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As my friends and fellow editors know, my collection of horror games is small. However, the Little Nightmares games always had me in a chokehold; they’re just the perfect amount of horror for me. Reanimal is no different.
It’s not horror per se, it’s more on the creepy and spooky side - there is something that feels incredibly wrong about little kids being in a world that is designed to crush them.
After Tarsier Studios announced their new game, I wasn’t one bit nervous. I knew they could once again deliver the same atmosphere, same dread, and the understanding that being small and unarmed is much scarier than any jumpscare.
Story: Dark Secrets and Touching Moments
It was obvious from the start that Reanimal would draw inspiration from The Little Nightmares, and I don’t consider that a bad thing. The foreboding atmosphere immediately reminded me of the first two games (though the second remains my favourite).
You control a boy and a girl who actually speak to each other, which I absolutely loved. Their young voices amplify the vulnerability - these are small, weak, mostly defenceless children.
The game is structured around three major sections, each with its own boss guarding one of three kidnapped children you need to rescue. As you progress, you're essentially collecting kids - after being rescued, they join your group and travel with you.
However, only the boy and the girl are playable; the other rescued children follow along. The relationship between the boy and the girl is genuinely touching. When she falls, he helps her up. When you die, they wake up holding each other.
But the game hints right from the start that there is something wrong with the girl. It reminded me of the relationship between Mono and Six from the second game, and that is all I will say, as I urge you to play the game for yourself and experience the same “gasp moment” I did at the end.
In Reanimal, bleak imagery surrounds you the moment you press the start button. This isn't Resident Evil or Outlast horror - Reanimal dances carefully between creepy and deeply unsettling. The music remains constantly eerie, strange noises creep from every corner, and the game never gives you a moment to relax.
Gameplay: Familiar Formula, Welcome Improvements
The gameplay follows Little Nightmares' proven formula: environmental puzzles, stealth sequences, and timing-based challenges. Throughout the game, you travel on foot, by boat, and using some unexpected methods - especially in the final section.
Sure, watching small children operate heavy machinery made me chuckle and think "there's no way," but I didn't mind. It added variety and kept things from getting stale.
Combat and Encounters
Combat has improved since their previous games, and it’s much smoother. Basic enemies are forgiving - you can take a hit and recover, which is a welcome change from the instant-death encounters in Little Nightmare 2’s school section (God, I hate those dolls). Boss encounters remain instantly lethal, though, and just like in Little Nightmares, each section has its own boss you need to defeat, and each one is more disturbing than the previous one.
Reanimal stays true to its name - as you will encounter animals throughout your playthrough, although most will be warped and disfigured in the most disturbing way. Each boss is tied to its section in some way. The Sniffer, a morbid, tall figure - the most human-like boss, and coincidentally the only one that has a name - is tied to creepy houses and performs mundane tasks such as ironing, when he’s not travelling through corpses.
The other bosses are animalistic nightmares: you’ll face them underwater, on a farm, in places where you wouldn’t be surprised to see something straight out of a nightmare. A giant crow in a lighthouse? Check. The final boss is deeply connected to the story, so I won’t spoil it. What I will say, however, is that its chase was really fun, one of my favourites.
Boat sections
The boat sequences were hit-or-miss for me. You mostly follow lights through dark waters, navigating mines (of course, they have mines in water) and other threats. Some sections were atmospheric and tense, but others felt tedious. The steering felt clunky in solo play, though I imagine co-op would help - one player navigating while the other handles threats sounds much easier, at least in theory.
Chase Sequences and Collectables
I loved the chase sections; they were all a bit different and didn’t feel repetitive. The underwater chase really stood out: the lack of gravity underwater changes the movement dynamics completely, and also you’re being chased by a giant horse whose eyeball you just stole, which is exactly as unexpected, absurd, and teffying as it sounds.
Most importantly, the game doesn’t put you at a disadvantage - If you do die during a chase section, you’ll die because you got confused, not because the design was unfair.
As for collectables, collecting hats is back, as well as concept art. I thought collecting hats would be easier this time, but I only found a few. What can I say? I’ve never been a good hat collector.
The Jumpscare Question
One thing that I kept thinking about while playing is that Reanimal is a horror game, yet it never uses any cheap jumpscares, and I couldn’t praise Tarsier Studios enough for this.
Several moments had obvious jumpscare opportunities, and I braced for them - but they never came. That restraint is more impressive than any shock could be.
The game had some unrealistic moments - such as kids driving a full-on tank or driving a car - but I didn’t mind. The developers knew when to bend the realism for the sake of gameplay, and these moments never lowered the sense of panic or fear. If I’m being chased by a giant, grotesque man, you bet I won’t ask why a kid is driving an ice cream truck.
Visuals, Performance and Sound
Visual design is impeccable. Every level is carefully designed and unique - from the different houses and farms to the underwater sections and warzones. Reanimal is purposely dark but combines the dark with bright neon lights, street lamps, car flashlights and other sources to create an eerie atmosphere and a stunning art direction.
The game maintains constant tension through sound design. Weird noises and unsettling audio cues surround you throughout, especially in the final warzone section, where falling bombs make you feel like you're in actual combat.
I have to be honest and say that my reviews usually include a fair amount of camera work complaints, but Reanimal knocked it out of the park. See, guys, it’s not that hard to avoid making the camera an enemy (I am looking at you, Cairn).
As for technical problems, I’ve encountered almost none, besides occasional AI pathfinding glitches where companions would weirdly walk behind my character, making it seem like I was controlling the girl instead of the boy. Oh, and one bizarre glitch where my hat got blown off, and I was catapulted backwards, Skyrim-style.
AltChar's Final Verdict
Having played all the Little Nightmares games, I approached Reanimal with high expectations. Tarsier Studios met them completely. The developers brought us a new experience that captured everything that made their older brothers famous, while expanding the gameplay and elevating it to a new level.
It was a perfect balance of creepy and highly unsettling without it ever feeling cheap or predictable. The music and sound design maintain constant tension throughout the entire playthrough, while the story reminds us that there are no happy endings in this dark world.
The touching relationship between the main characters adds emotional weight I didn't expect. I am very excited to see what Tarsier Studios does next, and I have my fingers crossed for a sequel.
Reanimal Review Screenshots
The Good
Constant tension brought by music, setting and characters- Addition of voiced protagonists
- Refreshing game that doesn’t overstay its welcome
- A touching relationship between the main characters
The Bad
Clunky boat navigation- Some sections are a bit too dark
