Animal Well
| Animal Well | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Shared Memory |
| Publisher(s) | Bigmode |
| Programmer(s) | Billy Basso |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | May 9, 2024 |
| Genre(s) | Metroidvania, puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Animal Well is a Metroidvania video game developed by Shared Memory and published by Bigmode. The player controls a blob and explores a labyrinth filled with animals. It released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Nintendo Switch on May 9, 2024.[1]
Gameplay[edit]
Animal Well revolves around exploration via nonlinear platforming and puzzle solving.[2] The developer stated that the map is "not nearly as big as some games, but it aims to be much denser."[3]
Development[edit]
Animal Well started development in 2017. It uses a custom engine designed by the game's sole developer, Billy Basso. The game is rendered in different layers, using various lighting techniques, fluid simulation and particle effects to give the 2D art a sense of depth. The engine also has very low latency, allowing for precise platforming.[4] In January 2023, YouTuber videogamedunkey announced that Animal Well would be the first game released by his indie game publishing company Bigmode.[5]
Reception[edit]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 91/100[6] (PS5) 86/100[7] (Switch) 90/100[8] |
| OpenCritic | 100% recommend[9] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 10/10[10] |
| Eurogamer | 5/5[11] |
| GameSpot | 9/10[12] |
| IGN | 9/10[14] |
| Nintendo Life | 10/10[15] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 90/100[13] |
Upon release, Animal Well received "universal acclaim" from critics, earning a Metacritic score of 91.[6] Jamie Moorcroft-Sharp of Destructoid praised the game for its expansive content and multitude of secrets, giving it a perfect score and stating that Animal Well is "packed with more things to do and secrets to find than most other games."[10] Christian Donlan from Eurogamer lauded the game’s immersive exploration, calling it "an astonishingly rich Metroidvania."[11]
Richard Wakeling from GameSpot highlighted the game's unique take on traditional items, visual design, and neon-soaked world, awarding it a score of 90 and noting that the game "might look antiquated and familiar at first glance, but this well is cavernous and unpredictable."[12] Shaun Prescott from PC Gamer also gave it a 90, calling it "a sleep-destroying puzzle metroidvania of baffling depth."[13] Rebekah Valentine from IGN awarded Animal Well a 9/10, describing it as "a beautiful, multi-layered puzzle box that’s both fun to simply play around with, and an utter delight to slowly crack open."[14]
References[edit]
- ^ Romano, Sal (March 17, 2024). "Animal Well launches May 9". Gematsu. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
- ^ Peltz, Jon (June 27, 2022). "Animal Well preview: a beautiful pixelated Metroidvania". NME. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ Basso, Billy (February 10, 2022). "The secrets of Animal Well, coming to PS5". PlayStation.Blog. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ Basso, Billy (July 20, 2022). "How Animal Well taps into PS5 hardware to elevate 2D pixel-art platforming". PlayStation.Blog. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ Wheeler, C. J. (January 9, 2023). "Intriguing pixel Metroidvania Animal Well has found a publisher". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "Animal Well PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "Animal Well PS5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "Animal Well Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "Animal Well Reviews". OpenCritic. OpenCritic.com, LLC. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Moorcroft-Sharp, Jamie (May 9, 2024). "Review: Animal Well". Destructoid. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Donlan, Christian (May 9, 2024). "Animal Well review - this one gets deep". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Wakeling, Richard (May 9, 2024). "Animal Well Review - Going Deeper". GameSpot. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Prescott, Shaun (May 9, 2024). "Animal Well review". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Valentine, Rebekah (May 9, 2024). "Animal Well Review". IGN. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ Bowie, Nile (May 9, 2024). "Animal Well Review". Nintendo Life. Retrieved May 9, 2024.