Reanimal Review: A Dark Gothic Co-op Horror Experience
The creators of Little Nightmares have returned with Reanimal, a new but hauntingly familiar co-op horror game that plunges players into a world even darker and more disturbing than their previous work. Developed by Sweden's Tarsier Studios, known for their creative prowess in titles like LittleBigPlanet, Tearaway Unfolded, and the underrated Statik for PlayStation VR2, Reanimal carries the distinct flavor of the Little Nightmares series, despite the third installment being handled by Supermassive.
Atmospheric Terror and Co-op Gameplay
Reanimal excels in crafting an unsettling atmosphere, featuring childlike but faceless protagonists, adult-sized enemies, and environmental puzzles designed for cooperative play. The game allows seamless switching between co-op modes, with an AI teammate automatically assisting when a human partner is absent. This system works well, though the absence of human company in its sad, derelict environments is palpable. The motion-captured movements of the heroes, reminiscent of little children, contrast sharply with the unnatural lurches of enemies, adding to the disquieting experience.
The gloom of both interiors and exteriors is often pierced only by the cigarette lighter and lantern carried by the young protagonists, enhancing the menace. Enemies include twisted grown-ups and deflated corpse-like creatures that slither snake-like, attacking with lethal intent. The game's environmental storytelling is masterful, with little explained, leaving players to infer details from observations as they progress.
Puzzle Frustrations and Trial-and-Error
Where Reanimal stumbles is in its puzzle design. While cleverly integrated into the environments, many puzzles rely heavily on trial and error, leading to repeated deaths without clear understanding. This contrasts with Soulsborne games, where failure typically feels like the player's fault. In Reanimal, poor lighting and ambiguous objectives often result in frustrating blunders, such as navigating a tiny motorboat through hidden sea mines.
Combat can be equally enervating in solo play, as only one character wields a crowbar for defense. The AI partner sometimes neglects self-preservation, making fights highly frustrating. Additionally, the limitation of holding only one item at a time—such as stashing a lighter to use the crowbar, plunging the duo into darkness—adds to the challenge.
Brief Experience and Collectibles
Reanimal is unusually brief, lasting around six hours, which feels expensive at its £34.99 price point. Collectibles include purely cosmetic masks and concept art, the latter being a lazy unlockable despite the skilled art department. The game includes local and online co-op options, a rarity this console generation, though it doesn't reach the heights of titles like It Takes Two or Split Fiction.
Summary and Verdict
In summary, Reanimal offers a darkly atmospheric horror puzzle experience with strong sound design and co-op features, but is undermined by dull puzzles and excessive trial and error. While its unsettling environment and motion-captured characters are highlights, the rote-learned solutions and solo play frustrations detract from the overall integrity. Scoring a 6/10, it's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, releasing on February 13, 2026, with an age rating of 18.
