This game is definitely up there with pinnacle Metroidvania experiences. Lots of obvious things to say about this game, like the visual style being incredible and the atmosphere deeply immersive. Animal Well is short but can certainly be extended for a number of hours if you choose to explore after finishing the main objective; there are SO many neat secrets to find and I would definitely encourage everyone to at least spend a little extra time in the game after beating it, even if you do not plan on going for 100%. Puzzles and discovery in metroidvanias has never been my strongsuit, but I was able to beat the main objective without ever using a guide (even if it was tempting at times), which is always a nice feeling. I was engaged throughout all my time with Animal Well, and I'm also excited to see what comes of the super secret ARG stuff going on with the game (check out the Discord if you're interested in that).

9/10