Entertaining gameplay is not the only thing that players value in their games. Empathetic characters, immersive atmosphere, clever writing - all of these factors and more constitute what makes a "good" video game, and sometimes a focus on one outweighs the others. Little Nightmares, which released in late April, is the perfect example of this. Despite not a single line of dialogue spoken and rather uninspired gameplay, the puzzle-platformer delivered a powerfully disturbing narrative that lingered in the player's mind long after the game had been completed.
The story isn't over, either. Little Nightmares' first DLC, titled The Depths, will revisit the haunting confines of the Maw once more, only this time in control of a new character. Simply dubbed "The Runaway Kid," the new protagonist bears a resemblance to Little Nightmares' first character Six in that he's tiny to the point of being defenseless - at least when compared to the Maw's disturbingly-designed staff and patrons.
The announcement on the Steam community page reads:
"In The Depths, the story begins as some other kids lead an escape, but the Kid drops down into the Depths of the Maw. Little does he know that this murky place is home to The Granny - a creature abandoned to decay that will let no-one go. He must struggle on if he wants to survive, leap from floating debris to avoid being pulled into the treacherous waters, and find a way to create a path through the depths."
According to the post, the Kid's adventures will span three separate chapters: the Depths, the Hideaway, and a "last secret location offering a different perspective on Six's adventures as well as new challenges to overcome." What these challenges entail is up in the air currently, though players can be certain that they'll be terrifying for those thalassaphobes among us, if the provided screencaps are any indication:
The Depths will launch tomorrow via the Little Nightmares expansion pass. It's only $9.99 on the Steam store, so be sure to give it a shot if you enjoyed the base game.