TGS 2025 | "REANIMAL"
Last year, REANIMAL took me by surprise at Tokyo Game Show. The latest game from the masterminds behind Little Nightmares seemed to go all in for the creep factor in this new adventure. And in the latest demo at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, REANIMAL shows that they’re not holding back when it comes to skin-crawling moments. And I mean that in a literal sense!
This year’s demo starts off with our two siblings on a beachside filled with suitcases. After searching through them, they discover a key that will unlock a door to a strange factory. What is made in the factory isn’t exactly clear, but one thing’s for certain: it’s probably not up to union codes! Together, the two siblings roam through, solving puzzles, and even finding another kid who leads them onto the proper path. But is the path towards safety, or impending doom?
Even with the game being in Japanese, my fingers quickly remembered how the game works. Jumping, climbing, and even giving your sister a hand with reaching higher spots were aspects that I remembered from the last time. Although the game is bathed in darkness, the attention to every creepy detail from the rotting walls to the haunting computer room made it clear that you’re in for a scary good time. (Well…good for you, not the kids you play as!)
The moment when I knew REANIMAL wasn’t just a Little Nightmares redux came when I was searching for a railroad cart wheel. Traversing through a bathroom, I witnessed a very tall man crawl into the corpse of a nasty beast. Once I found a plunger to deal with a clogged toilet, the boy found himself pulling out a fully de-boned…well, it didn’t look human enough. And then, when it came time to grab the wheel, the real shuddering magic began.
Suddenly, I found the siblings being chased by an army of crawling flesh bag. They slithered on the ground, like snakes hunting their prey, with the sound they made with every movement giving me shudders. Once I got the kids out of there safely, the railroad cart was fixed, as they traveled to the next area. And in that area, one of those tall, creepy men showed up to attempt to take the siblings to a place I’m sure is filled with hopeless despair.
REANIMAL continues to be an impressive adventure. Where Little Nightmares teetered between PG and PG-13 scares, this one is pushing an R-rated level of gore and frights. When 2026 comes around, and REANIMAL is finally unleashed to the public on PC and consoles, one can bet that there will be many a sleepless night for players.
