I expected to like Animal Well going into it, but not as much as I ended up liking it after completion. This game oozes personality and atmosphere! There truly isn't any game like it, even though it uses the regular Metroidvania gameplay style.

The performance, artstyle and sound-design are all immaculate. I was immediately hooked to the point where I could not stop playing for the first 8 hours, because the game sucked me in and made me forget everything else. Next to this, the gameplay is incredibly straight-forward and satisfying, and without any tutorials none the less! Everything was clear to me, from interactables to collected items.

The puzzles and platforming sections were sometimes challenging, but never frustratingly difficult. At first glance, completing the game is quite simple. But after doing so, the game sheds layer upon layer, revealing new secrets and collectables. It is truly awesome to me that Billy Basso made this all on his own, especially regarding complexity of the endgame. Animal Well will forever hold a place in my heart, and I might even try some speedrunning for it as well. Hats off to you, Billy!