Summary
- Reanimal, Tarsier Studios' new IP, is a survival-horror platformer that resembles the beloved Little Nightmares franchise in gameplay and atmosphere.
- Reanimal features a cooperative gameplay with two protagonists escaping from horrifying monsters through unique environments and puzzles.
- While sharing core mechanics with Little Nightmares, Reanimal promises a darker, more terrifying experience with unknown horrifying creatures.
During this week’s Gamescom Opening Night Live, Tarsier Studios pulled back the curtain on its newest IP, Reanimal, with a trailer dripping in grotesque animal body horror. Developed by the team behind the much-beloved Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2, the Reanimal’s announcement trailer revealed the title to be another survival-horror platformer. Tarsier Studios had teased the title for some time, leading many fans to anticipate its reveal at Gamescom. Many were likely expecting the teases to accompany a title that departed from the norm. However, Reanimal is Little Nightmares in all but name, and that's great.
Reanimal is a cooperative survival-horror platformer that pits players against a range of grotesque and horrifying monsters. During its reveal trailer, its co-protagonists, a brother and sister, can be seen fleeing from all manner of dangers, solving puzzles, and traversing unique environments. While the trailer was slim in story details, it more than made up for it in atmosphere and gameplay. However, many of its core mechanics likely appeared familiar to fans of Tarsier Studios’ flagship IP, Little Nightmares, which seemingly boasts a similar gameplay loop.
22 Games To Play If You Liked Little Nightmares 2
Loads of gamers loved Little Nightmares 2. For those looking for a similar experience, these games should scratch that itch.
Reanimal Seemingly Shares Key Features with Little Nightmares
Viewers of Gamescom Opening Night Live would be forgiven for mistaking Reanimal for a new Little Nightmares title, as the two appear very similar from a gameplay perspective. Had it not been for a new Little Nightmares 3 trailer later that night, and the fact that Reanimal has its own name, the misconception could have endured. The title’s reveal trailer boasted similar visuals, environments, enemies, and ambiance to the beloved franchise, and its cryptic spoken dialogue left fans questioning what exactly they were witnessing. What’s more, Reanimal’s co-protagonists and major mechanics appear to be taken directly from Little Nightmare’s proven formula.
Reanimal’ s level design, objectives, and mechanics are likely shared with Little Nightmares. The brother and sister protagonists run, hide, and sneak their way through a variety of corridors, evading malformed and mutated enemies. No puzzles were depicted in Reanimal’s reveal trailer, but it's safe to assume players will come across similar pressure and combat puzzles as those found in the Little Nightmares franchise. However, Reanimal did stand out from Little Nightmares in one key area, which the game’s official description confirmed following its listing on Steam.
Reanimal is Set to Deliver a Much Darker Experience than Little Nightmares
Reanimal may feature Little Nightmares' defining features, but its world, enemies, and narrative are something entirely different. The game's official summary, which can be found on Steam and other platforms, sheds light on just how different its vision of horror is set to be. Going so far as to outrightly compare Reanimal to Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2, Tarsier Studios states that the title is a darker, more terrifying journey than they’ve ever delivered before. Reanimal follows a brother and sister as they go through hell to rescue friends scattered across their island home, before escaping its horrors together. What exactly has happened to fill this island with horrifying sheep monsters and deformed human-like creatures remains unknown, but fans are sure to encounter far worse when the title officially launches.
It's great that Reanimal is essentially a darker Little Nightmares. The franchise has proven itself to be an excellent survival-horror platformer, amassing a loyal fanbase. With Little Nightmares 3, the studio set to continue the series' complex mythos while maintaining its cutesy appeal. Reanimal offers the developers the chance to deliver a more mature and graphic take on Little Nightmares' formula, without altering their flagship IP. Reanimal is currently without a release window, meaning fans may have to wait a while before the title's other key differences surface. Until then, fans of Tarsier Studios' unique approach to horror can look forward to Little Nightmares 3, which is set to release in 2025.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 60%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
Two young friends, lost in a frightening world not made for children. If they cannot find a way out of this Nowhere place, they’ll be condemned to a fate worse than death.
FACE YOUR CHILDHOOD FEARS TOGETHER
You play as Low and Alone, best friends ever since they found each other in this lonely nightmare. They each possess their own iconic item: a bow for Low and a wrench for Alone. Working together, they’ve become adept at sneaking through hidden passages, hoisting each other over massive obstacles, and watching each other’s backs.
Whether you’re playing with a friend or an A.I. Companion, you’ll depend on each other's iconic items to create opportunities and to progress. The environment is full of clues and possibilities for imaginative children to exploit. Low’s arrows can reach high targets, cut through ropes, or down flying enemies, and Alone’s wrench is just the thing for crushing stunned enemies, smashing through barriers, or manipulating the workings of massive machines.
EMBARK ON AN IMMERSIVE AND DISTURBING ADVENTURE
No matter where you go, the Nowhere is home to horrific monsters. These Residents won't hesitate to go out of their way to capture any intrusive little Visitors that draw their attention. You might find yourself playing a terrifying game of hide and seek with Monster Baby in the sandy ruins of the Necropolis, struggling to avoid swarms of voracious Candy Weevils in an unsetlling Candy Factory, or dodging heavy feet while running along the rain-soaked promenade of a filthy funfair.
You'll need to be ready to run, hide, or even defend yourself at a moment's notice to stay in one piece.
SINK INTO THE SPIRAL
Don’t be too distracted by the desolate beauty of the Nowhere. There are dark mysteries waiting for you as Low and Alone follow their mirror path across the Spiral. As each new location will become more dangerous and disturbing than the last, traumatic flashes from the past will begin to emerge. Will Low and Alone finally escape from this unending nightmare? Only you can help them, little ones...
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Little Nightmares
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Platformer, Horror
