The Eyes specifically refer to devices seen throughout the Maw and the Nest and are utilized as a form of added security.
Eyes are minor obstacles encountered in Little Nightmares and Secrets of the Maw. They appear in The Prison chapter and later make another appearance in The Residence chapter. They also make an appearance in Level 3 from Very Little Nightmares.
Function
Although there are numerous eye symbols found throughout the Maw, these Eyes generally refer to artificial devices which were likely designed to prevent prisoners from escaping and intruders from entering, having a similar mechanism to a security camera.
Little Nightmares
In the first Little Nightmares, an Eye can first be seen above an entrance that the Janitor entered during the introduction to the Prison. Later, after entering the prison, Six encounters her first Eye, which is surveying a room filled with children that had been turned to statues. Six encounters another Eye after entering a room with a rolling janitor's bucket, which the Eye would focus on while it was moving.
Secrets of the Maw
In The Depths chapter, the Runaway Kid encounters the same Eye that Six encountered when first entering the Prison. Originally, it appeared to be turned off, as the Janitor was pursuing a child in that area.
In the Residence, after picking up a statue from a pedestal, the Runaway Kid activates a dormant Eye.
Very Little Nightmares
At the beginning of Level 3, the Girl in the Yellow Raincoat encounters a room with three Eyes, all operating at different speeds. This room is also filled with children that had been turned to statues.
Mechanics
The Eyes usually slowly scout the rooms they are built in, slowly rotating between three directions; left, center and right. Any living creature attempting to escape caught in the beam of light will gradually turn to stone. If the player is caught in the light, they will only have seconds to slowly make it back to the shadows before they come to a stop and turns to stone, resulting in a game over. Eyes are motion sensitive and will focus their light on any moving object until it becomes still again or leaves their line of sight. This is evident from the second encounter where one will track the movement of a janitor cart as it rolls across the room following the list of the Maw.
Strategy
Players can avoid the light beams by timing their movement with the rotation of the Eyes, allowing them to reach obstacles where they can hide in their shadows. It is even possible to walk along the wall on which the Eyes are mounted on and bypass their beam of light altogether.
In the Maw, it takes a few short seconds of exposure for a character to be fully petrified. If they can get out of the light within the limited time period, the character will recover.
Powers and Abilities
- Petrifying Lights: As heavily demonstrated, the Eyes are able to shine lights onto intruders until the latter petrify. It is unknown how they can do so.
Trivia
- The Eyes may be based on the concept of Medusa or Gorgons in general, which are Greek Monsters known for turning people into stone should they make eye contact.
- The Eyes do not affect the inhabitants of the Maw, including the Lady of the Maw whose quarters additionally house an Eye. This is shown when Six approaches the walls of the Prison. In the distance, the player can see how the Eye is directed at the Janitor dragging a cage on the bridge, but their light does not cause him any damage.
The Eyes being referenced in a puzzle involving Monster Baby in a gameplay footage of Little Nightmares III.
- Monster Baby in Little Nightmares III will have a similar mechanic to the Eyes, in which she will shine a light from her eye that will turn any intruders into stone.
- Gameplay footage for Little Nightmares III shows a puzzle with Monster Baby that could be referencing the Eyes.