Reanimal Switch 2 Review: Is It Worth It?

For horror enthusiasts with a Nintendo Switch 2, Reanimal is an essential and chilling experience. Developer Tarsier Studios masterfully builds upon the foundation of its Little Nightmares series, crafting a bleak and nightmarish world that pushes its signature horror into terrifying new territory. This ambitious evolution transforms the cinematic puzzle-platformer into a larger, less linear adventure set in expansive 3D spaces, featuring more varied combat, intricate traversal, and truly bombastic set pieces, all wrapped in impeccable sound design and a gorgeously oppressive atmosphere.

The game shifts away from the Tim Burton-esque style of earlier titles, moving toward a tone that, by its conclusion, echoes the shell-shocked horror of intense war films, now infused with a profane supernatural edge. Moments of pulse-pounding escalation overwhelm the senses, while quieter stretches seethe with palpable tension and a deep fear of the unknown. While there are minor points of friction, such as occasionally disorienting encounters or lengthy load times that interrupt the flow, these do little to diminish the powerful impact of the game’s world, atmosphere, or its stellar design.

You follow a brother and sister navigating a hellish landscape to rescue their missing friends. This straightforward narrative effectively supports the core focus on cooperative survival. Well-executed voice acting elevates key moments and sheds light on the characters’ dire predicament, though these instances are used sparingly. Reanimal is fully playable in single-player with a capable AI companion, but it also supports both local and online co-op. The gameplay frequently requires the protagonists to act in tandem, like flipping switches simultaneously, with both characters functioning identically without any mechanical advantage given to either.

Playing solo, the companion AI generally performs reliably, keeping pace and providing solid support during demanding chases and combat sequences. Rare moments of awkward behavior typically self-resolved and were often tied to specific puzzle conditions not yet being met. Compared to the more vulnerable, doll-like protagonists of Little Nightmares, the characters here feel larger and more mechanically capable. However, the core loop remains familiar: you must cleverly evade and overcome the apex threat in each hostile area to escape.

While Little Nightmares favored side-scrolling progression, Reanimal’s environments are far more intricate and non-linear. They demand exploration and occasional backtracking to locate the tools needed to overcome obstacles. New traversal mechanics, including the use of a boat and other vehicles, add welcome variety, though specifics are best left unspoiled. The game also introduces light melee combat, primarily against similarly sized enemies, with your AI partner mirroring your actions to attack in unison or raise a light source against the oppressive darkness.

The game’s lighting and color palette is genuinely gorgeous, yet it frequently has the courage to plunge you into pitch-black scenes. To aid navigation, a subtle white indicator appears near interactive objects like hatches, levers, and crawl spaces, a thoughtful design choice that guides players without breaking immersion. That said, it’s still possible to overlook smaller items, like a key on a cluttered floor, which can briefly stall progress. These objects gain a faint white outline when approached, but spotting them sometimes requires carefully scanning the environment.

Well-hidden collectibles are scattered throughout the world, including masks for your characters, often tucked away in easy-to-miss hidden rooms. The relentlessly grim setting is also dotted with flyers pinned to walls, which unlock concept art and reward thorough exploration. The audio design is a standout feature, especially with headphones. Ominous bellows, grinding machinery, creaking floorboards, and a barrage of abrasive sounds sharply heighten the stress, particularly during intense chase sequences tailed by horrid creatures.

A recurring frustration in Little Nightmares II was its reliance on trial-and-error encounters and instant deaths, which could break immersion through repetition. Reanimal does a better job of minimizing such friction, though a few sections can still lead to repetition if the game’s objective is misunderstood. Arguably the most notable flaw is the reload time after death, which can sometimes exceed fifteen seconds.

You can complete Reanimal in roughly four to five hours of tightly paced gameplay. While the opening act may feel somewhat familiar to series veterans in its antagonist design and environmental puzzling, the game steadily distinguishes itself visually and narratively. The gameplay grows more varied and ambitious as it progresses. The final act culminates in a genuinely thrilling spectacle, leaving layers of lore for dedicated players to unpack. By the time the credits roll, everything coalesces into an experience that feels greater than the sum of its parts, marking Tarsier Studios’ best work to date and a confident evolution of their creative vision.

(Source: Nintendo Life)