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Reanimal represents a clear step forward for Tarsier Studios, transplanting the studio’s knack for claustrophobic, childlike nightmare imagery into a less linear, more ambitious framework. The title keeps the cinematic puzzle-platform roots familiar to Little Nightmares fans while enlarging the scope: broader 3D spaces, more varied traversal and combat systems, and several set pieces that verge on the bombastic.
Atmosphere and presentation
The game’s strongest asset is atmosphere. Lighting and environmental design combine to create scenes that are simultaneously beautiful and deeply unsettling. Score and sound design work in lockstep with the visuals: subtle audio cues heighten tension while sudden, oppressive stings make exploration feel risky. The result is a pitch-perfect horror ambience that carries the experience even when the pace slows.
Gameplay and structure
Reanimal trades some of the corridor-bound design of its predecessors for more open, interconnected spaces. This shift brings welcome variety: platforming sections now require more spatial thinking, and encounters are built around choice rather than scripted pushes. Combat is introduced more frequently than in earlier Tarsier games, offering a rougher, more physical edge to encounters. While this adds tension, combat sometimes feels less refined than the stealth and puzzle systems, making a handful of confrontations feel awkward rather than terrifying.
Puzzles remain central and are often inventive, using environmental hazards, light and shadow, and physics to produce satisfying solutions. The game’s pacing is occasionally uneven — set pieces and quieter, exploratory stretches do not always cohere — but memorable moments punctuate those lulls enough to maintain momentum.
Technical performance on Switch 2
The Switch 2 handles Reanimal admirably. Visuals retain much of their polish on the handheld, with the console’s hardware delivering strong lighting and texture work without frequent compromises. Frame-rate holds up across most environments, and load times are reasonable, keeping the experience immersive. Minor frame dips can occur during the most chaotic sequences, but they seldom detract from the overall impact.
What works
- Exceptional sound design that consistently elevates tension and atmosphere.
- Gorgeous lighting and environmental art that create haunting set pieces.
- Expanded level design that rewards exploration and lateral thinking.
- Bold tonal evolution from Little Nightmares—darker and more cinematic.
What doesn’t
- Combat can feel clumsy at times compared with the game’s stealth and puzzle strengths.
- Pacing is uneven across a few sections, which can dilute momentum between major set pieces.
Verdict
Reanimal is a confident evolution for Tarsier Studios. It expands the studio’s vision with larger arenas, more varied mechanics and grander moments, all while retaining the unsettling tone that made its earlier work stand out. The experience is not without flaws — uneven pacing and occasionally awkward combat — but its technical polish on Switch 2, exemplary sound work and striking visual design make it a standout horror release on the platform. For players after a deeply atmospheric, cinematic fright, Reanimal earns a strong recommendation.