Welcome to the Bakery!

I hopped into REANIMAL on release day, celebrating an adorable yet spooky Friday the 13th. I had pre-ordered the deluxe edition on Switch 2, largely because of clips of its art style I had scene shared on social media. I have played about half of Little Nightmares II on my Switch Lite and watched a dear friend stream more of it, so know enough to spot the similarities. And for those not in the know, Tarsier Studios developed both Little Nightmares I and II as well as REANIMAL…and let me tell you, I will be circling back to complete Little Nightmares II as well as play the first game as I do own both.

Where Little Nightmares features a solitary protagonist, REANIMAL can be played co-op or solo. I am currently playing solo, automatically piloting Boy, despite me longing for Girl’s lantern. The game is dark, both literally and figuratively (and yes, I have the brightness cranked as high as it can go). Its spooky and, in my opinion, best played with headphones to really enjoy the silence and sounds as you meander through a world that wants to chew you up and spit you out, quite literally. While finding adorable and eerie masks to change out, the pair are set on saving their third companion who keeps finding themself in precarious positions.

….situations like the image above. However, the story itself pales in comparison to simply just being in the world. I am not saying this game is weak narratively, but the story is not dense nor full of metaphor and ennui. And that is ok. I think this game really shines in how it makes you feel. Simply being IN the world and noticing the small details is the experience.

I’ve not beat the game yet, so please no spoilers, but without muttering a single word thus far a tale is being told. Its through the way the Boy and Girl hold one another when left idle, the way he whispers to her (so somewhat of a word?) to follow him, how they two handle tasks in a world that is just so much larger than them.

The game excels in what I (as someone who is not a game dev but has taken a lot of writing and screenwriting courses) call “set design”. Despite being dark and creepy, I find myself running to every corner of the screen simply to take in the scenery. I find myself taking my time and even failing puzzles or chase scenes simply to check out every nook and cranny. REANIMAL is visually stunning, even running on the smaller screen of my Switch 2.

REANIMAL is one of those games that reminds me that video games are art. It’s art we get to play. It’s art we get to live our lives in. I’ve often said video games are like playing books. And REANIMAL is a stunning example of what I mean by this. Maybe more of a picture book than a dense novel, but a book nonetheless.

I can’t wait to complete the journey with Boy, Girl, and their ill-fated friend. I believe if you’re a fan of the first two Little Nightmares, you’ll enjoy REANIMAL. And even if you’ve never played any of them, this is a great game to start if you’re interested in Tarsier Studios catalog of work.