Can’t wait for Little Nightmares 3 this October? Check out these indie horror games that capture the same eerie charm and will also keep you hooked.
If there’s one horror series that manages to be creepy yet strangely adorable, it’s Little Nightmares. With its haunting art style, unsettling creatures, and the perfect balance of fear and charm, it has carved out a niche that fans lovingly call “cute horror.” Now, with Little Nightmares 3 creeping toward its release in October, horror fans are more excited than ever. The anticipation is real, because this isn’t just another horror game, it’s an event. But if you can’t wait for launch day, let’s take a look at some other indie horror games that will give you that same eerie thrill as the Little Nightmares franchise.
10 Indie Horror Games You Can Try Out Before Little Nightmares 3
(Note: All the games in this list might not be outright horror, though they do have creepy and horror elements)
10. The Cat Lady
This haunting psychological indie horror game dives deep into themes of depression and redemption through a dark, story-driven experience. Don’t ignore the game due to the outdated visuals, because the story is quite mature and and mature and it will offers a uniquely unsettling yet compelling experience before Little Nightmares 3. The Cat Lady was released in December 12th.
The Strange City
Hugely inspired by the eerie charm of Little Nightmares, The Strange City unfolds around Agent G stranded after a crash and drawn into a labyrinthine, monster-haunted environment. Released November 24, 2024, the game was met with mixed reception stems, especially due to a lack of polish. Maybe this is what prevented it from fully connecting with players like the Little Nightmares franchise.
8. White Shadows
A cinematic puzzle-platformer where you control a young girl trying to escape a stark mechanical dystopia. Released December 7, 2021, its atmospheric blend of dark architecture and oppressive society makes it thematically kin to Little Nightmares in tone and design.
7. Detention
Set in a high school amid Taiwan’s 1960s White Terror, Detention is a psychological horror filled with religious symbolism, eerie environments, and emotional weight. Published in January 2017 by Red Candle Games, it’s a deeply affecting, culturally rich entry that will stay with you long after it ends.
6. Among the Sleep
One of the very rare games where you actually play as a toddler. You try to find your mother but find yourself in a living nightmare of shifting rooms and sneaky monsters. The game makes you feel helpless as you are seeing the world from a vulnerable child’s perspective. Its unsettling darkness married to innocence makes it a fitting warm-up to Little Nightmares 3. The game was released back on 29th May 2014.
5. The Midnight Walk
The Midnight Walk basically feels like Little Nightmares in first person! A moody, atmospheric horror adventure from Fast Travel Games. Guided only by flashlight and intuition, you traverse surreal environments filled with mystery and dread- among the most beautiful yet eerie horror games to play before Little Nightmares 3. The game was released on 8th May 2025.
4. Limbo
This minimalist, monochrome platformer blends exploration with subtle horror, leading you through hostile landscapes filled with traps and shadows. Like Little Nightmares, there is no voice in the game, and it uses environmental storytelling. Released long back, on 21st June, 2010, the game is among those gems that indie horror fans cherish the most.
3. Shady Part of Me
Released on 10th December 2020, this game lets you step into the shoes of a young girl and her shadow, exploring a fractured world where light and dark intertwine. Blending whimsical puzzle design with eerie undertones, this beautiful indie game can be a candidcompanion on your way to Little Nightmares 3.
2. Inside
From the creators of Limbo, this masterpiece delivers a silent, immersive world full of suppression and dread. The game has a haunting atmosphere and exquisite pacing which make it one of the most impactful indie horror games you can play before Little Nightmares 3. The game was released on 29th June 2016.
1. Bramble: The Mountain King
A dark fairytale come alive, this dark fantasy game plunges you into dark and terrifying woodlands filled with folklore and nightmarish creatures. With beautifully grotesque visuals and a deeply immersive world, this indie game is a must play if you like to experience games similar to the Little Nightmares franchise.
Little Nightmares 3 Price
As the excitement builds, one of the big questions on every fan’s mind is the Little Nightmares 3 price. Little Nightmares 3, which launches on October 10, 2025, is releasing on PC, XBox and Playstation. The Standard Edition comes in at $39.99 / £34.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes the Secrets of the Spiral expansion and cosmetic packs, sits at $59.99 / £49.99. On Steam, preorders currently list the Standard at about $39.97 and the Deluxe Bundle at roughly $59.80. In short, the Little Nightmares 3 price is fair and well worth it for hardcore indie horror fans eager to dive back into its eerie, adorable horrors.
Final Thoughts
With Little Nightmares 3 releasing this October, the hype is undeniable. Until then, these indie horrors will keep your heart racing and your imagination twisted. Whether it’s the psychological torment of The Cat Lady, the folklore nightmares of Bramble, or the minimalistic brilliance of Inside, they’ll prepare you perfectly for the unsettling magic that only Little Nightmares 3 will deliver.
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