Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
If you’re a horror fan and you own a Switch 2, you should play Reanimal. From the moment it pulls you into its bleak, nightmarish world, it’s clear that developer Tarsier Studios is building on everything it learned from the Little Nightmares series while pushing its signature horror sensibilities to unnerving new heights.
This is an ambitious evolution of the cinematic horror puzzle-platformer formula the studio helped define with Little Nightmares, one that plays out less linearly in larger 3D spaces, with more varied combat and traversal mechanics and bombastic set pieces. It does so with impeccable sound design, gorgeous lighting, and pitch-perfect atmosphere.
Reanimal marks a shift from the Tim Burton-esque macabre of the studio’s earlier titles towards what, by the end, feels closer to the shell-shocked horror of Elem Klimov’s war film Come and See, infused with the profane supernatural. Its moments of pulse-pounding escalation overwhelm the senses, while quieter stretches seethe with tension and fear of the unknown.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
There are small points of friction along the way, whether in busier encounters that can briefly disorient or in lengthy load times that occasionally interrupt the otherwise seamless flow. Even so, these are minor frustrations in a game that so consistently delivers on its vision, and they do little to dull the impact of its world, atmosphere, or stellar set-piece design.
Narratively, you play as a brother and sister venturing through a hellish world in an effort to rescue their missing friends, a simple setup that effectively supports the game’s focus on co-operative survival. There is well-executed voice acting that elevates certain moments and sheds light on the predicament facing the characters, though instances of it are sparse.
Reanimal is fully playable in single-player, which pairs you with an AI companion, but it supports local and online co-op with GameShare, too. The game frequently requires its protagonists to act in tandem – flipping switches simultaneously or coordinating actions to progress – and both playable characters function identically, with no mechanical advantage given to either.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)
My review is primarily based on my time playing solo, and the companion AI generally keeps pace, responds reliably to prompts, and does a solid job supporting the game’s more demanding sequences, particularly during chases and combat. Rare moments of awkward AI behaviour self-resolved and were typically tied to puzzle conditions not yet being met.
Compared to the playable protagonists of Little Nightmares, who often feel almost doll-like – underpowered, limited in their movement, and unable to reach the height of door knobs – the characters in Reanimal are larger and more mechanically capable, while the core loop of escaping a hostile space by cleverly eluding and besting an area’s apex threat remains intact.
While Little Nightmares is built around a side-scrolling progression, Reanimal’s environments are far more intricate and non-linear, requiring exploration and backtracking to find the tools needed to overcome obstacles. There are traversal mechanics through the use of a boat and other vehicles, though it’s best to avoid detailing them here to prevent spoilers.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)
The game also includes light melee combat, primarily against enemies of your own size, with the companion AI mirroring the player’s actions, attacking in tandem or raising a light source to illuminate the surrounding darkness. The game’s lighting and colour palette is genuinely gorgeous, yet it’s frequently unafraid to plunge you into pitch-black darkness.
Given just how dark the lighting can be at times, it’s worth noting that a small white indicator appears when you get close to objects like hatches and levers that can be interacted with, as well as cracks in walls you can squeeze through, which feels like thoughtful environmental design that guides the player without being intrusive or breaking immersion.
That said, it’s still possible to overlook smaller items, such as a key on the floor or a tool required for a puzzle amidst a cluttered space, which can briefly stall progression until they’re discovered. These objects are marked by a subtle white outline when approached, but spotting them can occasionally require visual skimming of the environment.
There are a variety of well-hidden collectables scattered throughout, including masks that your characters can wear, which are typically tucked away behind easy-to-miss hidden rooms. Reanimal’s relentlessly grim world is also dotted with flyers pinned to walls, which unlock concept art and offer an additional incentive to explore off the beaten path.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
The game’s audio design also stands out, especially when played with headphones. Ominous bellows, grinding factory machinery, creaky floorboards, howling wind through open spaces, blaring car alarms, and a barrage of abrasive noises sharply heighten the stress and tension, especially as you’re tailed by no shortage of horrid things during chase sequences.
A recurring frustration I had with Tarsier’s previous game, Little Nightmares II, was the use of encounters that leaned too heavily into trial and error and instant deaths, often requiring repeated attempts to progress. Attempting a section over and over broke my immersion and diminished the scare factor. Reanimal does a better job of minimising such friction.
There are a few moments where repetition is difficult to avoid simply because it’s easy to misunderstand what the game is asking of you, such as when player characters are forced to traverse a crumbling multi-forked path while tied together. But arguably the game’s biggest fault is that it can sometimes take more than 15 seconds to reload after you die.
You can complete Reanimal within four to five hours, but there’s no padding. While the first act perhaps too closely resembles Little Nightmares, from the design of its antagonist to the rhythm of its environmental puzzling, Reanimal steadily sets itself apart visually and narratively as it progresses, while gameplay becomes far more varied and ambitious.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
The game’s final act culminates in a genuinely thrilling spectacle that leaves behind layers of lore for diehard players to unpack. By the time the credits roll, everything the game has been building towards comes together in a way that feels greater than the sum of its parts. It marks Tarsier Studios’ best work to date and a confident evolution of their creative vision.
