The woods in Reanimal are full of surprises. You will encounter human cadavers that slither like snakes, gigantic talking pigs, and, at one point, a forlorn, supersized whale who seems resigned to an agonizingly slow death. These variously monstrous beings inhabit a realm that, though it looks like our own, seems to defy spatial logic: the forest leads to an oceanic expanse, which segues into a de...
The woods in Reanimal are full of surprises. You will encounter human cadavers that slither like snakes, gigantic talking pigs, and, at one point, a forlorn, supersized whale who seems resigned to an agonizingly slow death. These variously monstrous beings inhabit a realm that, though it looks like our own, seems to defy spatial logic: the forest leads to an oceanic expanse, which segues into a decrepit, towering city. It’s like Aesop’s Fables meets the nightmare visions of both Lars von Trier and J.G. Ballard. Playing as a boy and girl (either solo or via local / online co-op), Reanimal evolves the premise Tarsier Studios explored with its first two Little Nightmares games: the timeless terror of children being pursued by larger, looming monsters. But the camera in this action-platformer is more fluid and dynamic. It feels less like you are peering inside a doll’s house and more like you are seamlessly directing these characters through a miniature film set. Another notable departure: For all its unsettling darkness, Little Nightmares always carried a little storybook charm. That quality is largely absent here. Reanimal is darker, nastier — and stronger for it. The game begins on water, with you following dimly lit buoys; you reach a beach and open washed-up suitcases to find a key. From there, you venture into what seems like a hydroelectric facility. Inside, there are light puzzles to solve as you move forward, though nothing so taxing as to impede your progress for very long. The pair you’re controlling (referred to simply as “Boy” and “Girl”) can jump and grab objects; later, they wield a crowbar, useful for prying open doors or whacking smaller enemies. If you have played either a Little Nightmares game or a title by Playdead (the Danish studio’s landmark first game Limbo or 2016 classic Inside), then the action will feel instantly familiar. The revelatory moments arrive via finely crafted details: These child protagonists carefully and reassuringly usher one ...