tech
February 11, 2026
Reanimal Review
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Switch 2; Tarsier Studios Childhood terrors come to wretched life in a grim fairytale of a puzzle-platformer that’s as beautifully macabre as it is hard to put down
TL;DR
- Players control child protagonists exploring dark, desolated urban environments in a rowboat.
- The game features puzzle-platforming, stealth, and chase sequences.
- It draws comparisons to Tarsier's Little Nightmares series for its atmosphere and exploration of childhood fears.
- The world's architecture is described as wretched, with assured cinematography and arresting scale.
- Despite some moments of empowerment like piloting a tank, the game generally focuses on childhood disempowerment and fear.
- Lovingly animated details and small comforts like a lighter and lamp brighten the murkiness.
- The game includes spectacular moments of running from or tussling with gargantuan creatures.
- Clues to compelling mysteries about the world and the children's place within it are drip-fed throughout.
- The ending is noted as not recapturing the impact of Little Nightmares II's ending.
- The game relies on darkly beautiful scenes that are memorable in isolation but don't form a cogent whole.
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