- REANIMAL is a spiritual successor to Little Nightmares that reinforces the cooperative aspect, with two brothers trapped on an island devastated by war and corruption.
- The gameplay prioritizes rhythm, stealth, and chases over complex puzzles, combining exploration, boat sections, and occasional combat.
- Its artistic and sound aspects stand out for a grotesque and cinematic atmosphere, although the genre is beginning to show some fatigue in its formula.
REANIMAL is the return of Tarsier Studios It's a return to the interactive nightmare they popularized with Little Nightmares, but with a new IP and more creative freedom. The name changes, some gameplay and presentation nuances shift, but the feeling of experiencing a bad dream through the eyes of two helpless children remains at the heart of the experience. It's familiar to anyone who has played the studio's previous works, but also more ambitious, bigger, and with a very clear focus on cooperative gameplay.
In this adventure we control Two orphaned brothers return to a devastated island To find their missing friends and escape a world that seems to have succumbed to war, corruption, and strange animal mutations. Over the course of about 4-8 hours, depending on how much you explore, REANIMAL constructs a journey full of symbolism, grotesque horrors, and life-or-death situations, where cooperation—with another person or with the AI—stealth, and reading the environment make the difference between surviving and being devoured by the darkness.
A spiritual successor to Little Nightmares… but with its own identity
The story of how REANIMAL was born is curious: Tarsier Studios no longer owns the rights to Little Nightmareswhich have remained in the hands of Bandai Namco. While Bandai commissioned Little Nightmares 3 to Supermassive Games, Tarsier was acquired by Embracer Group and partnered with THQ Nordic to continue doing exactly what it does best: horror stories starring tiny children in disturbing worlds. The result is a kind of "two-headed monster": on one hand, the official third installment, on the other, this game which, except for the brand, could easily pass for the "real" Little Nightmares 3.
However, REANIMAL does not simply copy the formulaIt's clear the team conceived it as an evolution of their previous ideas: more three-dimensional environments, more exploration, a greater emphasis on cooperative gameplay, and an even grittier, more warlike tone. It shares the unsettling aesthetic, the cryptic narrative, and the vision of the adult world as hostile, but the way the adventure is structured, the use of the camera, and the variety of situations point to a leap forward within the same style of gameplay.
There is also a significant change in the way the story is told. Although the suggested and symbolic narrative —without explanatory cutscenes or large blocks of text—, short dialogues now appear that, without spoiling the mystery, add nuances to the relationship between the brothers and their surroundings. You won't find explanatory monologues, but these details help tie up loose ends and enhance the emotional connection with the characters.
That doesn't prevent the genre from showing signs of wear and tear. Many analyses agree that, Since Inside, the formula of cinematic platforming and side-scrolling horror has barely changed.And between Little Nightmares 3 and REANIMAL, some fatigue begins to show. Even so, within that saturation, this title clearly stands among the most powerful and polished examples.
A cryptic tale of war, animals, and trauma
The premise of REANIMAL is simple on the surface, but It hides a lot of symbolic meaningWe begin in the middle of a dark sea, aboard a boat more sturdy than it looks, guided only by red lights in the distance. The protagonist—a hooded boy—rescues his sister from the water, whom he believed to be dead. His instinctive reaction is to try to strangle him. That opening scene, without explanation, makes it clear that there are no simple relationships or clean pasts here.
From there, the two brothers set off for a devastated island that was once their homeNow fragmented into small islets after a great catastrophe. Her friends are trapped on these pieces of land, guarded by monstrous figures that seem to have sprung from childhood terrors and war traumas: enormous men with sagging, melting skin, hairy, worm-like creatures, soldiers who self-destruct without flinching, winged beings patrolling the skies… all imbued with an air of war and inhuman experiments.
One of the most striking topics is the relationship with animals and their corruptionEncounters with distorted and hostile wildlife suggest that the same evil consuming adults has also reached the animals. There are macabre experiments, mutations, and a constant feeling that nature has been twisted beyond recognition. The game's title itself alludes to this unhealthy fusion between human and animal.
As we move forward, It is hinted that the protagonists carry a curse. which conditions everything that happens. It's never explicitly stated, but certain gestures, reactions, and key moments suggest that they are fleeing both external dangers and something within themselves. The journey is not only physical: it is also a desperate attempt to escape a curse that haunts them.
The way the story unfolds is reminiscent of the best of Tarsier: Few words, many powerful imagesEach area functions almost like a chapter in a twisted tale, with its own subtheme within the overall nightmare: trenches, devastated fields, partially flooded towns, ruined buildings… The ending, as expected, leaves room for interpretation, to the point that the children's escape can be understood in several ways depending on what you have seen, what you have gathered, and how you read certain key moments.
Gameplay that prioritizes rhythm and cooperation
In terms of gameplay, REANIMAL treads familiar ground. cinematic 3D platforming with a strong stealth elementChases and small environmental puzzles. You walk, run, jump, slide, crouch to hide behind cover or under furniture, and you can use a lighter or a lantern to illuminate dark areas. The puzzles usually involve moving objects, finding keys, or activating mechanisms to open up paths.
The big difference compared to the Little Nightmares saga is that here the space is not so limited to a side "corridor". The scenarios are explored in all directionsWith a camera that zooms in, zooms out, and rotates to better frame each situation, instead of moving almost always parallel to the frame, there are scenes that are more reminiscent of Uncharted-style set pieces: escapes where everything crumbles around you, chases towards the camera, or highly guided sequences where spectacle is as important as direct control.
Puzzles, in general, are simple and accessibleThere are no major logic puzzles, and you'll rarely get stuck for more than a few seconds. The idea is for the adventure to flow seamlessly, favoring a fast-paced rhythm where something new is always happening. This has a good side—it's a perfect game to share with people unfamiliar with controllers—and a less positive one: if you're looking for tough challenges or complex puzzles, you'll be left with the feeling that the game doesn't quite live up to its potential.
One of the biggest new features is that, in certain sections, direct combat comes into playThe brothers can wield a knife and a crowbar to defend themselves, and in some sequences, confronting birds and other creatures is mandatory. These encounters add variety and raise the pulse, but they are also the weakest moments of the game: they often boil down to mashing the attack button and can feel somewhat unfair due to the camera angle or the intentionally clunky controls, leading to frequent crashes and failures.
Despite these rough edges, the gameplay key is clear: dynamism over depthThe game strings together stealth, chases, small platforming sections, brief combats, and fragments of exploration by boat or on foot, so that the feeling is one of continuous travel with hardly any respite, especially from the first large scenario on the island.
Local cooperative, online and solo: two sides of the same nightmare
REANIMAL is designed from the ground up as a cooperative experience for two playersWhether on the same sofa or via the internet. So much so that many situations, puzzles, and stealth sections only truly work when there is real coordination between two people: there are moments when the protagonists are connected by a rope and must walk in unison, others where one drives a boat and the other fires harpoons, and countless passages where both must press switches, push objects, or distract enemies simultaneously.
The online cooperative relies on a Come in, friend.Similar to games like It Takes Two or Split Fiction, with just one copy you can invite another person to play with you. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry and makes it easier to share the adventure with friends without duplicate purchases. Locally, screen sharing has all the charm of a game designed for close-quarters play, with constant communication, laughter, shouts, and the occasional "Just pull the lever already!" when things get tough.
However, the game can also be fully enjoyed alone, with the AI controlling the other brotherYou can call your companion to tell her where to go, which object to interact with, or to follow you closely. She usually behaves quite competently, even guiding you along the route if you're unsure. This constant presence, even when playing alone, effectively conveys the feeling of never being completely abandoned.
That doesn't mean the AI is perfect. There are rare occasions when the sister gets stuck in a door, fails to cross an obstacle, or decides to stand where it shouldn't.forcing you to restart from the last save point. It's not constant, but when it happens it breaks the flow a bit, and it's clear that these are flaws stemming from designing the game with two human players in mind rather than the logic of a CPU.
We must also mention the "double-edged sword" of the cooperative: The camera can only follow one player at a time.And although the shot is quite wide, it's possible that one of them could be out of frame at the wrong moment and die unexpectedly. Or that an escape maneuver at different speeds could throw the pair off balance. These are "occupational hazards" of an adventure so focused on cooperation, which demands good verbal communication and a certain amount of discipline to avoid each going their own way.
Exploration, boats, and highly guided level design
One of the areas where REANIMAL particularly shines is in its level design and how it guides the playerAlthough the environments are visually chaotic, filled with rubble, twisted structures, and details everywhere, there's almost always some element—a light source, a sound, a different contour—that guides you in the right direction. The game achieves that sought-after feeling of being lost in a devastated world, while simultaneously allowing you to move forward in a straight line without taking absurd detours.
The sections by boat They are another pillar of the experience. We spend a good part of the adventure navigating through mines, the remains of flooded buildings, and creatures lurking beneath the surface. These sequences combine exploration and tension: on the one hand, you scan the fog for the next landing point and possible alternative routes; on the other, you must be alert to threats that can send you to the bottom in a matter of seconds.
The game cleverly alternates these navigation sections with other more contained areas, such as interiors or narrow streets, where the more claustrophobic tone returns, along with cat and mouse gameplay with gigantic enemies. Stealth and pursuit go hand in handFirst you sneak around, avoiding their field of vision, using cover and shadows, and when they inevitably discover you, you have to run like there's no tomorrow, jumping over obstacles, sliding through impossible gaps and praying that the camera doesn't play a trick on you.
As for collectibles, REANIMAL offers an extra layer for those who want to get the most out of it. There are masks to personalize the main charactersPosters that unlock concept art and a series of shadows and secrets that subtly expand the world's context. Collecting certain items is key to accessing the true ending, encouraging replayability and meticulous exploration of seemingly minor areas.
However, the design of hidden pathways versus pure decoration can be somewhat inconsistent. Sometimes a seemingly accessible nook turns out to be pure set dressing, while an inconspicuous crevice hides an important secret. If you're a completionist, Finding everything can become a bit of a chore.especially in a game so focused on fluidity.
Visual art: magical photorealism and grotesque horror
If there is one point where virtually all reviews agree, it is on the visual impact of REANIMALTarsier has an unmistakable artistic style, and here he takes it a step further. The studio blends a kind of gritty photorealism with almost picture-book elements, resulting in images that seem like a cross between Coraline and silent horror films like Nosferatu.
The camera does a spectacular job: It moves like you're watching a movieAlternating between close-ups that convey vulnerability and expansive wide shots where the children are mere specks amidst the disaster, each scene is meticulously composed to have a clear visual protagonist: a deformed monster, a ruined structure, a beam of light cutting through the fog… It's a film brimming with memorable images that stay with you.
The enemy designs are especially chilling. Nobody draws nightmares like TarsierReanimated, slimy-looking humans, aggressive birds, mutilated soldiers, impossible sea creatures… There is hardly any explicit gore, but there is a constant sense of repulsion and threat that is built with silhouettes, textures, animations and small sound details rather than with spurts of blood.
Technically, the game uses Unreal Engine 5 to create richly detailed environments and elaborate lighting effects. There are areas where the lighting is practically a character in itself: distant flashes of light, shadows that conceal horrors, red glimmers that point the way forward. The result is an atmosphere that captivates you and makes it very difficult to press the pause button.
There are also staging choices that reinforce its personality. Some playable sequences are so scripted and choreographed that they border on pure cinematography, with structures that collapse with millimeter precision as you pass by or cameras that rotate at just the right moment to emphasize a key action. In less skilled hands, this might seem excessive, but here it integrates surprisingly well into the overall flow.
Sound, dubbing, and oppressive atmosphere
The sound design is on par with the visuals. REANIMAL is committed to a soundtrack based on ambient sounds And very specific, tense musical themes during chases or climactic moments. Most of the time, what you hear are creaks, footsteps, jets of water, wind seeping through cracks, distant machinery… all focused on putting you in a state of constant alert.
Sound effects are also used for to cause genuine shocksAfter minutes of unsettling silence, a metal shutter suddenly slamming shut or the roar of an invisible creature can make you jump out of your chair. Towards the end of the game, there are passages that become genuine auditory trauma, with echoes of battles, explosions, and screams that reinforce the island's war-torn and mentally broken atmosphere.
As for voices, the game includes English and Latin American Spanish dubbingAlthough in some versions the option for Peninsular Spanish voices appears in the menu but is not activated, playing the English audio instead. In any case, dialogue is scarce, so the narrative weight rests almost entirely on the animations, scenery, and ambient sounds.
Perhaps a little more use of dialogue would be welcome, because the few that exist are insufficient. They greatly increase emotional intensity.When the brothers exchange a key line amidst the tension, the impact is remarkable. Even so, the decision to maintain a world that communicates primarily through images and sounds aligns with the studio's philosophy.
Where it does fall a little short is in the accessibility optionsThere are no specific aids for colorblind users, nor is there an option to enlarge subtitles or add more legible backgrounds, which makes reading the text difficult in handheld mode (for example, on the Switch 2). This is an area that needs improvement for future updates or projects.
Performance, platforms, and duration
REANIMAL is launched in PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2With generally solid performance on the most powerful machines. On PlayStation 5, for example, the experience is very stable, with good loading times and a fluidity that does justice to the game's visuals.
On Switch 2 the situation is more nuanced. The title offers quality mode and performance modeOn TV, the first prioritizes resolution (up to 2160p at 30 fps) and the second tries to maintain 60 fps, sacrificing some sharpness. On laptops, the difference is smaller, and many people prioritize performance over smooth motion. However, some occasional stuttering is noticeable, and above all, long loading times, around 12 seconds after each death, which feel like an eternity if you tend to fall off cliffs or fail in trial and error sections.
Overall, the system is stable enough to enjoy without serious problems, but it's important to note that it is a graphically demanding gameWith numerous lighting effects and on-screen elements, it takes its toll on less powerful hardware. Wherever you play, a good audio system is appreciated to fully appreciate its sound design.
In terms of duration, REANIMAL is an adventure concise but intenseA first playthrough can take a little over four hours if you go straight to the main story, and stretch to eight if you explore, look for collectibles, and revisit areas. Some reviews mention an "average" playtime of around six hours, a fitting term: the game always offers a bit less than it could to avoid feeling like filler.
Furthermore, there are reasons to replay it: the secret ending linked to collectiblesThe possibility of watching it on another platform or with a friend, and the desire to revisit scenes knowing what they hold, are all part of the appeal. Added to this is the promise of DLC that will add three more chapters to the story, something that keeps the community alive and fuels fan theories.
Everything that REANIMAL offers, with its strengths and weaknesses, makes it one of the most compelling cooperative horror experiences of recent years.A short but intense journey through an island ravaged by war and corruption, where two children fight to save their friends while dealing with traumas, curses, and creatures that seem straight out of a vegan and a war veteran's worst nightmare; the "nightmare" formula may be starting to show signs of wear, but Tarsier proves that he still has plenty of talent left to twist reality, unsettle the player, and leave them with that strange emptiness that can only be cured by playing the nightmare again, this time accompanied by someone different.