Recent years have seen quite the resurgence of Metroidvania games. Titles like 2021’s Metroid Dread, or this year’s Prince of Persa: The Lost Crown show how evolved the genre has become. Metroidvanias such as Cave Story and Ori and the Blind Forest aimed to diversify the genre in scale and budget. Lone developer Billy Basso sought to reinvent the wheel in his first release, Animal Well. Early previews impressed many, resulting in YouTube personality VideoGameDunkey publishing it under his label, Bigmode. Will those who enter the well continue down the rabbit hole?
Minimalist By Design
In the serene world of Animal Well, simplicity is at the heart of its design. The game begins with the mesmerizing sight of 4 colored flames, followed by the emergence of a mysterious blob from a blossoming flower. Players are immediately thrust into the adventure as they take command of the blob on a captivating quest to gather the elusive flames. Animal Well, much like classic NES games, entrusts much of its charm to the player’s imagination rather than an intricate storyline. Delving deep into the game’s labyrinthine will reveal many captivating mysteries waiting to be unraveled.
Left Alone
After awakening, our powerless blobby protagonist is left to explore with no guidance. Animal Well does very little hand-holding, relying on the use of environmental cues to figure out where to go and what to do. Initially only able to platform left and right, climb ladders, and jump, our hero will slowly accrue additional skills, through found collectibles. These tools range from firecrackers to frisbee discs, each carrying unique abilities. Discovering most of Animal Well’s abilities is essential for completion. Animal Well takes a uniquely open-ended approach to its map. This approach results in obtaining specific abilities, depending on the path taken.
Tackle At Your Own Pace
One of the many intricacies of Animal Well includes its open-ended nature. Many of the well’s different rooms can be accessed in varying ways. Precision platforming through difficult terrains may allow access to an area typically requiring a specific ability. On the contrary, using later-found abilities may alleviate the need for solving some of the more challenging puzzles. Thankfully, many of Animal Well’s puzzles can be solved by taking different approaches. If an area seems too difficult to complete, that is likely due to a lack of ability. Trial and error, and turning around to find a new path will sometimes be essential. Solving some of the brain teasers results in many “ah ha” moments.
Exploration is Key
As with most Metroidvanias, exploring the nooks and crannies of every room is highly encouraged. Many secrets await those dedicated enough. Many rooms will contain cleverly hidden passageways and secret rooms. The world of Animal Well is packed full of hidden eggs locked within chests. Collecting eggs is required to progress through the well. Obtaining enough eggs for the game’s first ending should be achievable for most. The real challenge comes from finding all of Animal Well’s 65 eggs and revealing the game’s additional endings.
Many Creatures Await
As the game’s title implies, the well is littered with various animals. Some of these creatures will act as a guide to new areas, others will act as a hazard. While Animal Well contains no combat, it does contain encounters akin to a boss fight. These confrontations act more as a puzzle than a fight. Facing each of these challenges requires the use of on-hand abilities and the environment.
A Sense of Discovery
Contained within the walls of Animal Well are a multitude of secrets. This includes additional abilities, collectibles, and extremely well-hidden animals. If the plethora of hidden objects seems daunting, fret not. Collecting everything Animal Well offers is not required to get the game’s first ending. That said, those looking to unlock the full story must progress through the game, post-credits. There’s no contesting that Animal Well truly opens up after the first round of credits roll. These post-game challenges prove to be more difficult, but also more rewarding.
Visual Blast From The Past
Animal Well’s visual style is a nostalgic nod to the 90s. This is evident in its retro pixel art, which by default, is enhanced with an optional CRT scanline filter. The attention to detail in the textured foreground and background brings the game’s environments to life, providing a visually engaging experience for players. Drawing inspiration from Cave Story, the game exudes a similar vibe that will resonate with fans of the genre. However, while the simplistic graphics contribute to the game’s charm, they may occasionally cause certain environments to blend, resulting in some loss of visual distinctiveness.
Eerily Excellent
The world of Animal Well is dark and dreary, but in the best way possible. The horror influence is apparent from the get-go, awakening alone in the darkness. Besides the many animals inhabiting the well, our blobby hero is desolate. Dark blues, purples, and blacks make up the wells, as well as eerie sounds, such as choppy screams and supernatural phenomena. There is a fine-tuned balance between emptiness and that sense of being watched. While Animal Well is by no means a scary game, it does a great job of inducing a stomach punch of dread.
Admiration of Ambiance
Animal Well’s minimalist approach to the soundtrack, combines retro inspiration with terror. There are a handful of more traditional music tracks, although most of the sound design relies on the ambiance of the well. Heard from a distance are drips, drops, and cries from the well’s inhabitants. Audio cues set the tone for what is to come and act as a shuddersome way to set the mood. At times the lack of music was a bit dampening, however, in some moments it truly worked in Animal Well’s favor. The tonal shifts in ambiance imply danger, translating into some more grounded encounters.
Closing Thoughts
Animal Well is one of those games where the less you know, the better. Using visual cues and expertly hidden abilities to navigate the harrowing passageways of the well is an incredibly rewarding experience, only heightened by its audio design. The game’s beautifully texturized pixel art and mechanically sound controls will likely induce a wave of nostalgia. The implausible amount of secrets within Billy Basso’s first official release will keep many engaged for 10+ hours. Animal Well may not just be one of the best Metroidvanias of 2024 but likely all-time.
Animal Well is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. Physical versions of Animal Well are available to pre-order directly through Limited Run Games.
A Steam code for Animal Well was provided for the purpose of review.
