A stunning puzzle platformer that combines tight mechanical design with a vividly dream-like pixel aesthetic. This game is the best of what's come before blended with plenty of fresh innovations that make it a joy to explore.
Plenty of games have done the pixelated look but this game truly stands out. The combination of dynamic lighting, the way every little shrub, vine, and light moves as you pass it, and the vividly dream-like wispy lighting and particles leave Animal Well feeling like nothing I've played before. The result is something equal parts haunting and surreal, enriched further by the beautiful soundtrack, foley, and sound effects. The audio combines to create a blend of commodore chirps with more realistic sounds that heighten the already rich atmosphere.
Gameplay consists primarily of tightly designed classic platforming throughout the vast labyrinthine world which plays host to a variety of feature rich biomes. Each screen feels thoughtfully crafted and given the immense depth of the world it's no surprise. As you explore you'll begin solving puzzles to access new tools, as is tradition of the metroidvania; But Animal Well is uniquely original in this regard making innovative use of very simple and well implemented gear with stacking mechanics galore. Of course getting the tools is only the first step down a long and winding road of gameplay I won't spoil here - but deep as the rabbit hole goes there are plenty of stopping off points for those who know their limits.
If you enjoy a good puzzle platformer then Animal Well is worth the play for the excellent design and ethereal aesthetic of its world. There's an amazing game just on the surface that anyone can see through to the end. For those who want to scratch deeper though (or just follow guides to explore all the content) the game will treat you generously. AW epitomises the heart and soul of indie gaming - hand crafted, generous in content, lovingly made, and charming from start to finish. An incredible start for Billy Basso and Bigmode.
Plenty of games have done the pixelated look but this game truly stands out. The combination of dynamic lighting, the way every little shrub, vine, and light moves as you pass it, and the vividly dream-like wispy lighting and particles leave Animal Well feeling like nothing I've played before. The result is something equal parts haunting and surreal, enriched further by the beautiful soundtrack, foley, and sound effects. The audio combines to create a blend of commodore chirps with more realistic sounds that heighten the already rich atmosphere.
Gameplay consists primarily of tightly designed classic platforming throughout the vast labyrinthine world which plays host to a variety of feature rich biomes. Each screen feels thoughtfully crafted and given the immense depth of the world it's no surprise. As you explore you'll begin solving puzzles to access new tools, as is tradition of the metroidvania; But Animal Well is uniquely original in this regard making innovative use of very simple and well implemented gear with stacking mechanics galore. Of course getting the tools is only the first step down a long and winding road of gameplay I won't spoil here - but deep as the rabbit hole goes there are plenty of stopping off points for those who know their limits.
If you enjoy a good puzzle platformer then Animal Well is worth the play for the excellent design and ethereal aesthetic of its world. There's an amazing game just on the surface that anyone can see through to the end. For those who want to scratch deeper though (or just follow guides to explore all the content) the game will treat you generously. AW epitomises the heart and soul of indie gaming - hand crafted, generous in content, lovingly made, and charming from start to finish. An incredible start for Billy Basso and Bigmode.
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Extra Notes
Technically I scored it a 9.5 / 10 - Gameplay, Audio, and Innovation I rated at 9/10 each due to an underwhelming boss fight, an abrupt ending, some repetitive sfx, and LIBERAL overuse of one puzzle mechanic. Not perfect but man for a game with no combat and no dialogue its design naturally teaches you, and gives way to 'a-ha' moments as you experiment. 10/10 in Design, Visuals, and Breadth (no score for story because there is none).
The puzzles at the end were also mind boggling if not fun to follow with a guide. Some of them made sense but needed a lot of work, while a few I had no idea how you even start without experimenting broadly. Community puzzles can also be dicey. They're a nice idea but, like with Binding of Isaac's, once it's over you're just... left with a puzzle you can't solve. And the solution is 'google it'. A lot of dev work for something that was solved within a couple days of release for a very small handful of people. Still it's just the one, and I suppose it rewards the biggest fans? It's beyond the scope of the core game at least so I'm not holding it against it, but I don't like content that's only really for a tiny portion of people to enjoy once and no one else gets to.
I've heard the end-game described as 'fun for a whole discord, but less for individuals', and that does sound accurate but it's not like everything before that isn't excellently made. Backtracking is also a bit tedious but liberal use of [tool] makes that tolerable imo and I enjoyed treking around the world. Also heard people call it empty, but I think that's a feature not a bug.
Technically I scored it a 9.5 / 10 - Gameplay, Audio, and Innovation I rated at 9/10 each due to an underwhelming boss fight, an abrupt ending, some repetitive sfx, and LIBERAL overuse of one puzzle mechanic. Not perfect but man for a game with no combat and no dialogue its design naturally teaches you, and gives way to 'a-ha' moments as you experiment. 10/10 in Design, Visuals, and Breadth (no score for story because there is none).
The puzzles at the end were also mind boggling if not fun to follow with a guide. Some of them made sense but needed a lot of work, while a few I had no idea how you even start without experimenting broadly. Community puzzles can also be dicey. They're a nice idea but, like with Binding of Isaac's, once it's over you're just... left with a puzzle you can't solve. And the solution is 'google it'. A lot of dev work for something that was solved within a couple days of release for a very small handful of people. Still it's just the one, and I suppose it rewards the biggest fans? It's beyond the scope of the core game at least so I'm not holding it against it, but I don't like content that's only really for a tiny portion of people to enjoy once and no one else gets to.
I've heard the end-game described as 'fun for a whole discord, but less for individuals', and that does sound accurate but it's not like everything before that isn't excellently made. Backtracking is also a bit tedious but liberal use of [tool] makes that tolerable imo and I enjoyed treking around the world. Also heard people call it empty, but I think that's a feature not a bug.
Klaustrix
16 days ago