Reanimal is the newest project from developer Tarsier Studios, and it looks to be one of its grimmest adventures yet. Known for the beloved Little Nightmares franchise, Tarsier Studios no longer develops the IP, as it’s now been handed over to Supermassive Games. This makes Reanimal a fascinating prospect, as it teases an even darker dive into what can be done with the developer’s special brand of horror.
On the surface, Reanimal has a similar art style to Little Nightmares, which would lead many to believe it’s connected to the franchise. However, Reanimal‘s cute aesthetic blended with gore and body horror makes it a shocking and exciting elevation of what Tarsier Studios did with Little Nightmares. Of course, Little Nightmares boasted plenty of horrifying imagery and sweat-inducing encounters, but it looks relatively tame compared to Reanimal. Leading up to the game’s launch, Tarsier Studios may want to shake off its Little Nightmares past, but that may ultimately be Reanimal‘s greatest marketing strength.
1:45
Related
The Body Horror Subgenre May Gain Popularity Thanks to Two Upcoming Horror Games
Two upcoming horror games may lead to a rise in the body horror subgenre.
Reanimal Has the Chance to Be a Stronger Little Nightmares 2 Follow-Up Than Little Nightmares 3
A Change in Studio Could Prove to Be Too Big of a Shake-Up
- Supermassive Games is best known for Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures Anthology.
Although Supermassive Games has plenty of experience crafting horror stories, Little Nightmares boasts a very specific tone that may be difficult to replicate. Little Nightmares 3 looks intriguing, but for longtime fans of the series, a new studio bringing the game to life understandably creates some suspicion. Despite the game’s delay last year, Little Nightmares 3 is supposedly on track to launch in 2025, and if Reanimal follows suit, both games going head-to-head in the same year would be fascinating.
Even more compelling is that both games are set to be co-op with two protagonists. The comparisons are bound to happen, and it will be interesting to see which title gamers favor. Taking on the Little Nightmares franchise is no easy task, but Tarsier Studios could use its past work to its advantage to draw in those who really love the atmosphere of the franchise.
Reanimal is being published by THQ Nordic.
Ultimately, given the studios at the helm, Reanimal may feel far more like a Little Nightmares game than Little Nightmares 3. A dark and more mature version of the Little Nightmares formula could be incredibly exciting for horror lovers. So, if players are drawn to Reanimal simply because it looks and feels like Little Nightmares, then it would be best for Tarsier Studios to welcome the comparisons with open arms.
Both Reanimal and Little Nightmares 3 Could Shake Up 2025’s Horror Calendar
- The two games have yet to announce official release dates.
As the year continues, it will be interesting to see if either Tarsier Studios or Supermassive Games offer more insight into their projects. If both games launch in 2025, it would ignite some fun competition and bring even more horror to the year’s calendar. Games like Dying Light: The Beast, The Midnight Walk, and Directive 8020 are already set to make 2025 a strong year for horror, and adding Reanimal and Little Nightmares 3 into the mix would be a thrill.
Reanimal‘s cute aesthetic blended with gore and body horror makes it a shocking and exciting elevation of what Tarsier Studios did with Little Nightmares.
Only time will tell when both games finally launch to the masses. It’s natural for Tarsier Studios to want to generate its own hype for a fresh IP, but with its obvious similarities and darker tale, Reanimal may find most of its success due to the legacy of Little Nightmares. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as Tarsier could lean into its past success with that franchise in future marketing to get more eyes on its latest game.
- Developer(s)
-
Tarsier Studios