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Downwell

Ojiro Fumoto’s smartly designed arcade game loses none of its appeal on Nintendo Switch, where a variety of display options and a budget price make it an essential purchase.
Downwell Game Cover
94%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, stability
97% User Score Based on 9,682 reviews
Critic Score 79%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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Downwell Game Cover

About

Downwell is a single player casual platformer game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Moppin and was released on October 15, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Downwell is a curious game about a young man with guns for boots venturing down a well in search of untold treasures. Make your way further and further down into a darkness filled with nasty creatures and mysterious secrets and collect the spectacular red gems scattered about the rocks. Step into an oddly placed shop to buy some helpful items or level up between caverns to battle well dwelling mon…

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Downwell screenshot
Downwell screenshot
Downwell screenshot
Downwell screenshot
Downwell screenshot
Downwell screenshot
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97%
Audience ScoreBased on 9,682 reviews
gameplay768 positive mentions
grinding28 negative mentions
  • Addictive gameplay with a simple yet challenging premise.
  • Tight controls and satisfying mechanics that reward skillful play.
  • Great value for the price, offering hours of fun and replayability.
  • Can be frustratingly difficult, especially for new players.
  • Some color palettes can be hard on the eyes and may detract from the experience.
  • No option to rebind controls, which can be inconvenient for some players.
  • gameplay
    1,812 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Downwell" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, where players control a character equipped with gunboots to shoot enemies while falling down a well. The game features a fast-paced, addictive loop that rewards skillful play through a combo system and various upgrades, making it easy to learn but challenging to master. While the mechanics are straightforward, they offer depth and strategic choices, ensuring a satisfying experience for both casual and hardcore players.

    • “A masterpiece of an arcade-style game, with tight controls and a surprising amount of strategy bound within only a few simple mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay loop seems simple, but there’s a lot of nuance between the customizable styles and you can really get quite experimental depending on how much you want to risk health.”
    • “Downwell is a perfectly executed simple arcade game that stands as a shining example of how to get the most mileage out of the simplest mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay is 1/10 just unbearable but the art is 10/10, I absolutely love this on OLED.”
    • “Fun for about ten minutes, then you realize the gameplay is just sonic syndrome but vertical: you want to go fast and the game suggests a fast pace is necessary, but any attempts to fall for longer than a second result in landing on a red enemy that you can't stomp on or have any chance of seeing ahead of time.”
    • “The gameplay loop was sadly, quite repetitive.”
  • graphics
    840 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Downwell are characterized by a minimalist retro pixel-art style, utilizing a limited three-color palette that enhances gameplay clarity and readability. While some players appreciate the charming, nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of classic arcade games, others find the visuals overly simplistic and occasionally cluttered, which can hinder gameplay. Overall, the graphics effectively support the fast-paced action and unique mechanics, making them a fitting choice for the game's design.

    • “The visuals and animations are really cool and the fact you're able to change palettes in-game is so badass!”
    • “The simple yet distinguished art style is complemented by an equally interesting set of sound effects, different for each weapon, and a soundtrack.”
    • “Downwell is a retro styled platforming masterpiece, with cool visuals, nice music, and one heck of a game design.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
    • “On top of that, the graphics are incredibly busy and unclear, so after you take the first bit of unfair damage you will likely be swarmed by more enemies from the sides and above that you can't easily avoid after committing to the fast fall.”
  • music
    568 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in Downwell has been widely praised for its catchy, retro chiptune style that complements the game's minimalist visuals and fast-paced gameplay. While many players find the soundtrack engaging and fitting for the game's atmosphere, some note that it can become repetitive over time, with limited tracks per level. Overall, the music enhances the experience, making it enjoyable for both casual play and as a backdrop for listening to other music.

    • “The music is fantastic, and the way it syncs up to your first contact at the start of every level provides not only simple satisfaction, but also serves as feedback when attempting the 'ground allergy' achievement.”
    • “The sound design and music are beautiful, and the music completes the aesthetic and reflects the chaotic feel of the gameplay.”
    • “The music is fire, the mechanics, which appear simple at first, are damn near ecstasy, especially as you unlock the new styles and work on a survival plan, and the art is fantastic.”
    • “The only downside might be the music; I found it to be slightly irritating, but that's fine, music can be turned off in the settings if it bothers you.”
    • “Music consists of a few forgettable tracks, and gets tedious to listen to.”
    • “Only 1 music track per world gets pretty old after a while.”
  • replayability
    338 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many users highlighting its addictive nature and the infinite replay value stemming from procedurally generated levels and various unlockable content. Despite its short playtime, players find themselves returning frequently due to the engaging gameplay mechanics and the challenge it presents, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of arcade-style and roguelike games. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers a rich replay experience that keeps players engaged long after their initial playthrough.

    • “Endless replayability + it's fun for the price of lemonade juice. 10/10, definitely recommended.”
    • “The game itself is short, but that is not a problem because the replay value is insane.”
    • “Downwell is fast, rough, and replayable, all thanks to its randomly-generating levels.”
    • “I'd say this game has a bit less replayability than other roguelikes unfortunately, which is a defining trait of the genre, so that may come off as sad to some.”
    • “This roguelike has almost no hook to give it any replayability.”
    • “This would be an amazing game if the developers put some more work into it, but in its current form, it's basically empty and has almost no replayability value.”
  • story
    195 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is minimal and often described as non-existent, focusing instead on fast-paced gameplay and mechanics. While some players appreciate the simplistic narrative of descending a well, many agree that the lack of a complex storyline allows for a more engaging gaming experience. Overall, the game is not story-driven, with the gameplay taking precedence over any narrative elements.

    • “Ring of Pain could have easily been just another rip-off of Slay the Spire, but the game tells its own dark and cryptic story with some very unique mechanics.”
    • “Story is just cryptic enough to make you want to dive back in and see more endings.”
    • “The game, despite its simplicity, feels very polished thanks in part to a challenging end-boss to test your skills, and a satisfying bit of story at the end.”
    • “In terms of the story, there is barely anything present.”
    • “The story steps aside to make way for the fast-paced gameplay.”
    • “There isn't really a story, but the aesthetic and ambience is really nice.”
  • emotional
    102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be surprisingly impactful, with many expressing feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction from mastering the combo mechanics that reward them for not touching the ground. The gameplay fosters a sense of joy and humor, culminating in a heartwarming ending that resonates with themes of perseverance and the human spirit. Overall, the combination of simple controls and engaging mechanics creates a fulfilling experience that evokes genuine emotional responses, even drawing comparisons to more narrative-driven games like Undertale.

    • “The ending of this game is a heartwarming moment that speaks wonders about the persistence and devotion of the human spirit.”
    • “The feeling of perfectly balancing yourself using shots to land on enemy after enemy without touching the ground is superb!”
    • “I cried laughing when I finished the game.”
  • humor
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both hilarious and engaging, often highlighting the absurdity of its mechanics and characters, such as the "funny little boot man." Many reviews mention the game's ability to evoke laughter through its quirky visuals, amusing gameplay elements, and entertaining soundtracks, making it a standout in the arcade genre. However, some players express a desire for more content and depth to match the humor's potential.

    • “This roguelite has to be one of the most original and funny blends of platforming and shoot'em up I have ever played.”
    • “I cried laughing when I finished the game.”
    • “The controls are tight, the enemies are frustrating, and the boot/item combos are hilarious and shockingly awesome to figure out and execute.”
  • grinding
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find it enjoyable and engaging, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, especially after a few hours of play. Many note that once the initial unlocks are achieved, there is little incentive to continue grinding, leading to a lack of motivation for further progression. Overall, the grinding can detract from the game's flow and enjoyment, though it may still provide moments of fun.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding, mate.”
    • “Your only other option is to very tediously work your way down platform by platform and be overly cautious to the point that the game lacks the flow it seems to be going for.”
    • “I unlocked all the styles at around 2-3 hours, and there isn't much else to get or progress to be made other than just grinding until there's a solid enough enemy distribution to get a good run going.”
    • “This approach doesn't really work because, after a couple of hours, you've seen the majority of what the game has to offer, and grinding your way to the required skill to actually beat the game just doesn't seem to be worth the effort.”
  • atmosphere
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Downwell is characterized by its haunting visuals and sound design, which effectively immerse players in a dark, arcade-like world. The simplistic graphics and basic yet functional soundtrack contribute to a unique ambiance, enhancing the addictive gameplay experience. While some find the atmosphere a bit repetitive and depressing, many appreciate how it complements the game's mechanics and creates a trance-like state during gameplay.

    • “The soundtrack is limited by the game's brevity, but it's still perfect in creating a unique atmosphere for each section of the game.”
    • “Loved the atmosphere the trances you get into on a good run.”
    • “The visuals and sound design create a haunting atmosphere, immersing you in the game's dark world.”
    • “The simple graphics will endear themselves to you and the option to change the color palette is a small touch, but color will change everything, bringing new moods and atmospheres.”
    • “The pick up and play atmosphere is brought from the fact that there are few levels, but they are some of the hardest levels ever.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game varies significantly among users, with some experiencing frequent freezes and graphical glitches, particularly on the Switch version, while others report a smooth and polished experience with no bugs. Overall, while some players find the game buggy and prone to crashes, others enjoy a stable gameplay experience without major issues.

    • “I'll just add that the game freezes sometimes, and it's required to kill its process before trying to restart it.”
    • “Wont even run just freezes when I start up.”
    • “It's really buggy but I cannot stop playing.”
  • optimization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is inconsistent, with some users experiencing significant performance dips on higher-end PCs, while others report smooth gameplay even on low-spec machines. Overall, it runs well on a variety of systems, but fullscreen mode may cause stuttering on more powerful setups.

    • “Runs fairly well, good performance and very rarely ever laggy.”
    • “It features a nice performance on even the crappiest of PCs and has really good presentation.”
    • “Rad as hell and runs smoothly even on Windows XP.”
    • “I am also bewildered as to why this game's performance can dip so dramatically at times on my better-than-average PC.”
  • monetization
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of Downwell has been criticized as a cash grab, with reviewers noting that it feels like a mobile app poorly adapted for PC. However, it is praised for lacking microtransactions and ads, which sets it apart from many other games in the genre. Despite its low price, some feel the developers should have invested more in improving the game's technical quality.

    • “And it's even available for the same price on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store, where it controls better than any other mobile platformer I've ever seen, in addition to having no ads or microtransactions.”
    • “Praise the lord for this very simplistic game not having microtransactions!”
    • “Downwell is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it was a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile devs. This mobile app is yet another of literally thousands of 2D retro platformers infesting Steam and lowering the average quality of all video games everywhere.”
    • “Point is, even if the game is cheap, it made enough money that the developer (and perhaps distributors?) should have cared for improving the product to the point of making it decent from a technical standpoint, and this is making Downwell a cash grab of sorts.”
    • “What saves it from being a cash grab altogether?”
  • character development
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in Downwell is characterized by a restrictive itemization system and various character "styles," which can limit the game's longevity due to repetitive item encounters. However, players can unlock new character designs through gems, introducing additional boosts or restrictions that enhance gameplay tension and variety.

    • “This introduces a fairly restrictive system overall for character development and, I believe, cuts into the game's overall longevity, as you run into the same types of items in the same places, rather than mixing things up and keeping it random.”
    • “Like many roguelikes, Downwell has an itemization system and a bit of a character development system, along with varying characters known as 'styles'.”
    • “Thankfully, gems also unlock new character designs that come with additional boosts or restrictions to add more tension or to make things a little easier.”
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79%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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13h Median play time
20h Average play time
6h Main story
13h Completionist
7-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 42 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Downwell is a casual platformer game with fantasy and science fiction themes.

Downwell is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone and others.

The main story can be completed in around 6 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 13 hours to finish. On average players spend around 20 hours playing Downwell.

Downwell was released on October 15, 2015.

Downwell was developed by Moppin.

Downwell has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Downwell is a single player game.

Similar games include GoNNER, Dead Cells, Star of Providence, Risk of Rain, Monolithic Christmas Night and others.