This review contains spoilers
(All achievements (looked up 2 eggs), all bunnies (8 found on my own), time capsule ending)
What a great metroidvania. The game was already good, but the moment I found out you can use the flute to teleport, it got even better. The artstyle is really unique, the puzzles are well designed, and the later layers are super cool. I'm really glad that Billy and Bigmode were able to make this a success.
What a great metroidvania. The game was already good, but the moment I found out you can use the flute to teleport, it got even better. The artstyle is really unique, the puzzles are well designed, and the later layers are super cool. I'm really glad that Billy and Bigmode were able to make this a success.
Animal Well is a genius game that everybody should try. I’ve heard of folks being 35 hours deep and still chasing mysteries, but once I hit credits at hour 8, I felt content to hang up my puzzle solving hat. I am that monstrous individual who didn’t swoon over Zelda: Link To The Past, but if that was your jam, I could see this being a 10/10 for you.
Insanely solid Metroidvania. The power-ups are fun to figure out and the general level design and atmosphere is superb. I think some of the eggs are a bit obtuse and the backtracking in the later game for those final few can be annoying, but it's a great game.
This review contains spoilers
Got the second ending ("true" ending?) today so i'm gonna count it as finished for now even if there are couple more things I need. Most fun I've had with a game this year. A metroidvania with a focus entirely on puzzle solving is a welcome novelty to me, especially when the items necessary to solve said puzzles are extremely fun and intuitive to use.
My only gripe here is that Animal Well can feel very "NES-y" in the sense that some of the secrets feel almost impossible to figure out without outside help. In some ways, I kind of like that because it fosters a small sense of community amongst players looking to crack open the game for everything its worth. Other times it bums me out that I can't piece everything together from my own deductive reasoning.
There isn't much for music in this game from what I could hear but Animal Well trades that in for a very somber ambience broken up by some surprising animal encounters. I think the stand out moments specifically were the first Ostrich and kangaroo encounters. There was something about the squawking and stomping as my little guy frantically searched for an escape that just made that memorable.
I have no idea what the lore of this game means right now, but i don't really mind if I never figure it out. For me this is something best experienced, than analyzed.
My only gripe here is that Animal Well can feel very "NES-y" in the sense that some of the secrets feel almost impossible to figure out without outside help. In some ways, I kind of like that because it fosters a small sense of community amongst players looking to crack open the game for everything its worth. Other times it bums me out that I can't piece everything together from my own deductive reasoning.
There isn't much for music in this game from what I could hear but Animal Well trades that in for a very somber ambience broken up by some surprising animal encounters. I think the stand out moments specifically were the first Ostrich and kangaroo encounters. There was something about the squawking and stomping as my little guy frantically searched for an escape that just made that memorable.
I have no idea what the lore of this game means right now, but i don't really mind if I never figure it out. For me this is something best experienced, than analyzed.
Animal well is a really special puzzle game, I've rolled the credits at about 12 hours while exploring as much as I can just to find out that there's 30 more eggs and many many more secrets left to uncover. I don't think I'll go for them all because I don't want to burn myself out while I still enjoy the game.
The map is so dense filled to the brim with things to explore around every corner, music is used sparsely but it's fantastic when it is used and the art style is gorgeous.
The only suggestion I could give is a small in game hint system, not one that just gives you the answer because the eureka moment is fantastic but just one to nudge you sometimes when you ask for it, this would be especially helpful for the post game as the entire map is open and I have no idea where to start with any of the further mysteries.
The map is so dense filled to the brim with things to explore around every corner, music is used sparsely but it's fantastic when it is used and the art style is gorgeous.
The only suggestion I could give is a small in game hint system, not one that just gives you the answer because the eureka moment is fantastic but just one to nudge you sometimes when you ask for it, this would be especially helpful for the post game as the entire map is open and I have no idea where to start with any of the further mysteries.
Incredible game. I have only rolled credits and know there are still almost twice as many secrets than I've found. Atmosphere and joy of discovery are absolute king in this charming yet subtly terrifying game.
people were talking about layers, i had severely misinterpreted what that meant - after watching the dunkey video, it doesn't feel right to call it so.
if whatever experience could be encapsulated by the mystery, wonder and density hidden behind crt tv and the 90's game feel that many millenials had described on their youtube channels, then animal well lets me get that feel - kinda, hopefully, probably.
if whatever experience could be encapsulated by the mystery, wonder and density hidden behind crt tv and the 90's game feel that many millenials had described on their youtube channels, then animal well lets me get that feel - kinda, hopefully, probably.
i absolutely love animal well. i was expecting to enjoy it, but really i wasn't prepared for just how magical it feels. the map is incredibly dense, the puzzles are intuitively designed and have a great sense of accomplishment, the boss fights (which i wasn't expecting at all) are actually really creative puzzle fights, which i usually dislike.
my only MAJOR complaint is that it does feel a bit railroaded at times, a lot of areas deliberately prevent you from sequence breaking, which is something i find annoying. but other than that, just a ridiculously good game.
my only MAJOR complaint is that it does feel a bit railroaded at times, a lot of areas deliberately prevent you from sequence breaking, which is something i find annoying. but other than that, just a ridiculously good game.
Toda una sorpresa. La ambientación me recuerda a Hollow Knight en el sentido que te transporta a un mundo hostil pero también con cierto encanto y al que le coges cariño. El mapa es bastante amplio y cada habitación está llena de secretos, algunos quizás demasiado escondidos e imposibles de encontrar sin guía.
Lo peor para mí es que tiene demasiados objetos y en el tramo final estás más tiempo cambiando uno a uno con los gatillos que jugando.
Lo peor para mí es que tiene demasiados objetos y en el tramo final estás más tiempo cambiando uno a uno con los gatillos que jugando.
Hard to put down
Animal Well kinda took me by surprise, what I thought would be a short little metroidvania turned into something more vast than I ever could have imagined. There are so many secrets and hidden areas to discover. Even after collecting all 64 eggs and getting all the secret bunnies, I find out there’s even more that I’ve missed. Plus, I’m sure there are still more hidden secrets out there yet to be discovered. It’s clear how much thought and time went into making this game and It’s hard to believe this game was made by only one person. That, plus the fact this whole game is a measly 30MB, absolutely blows my mind.
Off the rip, I appreciate that you’re immediately thrown into this world with no tutorial and forces you to figure out how this game works. It made exploration a blast and gave you a real sense of discoverability. The use of colour in this game is simply astonishing. Neon pixel art paired with dynamic lighting completely immerses you in this dark and mysterious world. Additionally, the fluid dynamics and physics are outstanding. As enemies disappear and blocks get blown away by TNT, the wisps of smoke left behind lingers ever so beautifully. I’ve never seen better smoke effects than in this game.
The puzzles in this game were super engaging and made good use of the tools you find along the way. Instead of the usual attack, bomb and double jump in your standard metroidvania; you are instead treated to the yoyo, slinky, and bubble wand. Each expanding your moveset and allowing you to unlock even more of the ever growing map. I never felt stuck as there was always somewhere else to explore and by the post-game, there were countless rooms that I felt I exhausted everything it had to offer until I found a new tool.
Slowly pulling back layer by layer, this truly is the lasagna of gaming.
Thank you Animal Well.
Off the rip, I appreciate that you’re immediately thrown into this world with no tutorial and forces you to figure out how this game works. It made exploration a blast and gave you a real sense of discoverability. The use of colour in this game is simply astonishing. Neon pixel art paired with dynamic lighting completely immerses you in this dark and mysterious world. Additionally, the fluid dynamics and physics are outstanding. As enemies disappear and blocks get blown away by TNT, the wisps of smoke left behind lingers ever so beautifully. I’ve never seen better smoke effects than in this game.
The puzzles in this game were super engaging and made good use of the tools you find along the way. Instead of the usual attack, bomb and double jump in your standard metroidvania; you are instead treated to the yoyo, slinky, and bubble wand. Each expanding your moveset and allowing you to unlock even more of the ever growing map. I never felt stuck as there was always somewhere else to explore and by the post-game, there were countless rooms that I felt I exhausted everything it had to offer until I found a new tool.
Slowly pulling back layer by layer, this truly is the lasagna of gaming.
Thank you Animal Well.
Generally just a pretty damn good game. The art style manages to be familiar and incredibly unique at the same time, and though I wouldn't call the soundtrack notable, the rest of the sound design is excellent at creating tension with deep, penetrating audio cues for certain events. I love that it elects to forego traditional combat in favor of intense chase sequences; it makes for a nice change of pace. It does a fantastic job of creating a world so dense that it feels both small and vast at the same time. I was surprised to learn that Basso made a bespoke engine for this game (no wonder it's so freakishly well optimized).
Of course I can't ignore the biggest talking point, Bigmode really struck gold here. This is a generational start for a publishing studio and I'm excited to see what else they find.
Of course I can't ignore the biggest talking point, Bigmode really struck gold here. This is a generational start for a publishing studio and I'm excited to see what else they find.
Impressive how this game creates such an isolated atmosphere by using very little. Without a single line of dialogue, Animal Well produces one of the most immersive experiences I've ever played.
This is one of those "you have to play it yourself".
This is one of those "you have to play it yourself".
Tight
Ok I think I’ve done all that I want to now. Got all the bunnies and got help solving the wing dings code to get to the last big secret in the game. Ngl got a little bit emotional again when I finally solved the final big puzzle. This game is so great. I love it so much. There’s still some figurines I haven’t gotten and I may come back and learn how to speedrun this game but for now I think I’ve had my fun. This is the kind of game I’ve been waiting a long time to experience. Thank you Billy Basso you made something extraordinary.
man, dunkey has made a reputation for himself over the years as quite the tastemaker, and this certainly legitimizes that rep. all credit here obviously goes to billy basso, though.
this game is so naturally intuitive, so delightful to explore, and so, so, so beautiful. this is easily my favorite game i’ve played this year, and my favorite indie since inscryption. what a debut for billy basso and bigmode. both have instantly cemented themselves as huge names to watch on the scene.
this game is so naturally intuitive, so delightful to explore, and so, so, so beautiful. this is easily my favorite game i’ve played this year, and my favorite indie since inscryption. what a debut for billy basso and bigmode. both have instantly cemented themselves as huge names to watch on the scene.
this game surpassed basically all expectations i had its really great
I think the hyper around Animal Well did not help me much. Yes, it is a fun and competent metroidvania with some puzzles and platforms. Yes, it really is for the hardcore gamers as it does noooooooooot hold your hand. Even a little.
But I just wasn't having the same spark of fun and joy as playing a game like Hollowknight. Or shit even Metroid. While the atmosphere was cool, the graphics didn't do it for me.
But I just wasn't having the same spark of fun and joy as playing a game like Hollowknight. Or shit even Metroid. While the atmosphere was cool, the graphics didn't do it for me.
Somehow I'm simultaneously completely lost and fully confident in my abilities to find everything. A masterwork in many ways. Some puzzles a little too esoteric, but I guess that's the point?
Reached 4 Flames ending.
-This is closer to Metriod (1986) than a Metroidvania.
-Design emphasizes playful discovery of items' hidden mechanics and how they interact. Reminded me of Starseed Pilgrim in that sense but more inviting.
-Loved the aesthetics, specifically I appreciated the GameBoy Color inspiration.
-Surprisingly scary! I often vocalized joy or shock while playing.
A brief aside: I want to look into how the endgame works. I get the sense it may suffer from the Fez effect--when a game's deepest puzzles are hidden under a layer of complexity intended for community solutioning. The knowledge and growing prominence of these escape rooms leads me to situations where I'm inclined to shrug at larger puzzles. I'm not going to extract and analyze waveform data to chase a hypothesis. I think these overarching escape room style puzzles are cool, but I do wish more were achievable within the game.
-This is closer to Metriod (1986) than a Metroidvania.
-Design emphasizes playful discovery of items' hidden mechanics and how they interact. Reminded me of Starseed Pilgrim in that sense but more inviting.
-Loved the aesthetics, specifically I appreciated the GameBoy Color inspiration.
-Surprisingly scary! I often vocalized joy or shock while playing.
A brief aside: I want to look into how the endgame works. I get the sense it may suffer from the Fez effect--when a game's deepest puzzles are hidden under a layer of complexity intended for community solutioning. The knowledge and growing prominence of these escape rooms leads me to situations where I'm inclined to shrug at larger puzzles. I'm not going to extract and analyze waveform data to chase a hypothesis. I think these overarching escape room style puzzles are cool, but I do wish more were achievable within the game.
A new step in the metroidvania genre.
It definitely has its strengths and weaknesses. It can't live up to the geniuses of games it clearly took inspiration from that are Hollow Knight and Rain World but it is still innovative in some aspects and fun all throughout. A little shallow in terms of philosophical depth and story though. Cryptic story games can still be very emotional, Animal Well isn't. The CRT filter on the pixel art is a nice twist from the art direction.
If you're somewhat into metroidvanias or explorational games at all you will definitely have a blast with this one for the 10 to 20 hours you can spend on it.
To give Animal Well anything above 4/5 it would need either more depth or scale. Both and it could possibly reach a masterpiece status similar to Hollow Knight.
If you're somewhat into metroidvanias or explorational games at all you will definitely have a blast with this one for the 10 to 20 hours you can spend on it.
To give Animal Well anything above 4/5 it would need either more depth or scale. Both and it could possibly reach a masterpiece status similar to Hollow Knight.
This review contains spoilers
The animals eating well in this one... and by animals I mean only the chameleon (it's eating me)
solid secret finding simulator. great ambience, fun items, and i liked the colours a lot
Finished the first ending and on the egg hunt. This game is great. The first puzzle game in years where I want to do all the exploration and secret hunting myself without getting spoiled. Next to concernedape/lucas pope we’re looking at our next auteur solo dev as well as this game has a cerebral style of puzzle design but not too obtuse. The aesthetic is also unique and as beautiful as it is scary. Will probably up to 5 stars if I can actually beat it.
"It's like a cross between Halo 2 and Halo 3"
No dunkey, you're underselling yourself there, it's better than both of those.
No dunkey, you're underselling yourself there, it's better than both of those.
beautiful and unique game that makes you feel like a genius and an idiot.
One of the most well designed games I've ever played, not just down to the gameplay structure itself but the visuals, the sound design, all of it. My only complaint is that my brain gave out around fifty-something eggs, but despite that I don't think it overstays its welcome.
Animal well é um Metroidvania que ao invés de colocar os desafios com combate, faz isso com puzzle, e dá muito certo. O jogo tem 0 diálogo, 100% gameplay, pra mim mais jogos deveriam fazer assim, tutoriais também não existem, e tudo funciona bem porque é intuitivo. A sensação de satisfação com a resolução de puzzles e segredos é constante, esse é o jogo que mais me deixou boquiaberto com descobertas de segredo. Os quebras cabeças são inteligentes e intuitivos, apesar da gameplay simples ele explora muito bem o que pode fazer com cada funcionalidade que trás ao jogo porque é muito criativo. A Primeira vista não gostei do aspecto do game e achei parecida demais com Rain World, mas depois da experiência da jogatina, percebi que estava errado, jogo tem sua personalidade própria que cativa pela qualidade da obra. A parte sonora é como breath of the Wild com som ambiente e alguns momentos com músicas empolgantes, e isso me agrada muito, acho que essa evolução aconteceu o com o cinema e deu muito certo. Como é um metroidvania o jogo te deixa perdido, mas é muito satisfatório se reencontrar, recomendo que jogue continuamente sem intercalar com outros jogos até zerar porque acredito que a frustração de esquecer o caminho pode desanimar. A arte do jogo acho que dava pra ser melhor, mas não é ruim, funciona bem e até que é agradável. Vi um vídeo de gameplay do jogo antes de jogar, e percebi que o outro jogador fez um caminho diferente do meu, isso é um ponto muito positivo pra um metroidvania na minha opinião. Jogo muito bem feito e polido. Jogo nota 10, super recomendo!
this game is so smart and so good at building intuitive understanding for the player. the complete lack of text somehow manages to detract nothing from the experience and the puzzles are just so, so, well put together there is truly nothing out there like it right now