Reanimal Review – Children of the City

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As a longtime horror enthusiast, I’ve learned that true terror can come from anywhere, but the fear of the unknown is always particularly effective. The movie Reanimal really embodies this – it’s deeply unsettling and leaves you with more questions than answers. After watching it, I found myself obsessing over every detail, trying to piece things together. It’s a film best experienced without knowing too much beforehand, so I won’t say much more – you really need to see it for yourself.

I hesitate to call Reanimal straightforward “horror,” though it certainly has frightening elements. It’s actually much more complex than that. I went in knowing only what I’d seen in the trailers, and I’m still deeply affected. It creates a compelling feeling – like you’re almost able to grasp the full picture, and the story’s brilliance is as overwhelming as its sadness.

The game begins with the player, known as The Boy, waking up alone in a boat at sea. He follows a series of flashing red buoys and soon finds The Girl. However, their reunion is initially hostile, as she briefly attacks him. After calming down, they team up and continue following the buoys, hoping to find their friends on the nearest island.

Sometimes, life feels like being a child again – things seem overwhelming and frightening at first, but you soon realize they aren’t as bad as they appeared.

The world has fallen into a broken state, and strange things are happening. Limbless figures are crawling around an area called the Trainyard. A tall, menacing man – though not the Slenderman – wanders around, bothering the two main characters and inexplicably doing his laundry. Even when they finally find a friend, the reunion is bleak, as it’s hard to feel happy with such a desolate and depressing atmosphere.

Surprisingly, the story isn’t initially focused on why the world is the way it is. It often feels like looking back on childhood – when everything seemed huge and frightening, but later turned out to be less so. This idea – that things aren’t always what they appear – is really at the heart of what makes Reanimal so captivating.

The game’s presentation is incredibly strong. It avoids traditional heads-up displays and lengthy tutorials, instead teaching you through simple instructions. Dialogue is rare, and the story isn’t told through cutscenes – you uncover it by exploring the environment and observing details like how creatures are killed or the art left behind. A sense of unease builds throughout the game, and when things erupt, the level of detail is truly exceptional – some of the best in the genre. It’s amazing how much effort the developers put into creating this world and its terrifying contents. Everything, from the subtle movement of wires to the character animations, is beautifully nuanced and rewarding to discover.

The game is visually stunning, and honestly, the images speak for themselves. Despite a dark and gloomy color palette, Reanimal is a beautiful game to look at. The cinematography is a major part of this, especially the sweeping wide shots of the ocean that really emphasize how small you feel. The camera work during the chase scenes is also incredibly smooth and well-done.

It looks incredibly smooth and effortless, but a lot of work clearly went into making it that way. I especially appreciate the small details – like the camera’s natural movement when you walk around a building and enter through a window, it feels almost lifelike. It’s disappointing though that HDR isn’t supported yet, at least on the PlayStation 5.

There are a few spots where you might need to experiment a little, but the frequent save points make it simple to learn and keep the story moving at a good pace.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the game’s visuals, art style, and careful design – I kept expecting a flaw! While Reanimal doesn’t offer groundbreaking gameplay, especially for co-op games, it still delivers a fantastic experience within its unique and unsettling world.

While precise platforming is still important, this game focuses more on exploring and paying attention to your surroundings. Moving from the 2.5D style of Little Nightmares to a 3D adventure means you won’t always have a clear path. Sometimes it’s obvious where to go, but other times you’ll need to look around carefully – maybe checking an alley you wouldn’t normally notice. You might even find a locked door and start breaking things, hoping to find the key – and those moments of realization are particularly satisfying.

The game includes typical stealth and chase sections, but they fit naturally into the experience. Occasionally, you might need to try a few different approaches, but frequent checkpoints make overcoming these challenges straightforward and keep the game moving. Overall, it’s clear Tarsier Studios had a strong creative vision for the 3D world and built it with a commitment to that vision.

One small issue that slightly breaks the feeling of being truly immersed is how the horror often centers on the player character. It’s odd to see terrifying creatures right next to The Girl and she doesn’t seem to be affected. I realize it’s a minor point, but it happened enough that I found myself laughing instead of being scared.

Reanimal is a concise game, and that works perfectly. It’s a compelling horror experience that keeps you guessing, presenting a mystery and then subverting your assumptions.

One thing that might bother some players is the ending. Without giving anything away, I actually thought it was really satisfying and added a surprising new layer to the whole experience. I haven’t found everything yet – like the hidden artwork and different masks – so there might be even more to discover, which is both exciting and a little worrying!

As a player, I have to say the game ran incredibly smoothly – almost perfectly! I only noticed the frame rate dip once. There was one weird moment where the game froze up and I had to restart it, but thankfully it didn’t make me lose any progress. I did stumble across a couple of tiny glitches with the environment here and there, but overall, it felt really polished and well-made.

Though short, Reanimal is perfectly paced. It’s a harrowing journey that keeps you guessing and subverts your expectations without feeling drawn out. The game consistently raises the stakes in a way that enhances the story, rather than simply adding length. What’s most impactful isn’t the fear of the unknown, but a sense of sadness that there’s potentially even more to discover within its despairing world. That feeling, more than anything, speaks to the game’s powerful emotional core.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2026-02-11 19:12