Animal Well is the first game published by Video Game Dunkey’s company, Bigmode. It is advertised as being a mix between Halo 2 and Halo 3 by Dunkey himself. The game is developed by just one genius, Billy Basso.
I heard the hype of Animal Well and it sounded interesting, but ultimately not my kind of game. I am not a huge Metroidvania fan. In the past, I have enjoyed a few Metroid games, but I usually do not seek those kinds of games out. Upon hearing an episode on the Get Played podcast, I finally bit and bought it and I am glad I did.
Some Cranes in Animal Well
This game is so hard to review without spoiling some of the great things it does. It has you controlling a blob character who is exploring a labyrinth populated by various animals. You must collect various items you find to help get further and further. Yes, sometimes I like to play games that aren’t part of GotX. If you want to know more about that though, read here.
Gameplay
I don’t want to spoil any of the items you get as I think it is a big part of the experience. They are unique though and you can use them in fun ways to help traverse through the many puzzles the game throws at you. The way this game handles environmental puzzles is so great.
They are never too difficult and you can go about them in many different ways. I would think about this game and what to do next even when I wasn’t playing. I was always plotting my next move in my head and this is not the only way this game will engulf your time.
The movement and platforming feel very tight and good as well. I never felt like anything was unfair and that I was being punished by bad controls. Each challenge that involved platforming was motivating to try again. You don’t take damage while falling either, you just respawn at a previous ledge.
There are also eggs? There are so many different kinds of eggs scattered throughout the game that you can find along your journey. You may think that these are useless to the game, but they are required for one of the endings and kind of exciting to find.
Visuals
The graphics of this game are very simple, but also gorgeous. The environment is so dark, but there are some great colors introduced in different areas. This was a game that would shine so well on the OLED Steam Deck or Switch.
Visuals in Animal Well
This game shows how great simple graphics can be. Whenever you see a new area with a new color scheme, it motivates you to explore it further to see what else there is to uncover. The various animals that show up add a great visual to the game that makes it very exciting.
Sound
The sound in the game is so relaxing and fun to listen to. For a game where you are just solving puzzles in different colorful areas, the soundtracks helps make it an ambient experience. The experience almost reminds me of Lumines or Tetris Effect where you are just so drawn to the game because of the music and bright visuals.
The Endings
There are a rumored 3 different endings to this game. I have only got the first ending, but there are still two more to get. The ending I got was just the normal ending by completing the game, but there is a true ending for collecting everything and there is also a third ending as well.
Each game has a piece of a puzzle that turns the game into an ARG. There is a total of 50 pieces and to solve the puzzle, you need to collaborate with other people and see what piece they have to discover it. That is just one of the many secrets that are yet to be found in the game.
There are so many secrets that Basso has hidden in this game. He has been stated as there being secrets that he is unsure anyone will ever find. This game could easily take over your life with you researching and working with people online to unlock all that there is to find.
Overall
Capybaras
This experience is what video games should be. They should be fun and have you constantly thinking about them. It is such an amazing piece of art that one person was able to create. If you are bogged down by recent AAA releases and want a breath of fresh air, then this game is for you. Do yourself a favor and get this game.
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