Reanimal Reviews
Tarsier returns to horror with a rich, meaningful evolution of its familiar Little Nightmares formula. And while it could perhaps be a little more radical, Reanimal remains utterly compelling; bleak, nasty, and full of menace.
Reanimal doesn't meaningfully develop Tarsier's approach to gameplay in the Little Nightmares games, but it's a grim sight to behold, and a worthwhile horror adventure.
Playing Reanimal feels like flicking through playable concept art
The imagery and implications linger in my mind much like the siblings' nightmares. While Reanimal is certainly unsettling, it's also quite beautiful. It shines a light on the importance of companionship--while you may face moments of uncertainty, and unsafety, you're not alone. And that's invaluable.
With Reanimal, Tarsier Studios delivers its darkest, boldest work yet. Expanding on the Little Nightmares formula with non-linear exploration, striking audiovisual design, and bombastic set pieces, this is an imaginative horror experience that confidently delivers its vision while offering accessible co-op play that fans of the developer have long clamoured for.
What’s here is familiar, yes, but the addition of co-op and some seriously memorable set pieces primed to send a chill down the spine mostly makes up for it. When taken as a whole, it’s hard to deny that these little nightmares have started to grow up (if only ever so slightly).
Reanimal takes its cues from primal childhood trauma and the deep-seated fears that most people carry through life. It adds layers of familiar-feeling puzzles and terrifying monsters to a game that looks a lot like a Little Nightmares sibling. With the ability to play the game with another terrified human, Reanimal is all the more scary and memorable.
Reanimal is a short thrill ride, packed with stylish albeit somewhat repetitive set pieces, and truly nightmarish imagery. Despite its obvious connective tissue to Tarsier's previous franchise, it does enough to never feel derivative, and instead comes off as more of an evolution.
By improving upon its work from the Little Nightmares series, Tarsier Studios has crafted its greatest horror game yet. Reanimal is an impressive, smooth mix of action, platforming, and top-of-the-line presentation. It's a very gripping and intense experience, both in solo play and co-op.
REANIMAL is a direct continuation of the studio's previous titles. Far from trying to reinvent the wheel, Tarsier just does what it does best: immerse us in a dark and disturbing experience, carried by an unfailing minimalist approach. Of course, this doesn't prevent the creators of Little Nightmares from refining their formula, with welcome additions and adjustments here and there. But beware of the feeling of déjà vu that slowly but surely begins to set in…
Review in French | Read full review
You have to immerse yourself in the title's dark world, however, and gameplay alone won't be enough to guide you: it's very simple, basic, and less stimulating than usual. Unlike the narrative, which is several notches above the rest.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Reanimal exploits our love of theories and in doing so creates a game that's bloated and narratively confusing. While it's undeniably pretty and the boss designs are cool, two-player co-op is fiddly and unforgiving, detracting from any real tension the game tries to build.
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Review in German | Read full review
If you love the Little Nightmares series , you'll find something very special here: it not only draws on its essence, but elevates it and takes it a step further, a must-have in the Xbox catalog.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tarsier's Reanimal is a fun and creepy adventure to spend alone or with a friend for a few hours. The co-op experience doesn't add much, but you'll be able to bounce ideas off the deeper story as you're escaping from hellish birds
In the new puzzle-platformer from Tarsier Studios, Reanimal, you get to drive an ice cream van. That may come as a shock, given that this developer m...
REANIMAL creatively and seriously explores... something about humans.
Reanimal is exactly what you might expect from the original Little Nightmares team, and yet, wondrous in its own right. Like venturing down the rabbit hole of unrelenting terror, it's an experience that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Reanimal understands horror on a visual and emotional level, but isn't able to support it with the amount of friction in the game. When it works, it's great; when it doesn't, the cracks are impossible to ignore.
Reanimal is a very cinematic experience, in which platform and co-op mechanics are simply an addition. The plot takes centre stage here, and the themes and experiences suggested by the authors are probably more mature and serious than those in Little Nightmares. Reanimal is definitely a ‘big nightmare’ and the most bizarre, atmospheric game you will be able to play this year.
Review in Polish | Read full review