ANIMAL WELL

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"Animal Well" is a puzzle-focused game set in a detailed, nonlinear world filled with lively creatures and secrets. The game emphasizes exploration, with items that have multiple uses and environmental interactions. Tension and suspense are prioritized over action, and players must assess their own safety in this disempowering yet clever world. The main game is just the beginning, with hidden puzzles potentially being discovered for years to come.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 17,548 reviews

gameplay576 positive mentions

grinding228 negative mentions

gameplay
1,624 mentions
35 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Animal Well" is characterized by its engaging puzzle-platforming mechanics, which encourage exploration and experimentation without traditional combat elements. Players appreciate the depth and creativity of the mechanics, often discovering new uses for items and tools as they progress, leading to a rewarding experience filled with secrets and challenges. However, some players find the lack of guidance and occasional reliance on trial-and-error frustrating, particularly when navigating the game's non-linear map and hidden puzzles.
- “Super fun, amazing level design and gameplay, and lots of difficult but fair puzzles.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and well placed.”
- “The gameplay is focused more on exploration and discovery rather than combat.”
- “The gameplay was okay overall; there are plenty of other metroidvanias that do it better.”
- “But then after like 1 or 2 hours of gameplay, it just gets boring.”
- “The short version is that the core puzzle/metroidvania gameplay is very underwhelming and downright boring, and I believe the success of the game is mainly due to videogamedunkey's name and the strength of the aesthetics.”
graphics
1,533 mentions
56 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Animal Well" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning pixel art style, which combines retro aesthetics with modern lighting effects to create a captivating atmosphere. Many players appreciate the game's unique visual design, which enhances the overall experience and complements its intricate puzzles. However, some critiques mention that the art style can occasionally hinder visual clarity, making navigation challenging at times. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful, immersive, and integral to the game's charm.
- “The art style is amazing and there is a ton of post-game content!”
- “The visuals are stunning, blending nostalgic pixel art with modern lighting, creating a vibrant and immersive atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are beautifully simple pixel art overlayed with surprisingly complex lighting effects.”
- “Really wanted to like it but I can't look at the art style for too long without my eyes starting to hurt (seriously, I love pixel art and retro-looking games but the whole style is just annoying to look at) and the gameplay just doesn't click for me, even though I love metroidvanias and puzzle games.”
- “The graphics themselves are pretty messy and it's frequently hard to see what's part of the environment vs part of the actual map.”
- “Unplayable without removing one of the graphic layers, very busy and hurts my eyes to look at without it.”
atmosphere
1,256 mentions
71 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Animal Well" is widely praised for its haunting beauty, blending serene and eerie elements that create a captivating and immersive experience. Players appreciate the game's stunning pixel art, effective sound design, and minimalistic yet impactful music, which together enhance the sense of exploration and mystery. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a dreamlike quality, drawing players into its richly detailed world filled with secrets and engaging puzzles.
- “The atmosphere and aesthetics give this game so much identity.”
- “The atmosphere is gorgeous, the game is mostly tranquil but when it isn't it can get really intense and it absolutely shines in those moments as much as the quiet ones, when you have time to be entranced by the beautiful scenery.”
- “Animal well's incredible atmosphere is filled with equal parts wonder, mystery, and dread.”
- “If you'd like more detail, it has pretty generic ways of trying to establish a thick, horror-adjacent atmosphere like a 'minimalist soundtrack' aka no soundtrack; really, making good atmosphere is extremely complicated and isn't something you can do just by using the theory-driven clichés that Animal Well does.”
- “All respect to the Dunkey cult, this game looks beautiful and is very tranquil; however, it is far too long and its art style and atmosphere are not enough to keep it going. Frankly, it's a 10-15 hour game that would have worked much better as a 3-5 hour game that you could beat in one night. The environments are repetitive, the puzzles aren't the most engaging or consistent, and the fact you can't attack or even interact with the environment beyond simply jumping on the right platform only highlights this problem and makes the game feel even more drawn out.”
- “The atmosphere is average.”
music
759 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is often described as hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with its ethereal quality. While many players appreciate the sparse use of music, which allows for a focus on ambient sounds and environmental immersion, some express a desire for a more robust soundtrack to accompany the gameplay. Overall, the combination of sound design, music, and visuals creates a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players, though opinions vary on the effectiveness and frequency of the musical elements.
- “The music adds to this with it sometimes being calm, while other times being haunting.”
- “The atmosphere, music and visuals make for a great experience that can be scary and startling at times, but it’s also very beautiful and can make you feel a bunch of different ways.”
- “The music is ethereal and haunting, and the sound design on top of the brings this dark but charming world to life.”
- “The lack of story and music really didn't help keep me interested in the game.”
- “I could not get into this game, the gameplay from the start is just not fun in my opinion, mediocre at best, the lack of soundtrack makes the game non-captivating.”
- “Also, there is almost no music in this game and thus it can feel empty, especially if you're running around like a headless chicken and trying to figure out where to go next.”
story
490 mentions
17 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in "Animal Well" is minimal and largely non-existent, with many players noting a lack of clear narrative or direction. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and the sense of exploration, others find the absence of a defined plot or character development disappointing. Overall, the game focuses more on gameplay and puzzle-solving than on delivering a traditional story experience, leaving players to piece together their own interpretations from the atmospheric design and subtle hints scattered throughout the game.
- “Basso clearly had a passion, and the world-building and dedication to environmental storytelling speaks volumes.”
- “Everything about it, from the visuals to the soundtrack, to the characters, to the story will just keep you going all the way through.”
- “The narrative is subtly woven through the environment, encouraging you to piece together the story as you progress.”
- “I'm not exaggerating for comedic effect; this game really has no story, no plot, no direction.”
- “There is no story, no narrative, nothing to drive you to explore, nothing that explains what the items you pick up do, some of the puzzles are difficult right off the rip causing you to spend much time in the same area while you get good but this all ends up being really boring.”
- “While story is typically one of my top reasons to pick up a given game, the story here is non-existent or so esoteric I could not make it out.”
grinding
235 mentions
2 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the game's grinding aspect is characterized by excessive and often tedious backtracking, particularly in the late game, where players must revisit numerous areas to collect items and solve puzzles. Many players found the exploration rewarding initially, but the lack of fast travel options and unclear objectives led to frustration and a sense of monotony. Overall, while some enjoyed the puzzle-solving elements, the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the need for extensive item hunting detracted from the overall experience for many.
- “I think this game is clearly well-designed enough that getting lost isn't a problem as I generally was able to figure out what to do after each pick-up or door unlocked, and the map is pretty easy to traverse through once you discover each area, so backtracking isn't tedious.”
- “The world is very interesting and I want to explore all of it; however, traversing the map gets tedious with the amount of backtracking there is, and they lock fast travel behind finding secrets.”
- “What I found was a tedious and boring backtracking simulator, running back to every room several times in case you miss something. This quickly got boring for me and I expect would become boring for a decent amount of people.”
- “Everything in the postgame is a tedious obtuse mess in which the main challenge is not dying of boredom as you scour every single room in the game looking for blocks and background details that you didn't know to take note of on your first pass through.”
humor
134 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many players highlighting the amusing interactions with quirky animals and unexpected puzzle mechanics. While some reviews reference the influence of popular YouTuber Dunkey, most agree that the game's humor stands on its own, providing a delightful mix of funny moments and surprising elements that enhance the overall experience. Players often find themselves laughing out loud at the game's whimsical design and clever secrets, making it a memorable and enjoyable adventure.
- “I cannot count the number of times I said 'wouldn't it be funny if...' only to discover that, actually, yes, the game expects you to try that and it unlocks a secret.”
- “The dozens of funny, quirky, and sometimes horrifying interactions with the animals are fantastic.”
- “There were multiple times I was simultaneously laughing and running for my life due to the sheer creativity on display.”
emotional
97 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of wholesome and nostalgic experiences, with many players expressing feelings of joy, cleverness, and even tears during poignant moments, such as discovering hidden secrets or engaging with the art and music. However, some players noted a lack of a cohesive story or emotional throughline, which diminished the overall emotional impact for them. Despite these mixed feelings, the game is often described as a heartfelt homage to gaming history, evoking a range of emotions from delight to frustration.
- “The part where you open the time capsule just made me feel so good inside and probably made me want to cry.”
- “This game is so deeply honest, and so obviously coming from a place of passion, it's impossible not to shed a tear by the time it's over.”
- “I'm struggling to put into words the wonderful and emotional journey it took me on from the start to the game's final message.”
replayability
62 mentions
24 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability, with many players praising its depth of secrets, multiple endings, and various approaches to puzzles that encourage exploration and speedrunning. While some find the replay value limited after the initial playthrough, others highlight the potential for significant replayability, especially for completionists and those interested in uncovering all hidden content. Overall, the game offers a rich experience that can be revisited, though its appeal may vary based on individual play styles.
- “Though it might be short, Animal Well is rich with replayability due to its depth of secrets and various ways to approach puzzles.”
- “The amount of secrets in this game is insane; I got to an ending, but it’s only the first layer of the story. There’s a huge amount of replay value.”
- “Animal Well scratches an itch that few games do, combining its amazing atmosphere with ingenious puzzles that make you go 'ahhhhhhhh,' tight platforming, fantastic exploration, exciting items to collect, gorgeous music, excellent worldbuilding, and tons of replayability.”
- “After playing the game once, finding many (but likely not all) secrets, I don't think there is much replay value.”
- “The only downside I can come up with is that unless you're speedrunning this game, it's not likely to have much replay value.”
- “- the 'replayability' in the postgame consists entirely of literally easter egg hunts (a la Fez) which isn't a bad thing inherently, but the game doesn't do a great job of encouraging you or making it fun.”
optimization
44 mentions
41 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some praising its impressive performance and efficient use of storage, particularly for a title developed by a single person. However, others have reported significant performance issues and glitches, suggesting that the graphics backend may not be well optimized. Overall, while the game showcases remarkable technical achievements, it also suffers from notable optimization flaws that detract from the experience.
- “On top of that, this is also a technical masterclass on how to make an optimized game from scratch completely by yourself.”
- “This game is jam packed with stuff, but it's so quick and snappy and beautifully optimized.”
- “Basso also deserves credit for cramming such a game in just 30 megabytes... now that's what I call optimization!”
- “This game has significant performance issues.”
- “For one, and this is something I've seen others experience - the game is just horribly optimized.”
- “This ain't a high-end game, it's kind of embarrassing that an otherwise well-crafted game is in this state performance-wise, man!”
monetization
17 mentions
12 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and supporting independent developers, while others criticize the game as feeling like a cash grab. The advertising, particularly by Dunkey, has been noted as misleading, especially regarding the game's genre, leading to disappointment among some players. Overall, the game's pricing and marketing strategy have sparked debate about its value and authenticity.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “I literally did not have the money to afford this game.. gotta support independent devs and games without microtransactions while they still exist.”
- “It feels and plays like a quick cash grab.”
- “Maybe they should have added a little more stuff; a little corporate bloat or microtransactions would go a long way here.”
- “I literally did not have the money to afford this game... gotta support independent devs and games without microtransactions while they still exist.”
stability
14 mentions
36 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
64 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is praised, with players reporting a bug-free experience during their playthroughs. While there were initial glitches, these have been addressed, and the game runs smoothly on various platforms, including Steam Deck and Chromebook. Players appreciate the solid controls and the developer's effort in creating a stable gaming experience.
- “Dunkey memes aside, this is definitely worth a purchase and props to Billy Basso for making this game solo, in his own engine, bug free (in my playthrough) and... at only 34MB.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck and Chromebook.”
- “So far the game has been bug free.”
- “On the subject of glitches/game-breaking sections, it is technically possible to get to the final area of the game while only beating 3 of the 4 creatures.”
- “Counting a secret dev message, there's talk that there are at least 4 layers of secrets, with a theorized 5th layer that requires glitches the developers hint at occasionally.”
- “Originally, there were some glitches, but it was fixed.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While the reviews highlight impressive character design and visual aesthetics, they do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game. Overall, the focus seems to be more on the visual appeal rather than the narrative or emotional growth of the characters.
- “From the character designs, the lighting, the fluid physics, to the environment, this is probably the most gorgeous pixel game I have ever played.”