Reanimal arrives on PlayStation 5 as THQ Nordic and Tarsier Studios’ most unflinchingly mature horror to date: a visceral, somber journey that trades the deceptively whimsical dread of Little Nightmares for something grimmer and more corporeal. The premise is elegantly simple yet evocative – two siblings, estranged from their home and searching for lost friends across a ruined island – but it’s the way the narrative is delivered, through atmosphere and environmental storytelling, that anchors the experience rather than traditional plot beats. There are moments of spoken dialogue, but these do little to demystify the world; instead, they underscore how little the game ever relinquishes control of the tale it wants you to piece together yourself. This ambiguity feels intentional and in service of the game’s unsettling tone, though it may leave players craving a bit more narrative coherence by the end.
From a design standpoint, Reanimal’s gameplay sits in that tense space between cinematic exploration and survival-horror mechanics. The siblings feel weighty and grounded, moving with a physicality that reinforces their vulnerability. Combat is sparse and clumsy – you’ll often be more concerned with fleeing or hiding than engaging directly – and puzzles are light where some might have expected complexity. This isn’t a condemnation so much as an observation: puzzles seldom challenge you on a mechanical level, and stealth segments lean heavily on repetition rather than innovation. In co-op, these moments can play differently, with shared tension replacing isolation, but in single-player the AI partner occasionally muddles through the environment awkwardly. Still, the shift to include rudimentary weapons and vehicle sequences – from boats to more striking moments like commandeering a tank – injects refreshing variety that broadens the scope of its interactions beyond simply moving from A to B.
Reanimal’s controls generally sit well with its slow-burn horror intent. Movement is deliberate, which complements the atmospheric pacing, and the DualSense triggers add subtle tactile weight to every action on PS5. That said, the camera can feel off at times, prioritizing artistic framing over clear sightlines, which occasionally hampers spatial awareness during critical moments. Combined with sporadic platforming precision issues, this can strain the control experience. Nevertheless, once acclimated, the responsiveness largely serves the game’s rhythm – creeping through the gloom, sprinting from grotesque predators, or manipulating objects in tense environmental puzzles.
It’s in the audiovisual presentation that Reanimal finds its most consistent triumphs. The world is textured with a decayed, nightmarish aesthetic that feels both handcrafted and oppressive, filled with grotesque foes and hauntingly quiet spaces that echo long after you turn the console off. Lighting and sound design operate in harmony to induce fear rather than startle; creaks, distant cries, and the rumble of decaying structures all work to pull you deeper into the dread. This is amplified by the quality of the PS5 presentation, where detailed environments and minimal yet poignant animations – like the way the siblings support each other – add a human element amid the horror. The score is sparse but effective, allowing ambient noise to occupy the foreground and heighten unease.
Despite these strengths, Reanimal isn’t without shortcomings. Its brevity is one of them, the experience clocking in at around six hours, which feels just on the cusp of satisfying for the price point. A few sequences stretch into repetitiveness, with the horror tropes used feeling familiar rather than groundbreaking at times. The narrative’s fragmented delivery and heavy reliance on implication over explanation will delight some but frustrate others looking for a more defined story arc. Additionally, co-op, while thematically appropriate, can diffuse the tension that makes solo play so immersive for horror aficionados, though this is partly a matter of personal taste.
Ultimately, Reanimal stands as a striking evolution of Tarsier’s craft. It retains the psychological dread that made their earlier work compelling while taking bold strides into darker, more explicit territory. For players who value atmosphere, haunting visuals, and a narrative that rewards attention and interpretation over spoon-feeding, this is a horror experience that lingers. It’s not flawless – occasionally repetitive and a touch brief – but its artistic ambition and emotional undercurrents make it one of the more memorable horror titles on PS5 this year. In navigating hell by boat, forest, and ruin, Reanimal demands your patience and offers tension, dread, and occasional poignancy in return.
Score: 8.3/10
Press Play Media 