Reanimal

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 
Reanimal is impossible to rate without the context of Little Nightmares, the third installment of which, from other developers, turned out to be a complete disgrace, which incredibly fueled Tarsier Studios' advertising campaign with their trailers then demo - I never liked the original game, but their sequel, was incredibly atmospheric and polished. However, the studio's move to a different publisher and the creation of its own intellectual property still benefited the "spiritual" Little Nightmares 3, and thanks to a skillful repetition of the same formula in the co-op mode, Reanimal is an even more convenient entry point into the genre if you've only seen similar games on YouTube.
There's little to say about the gameplay changes: the platforming is enjoyable, the stealth isn't stifling, but now you have to run away either in turns or together, with one player carrying a key item while the other is forced to fight back with bricks; Combat remains extremely limited, but occasionally you'll need to knock off a friend's rapist doll; There's even a shared control system for VEHICLES, Yes, land, water, and anything your heart desires. The controls are very simplified, but the devs even tried to create a semi-open world location: You return to one key point several times during the game, near which are several hidden passages with optional areas that are crucial for unlocking the "secret" ending. So don't speedrun - study the game carefully! The camera now changes perspective every section of the game, sometimes giving you a huge expanse of space for exploring the area. I wouldn't say the game's visual aesthetic is anything out of the ordinary.. I certainly love the red fonts, but I don't like the typical noise and artifacting of the damned Unreal Engine.. However, the game clearly encourages the creation of a large number of cinematic screenshots.
Naturally, you can't go far from your partner, and even just to go to the next room, you'll have to wait until your friend to arrive..True, there's one moment in the game that's very reminiscent of the mechanics of popular games like "Chained Together," but it's so fleeting that it's pointless to even mention it; And this applies to all minigames.. We're far from Split Fiction here, and the collecting part is just silly masks again, eh.
The story's main characters are still the kids saving each other (hence the gameplay mechanics to open "barn" locks only together), but the story has more scope for cruelty. Wow, how many large-scale scenes they've piled on here! The game will definitely surprise you with the number of epically directed moments - with the peak ending. It's just a bit of a shame that this isn't an allegory for everyday childhood fears anymore: the local story has less philosophy, the world has become even wilder and more arthouse-like with this crawling "skins" of people — and they're the only memorable enemies here (unlike Little Nightmarre), the rest are essentially mutated animals, and the local lore leaves even more secrets and ambiguities. + The abrupt transition to a militaristic theme at the end is also confusing and spoils the overall impression.. To truly believe in this universe and immerse yourself in the atmosphere, you'd need to fully understand how it works and what's going on - is this the ravings of a madman or magic? In short, I'm dissatisfied with the plot, and I'm 70% sure all the answers are reserved for paid add-ons, the first part of which will be released this summer, this makes the game's current incompleteness a major drawback, especially since I want more to play right now :) 

p.s. Btw don't forget that Tarsier Studios didn't just switch franchises, but also split into two separate studios. The second one is currently working on some space-themed exclusive for Epic Games, though it's still untitled. Who knows, maybe they'll create an even better masterpiece.

😊 𝗦𝘂𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺`𝘀 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿`𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41977550