REANIMAL is one of the strangest games I have ever played. Even as I sit here reflecting on everything I experienced at gamescom 2025, it is the one I cannot get out of my mind. Developed by Tarsier Studios, the team behind Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares II, REANIMAL tells the story of two orphans exploring a “hellish island” in search of safety. But with this being a horror game, survival is never that simple. They quickly learn there are many dangers waiting to harm them, and only their wits can keep them alive.
On the surface, it may sound similar to Tarsier’s previous work, but there is something deeply unsettling about REANIMAL. The studio has managed to inject unease into almost every scene. I did not expect this level of tension when I sat down for my gameplay demo at a behind-closed-doors session, but within minutes of picking up the controller alongside another member of the press, it was clear REANIMAL is something special.
The demo begins with simple puzzles, easing players into the world while hinting that something is not right with the island. From the masks the characters wear to the unsettling design of the setting, the game never lets you feel at ease. Even before true danger appears, REANIMAL gets under your skin and dares you to keep pushing forward to see what lies in wait. Little Nightmares did something similar, though in a more fantastical, dark fairy-tale style. REANIMAL does not offer that escape. It is like a nightmare you cannot wake from, with each step drawing you deeper into a haunting abyss.
Even in co-op play, the tension remains constant, with the atmosphere and soundscape working together to immerse players in unease. During the 30-minute demo, everyone in the room—including the developers—was yelling at the screen as we ran from nightmare creatures and tackled puzzles that grew increasingly twisted and disturbing.
“On the surface, it may sound similar to Tarsier’s previous work, but there is something deeply unsettling about REANIMAL.”
Much like the early entries in the Resident Evil series, REANIMAL makes deliberate use of camera angles to shape the experience, establishing the tone of each location and forcing players to see it as intended. While this approach can sometimes feel restrictive, Tarsier Studios has struck a balance between player freedom and guided design, amplifying the game’s dark and twisted art direction.
Lighting and shadow further magnify the tension, offering only fleeting glimpses of each new area and ensuring nothing feels safe or welcoming. As we moved through the demo, lantern light cut through the darkness, revealing eerie details that reinforced the sense that every location was profoundly wrong.
I was struck by how much care went into every detail of the game, even in moments a player might only glimpse briefly. The small animation that plays after death, when you respawn at a checkpoint, is crafted to give you chills before you continue the journey. One sequence shows the two children huddled together in a hug before separating, ready once again to face the nightmare ahead. It is unsettling and remarkable all at once.
This leads to one of the most effective ways REANIMAL creates tension: sound. Audio is always important in horror, setting the mood and raising tension when needed, but this game pushes it further, layering soundscapes that draw players in without them even realizing it. During the demo, there were several times when the audio slowly faded, leaving behind an eerie silence, only to swell again with a sharp effect that underscored how deadly the world truly was. In one case, the sound of a giant fan spinning grew so loud and jarring that I found myself tensing, bracing for what might emerge. It was simple, but brilliantly effective.
I never expected a puzzle to involve finding a sheet of human skin detached from a body, but REANIMAL requires exactly that to obtain a needed item. Was it necessary? Perhaps not. But it establishes the tone early, reminding players this is a world they would never want to explore. Experiencing it as a child makes it even more terrifying. The game amplifies fears that feel all too possible and heightens the tension for what lies ahead. And all of this comes from a puzzle required only to unlock a door early in the demo.
Even with the tension turned up to eleven, the creatures you face in REANIMAL are some of the most disturbing I have ever seen in a game—especially one where you play as a child. These monsters feel grotesque, twisted and deeply unsettling, with the game slowly revealing just how wrong everything is through the way they walk, appear and, most of all, when you finally see their skin dripping from their bodies. It is difficult to put into words, but several scenes delivered a visceral sense of unease as I tried to piece together what was happening in this world.
I cannot imagine what twisted creativity inspired some of these designs, but the team at Tarsier Studios executed them brilliantly. Who would conceive of a room filled with human skin, slithering like snakes as they come after you? It is disturbing yet fascinating, and I am strangely eager to see what the game reveals next. This is a studio that clearly understood the assignment and carried it out with precision.
I have not been this excited for a horror game in quite some time, and REANIMAL is packed with mysteries, unique creations and a full island to explore when it launches early next year. Slated for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X|S, the game nails its setting and tone, delivering something truly unsettling. If it maintains this level of intensity in the final release, it could easily become one of the most disturbing horror titles of 2026.
