II that brings an extra layer of complexity to the game’s puzzles and encounters with enemies," teases the press release. "There will be times when stealth remains the best option, sneaking past towering enemies, and times when players must think quickly to save themselves, as well as their companion Six".

Producer Lucas Roussel has also confirmed that the game will be bigger this time around, with better checkpoints and speedier loading times. 

"We had a lot of feedback for the first game, very positive but also things that we could  improve," Roussel told Twinfinite. "I think one of those was the game’s length felt a bit short. This time we’re targeting for a bigger game with more environments, more variety, and more enemies.

"Also, we could have done better with some of the checkpoint systems when you respawn, and the loading times when you respawn were a bit long. That’s something we took into consideration and we’re going to improve for the second game."

Looking to 100% Little Nightmares before the sequel arrives? Here's our Little Nightmares Nome, Statue, and Flotsam collectibles walkthrough guide (including DLC).

Vikki Blake
Weekend Reporter, GamesRadar+

Vikki Blake is GamesRadar+'s Weekend Reporter. Vikki works tirelessly to ensure that you have something to read on the days of the week beginning with 'S', and can also be found contributing to outlets including the BBC, Eurogamer, and GameIndustry.biz. Vikki also runs a weekly games column at NME, and can be frequently found talking about Destiny 2 and Silent Hill on Twitter.