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FOUNTAINS

FOUNTAINS Game Cover
85%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
85% User Score Based on 339 reviews

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FOUNTAINS Game Cover

About FOUNTAINS

FOUNTAINS is a single player open world hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval, historical and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by JohnPywell and was released on December 20, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

The Fountain of Youth was hidden away. Nonetheless, it is fated that a Usurper will slay the Ageless and unearth it once more. FOUNTAINS is an action-RPG about fighting your way through a maze-like interconnected world. You'll take the role of a hooded stranger, recently imprisoned by a tyrannical regime. Will you escape and uncover the mysteries of this war-torn empire? The world of FOUNT…

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FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
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FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
FOUNTAINS screenshot
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Reviews

85%Audience ScoreBased on 339 reviews
gameplay19 positive mentions
grinding9 negative mentions
  • Engaging and satisfying combat with tight, responsive mechanics that reward patience and skill.
  • Intricately designed, interconnected world with rewarding exploration, secrets, and shortcuts reminiscent of classic Metroidvania and Dark Souls level design.
  • Beautiful pixel art and atmospheric soundtrack enhance immersion and complement the game's aesthetic and narrative tone.
  • Late-game boss fights have significant difficulty spikes, featuring large health pools, punishing attack patterns, and limited healing windows, which many players find frustrating and repetitive.
  • Navigation issues due to a lack of comprehensive map features, multi-level mapping, and practical fast travel options cause frequent player disorientation and tedious backtracking.
  • Limited character progression with minor equipment upgrades and no leveling system leads to stagnant power growth, reducing the sense of achievement and impact during combat.

  • gameplay

    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    31% positive mentions, 61% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions

    The gameplay is a challenging and engaging blend of Souls-like combat, Hyper Light Drifter smoothness, and Metroidvania exploration elements, featuring a core loop of attack, dodge, and resource management centered on a unique water-based healing mechanic. While combat is generally responsive and satisfying, some boss fights feel repetitive or unfair, and progression can be hindered by punishing death penalties and limited mechanics. Overall, the game delivers a polished and strategic action experience that appeals to fans of difficult, methodical gameplay, though it may frustrate those seeking more varied or forgiving encounters.

    • “Challenging souls-like top-down gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay is a mixture of Dark Souls and Hyper Light Drifter, with metroidvania-style progression and highly interconnected level design.”
    • “+ Polished gameplay with clean combat mechanics and smooth movement. + Unique water system adds a layer of strategy to gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is snappy and responsive, with engaging, challenging combat.”
    • “Boss encounters are often the most memorable moments, functioning as tests of both mechanical skill and mental composure.”
    • “Any time I beat a hard boss there is zero feeling of victory or satisfaction, just a sense that I either got lucky or learned some cheese, never that I actually engaged in the mechanics of the game properly or succeeded by my own merit.”
    • “The game itself is really not good at all... if you can get past the incredibly crappy visuals, the gameplay is worse, just brawl and dash garbage with badly designed boss fights.”
    • “While enemies feature unique attack patterns, the core gameplay loop of baiting attacks, counterattacking once or twice, and repeating becomes repetitive very quickly.”

  • graphics

    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    38% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The game's graphics feature a charming and polished pixel art style that many find aesthetically pleasing and fitting for its dark, souls-like atmosphere, with beautiful animations and well-crafted environments. However, some critics note that the simple, retro visuals can hinder clarity in combat, especially against bosses, and feel outdated or lacking in detail, with limited customization options. Overall, the art style is divisive but generally appreciated for its mood and design coherence.

    • “The game is beautiful, aesthetically, so it's a shame I'll never get to see most of it.”
    • “Fountains is a souls-like metroidvania action RPG with gorgeous pixel graphics.”
    • “The art style is gorgeous - with equally beautiful and horrifying enemy design, badass skills and a massive amount of unlockables to keep you engaged until the very end.”
    • “The bosses are by far the worst part of the game; they lean heavily into the souls style of being punishing and memorizing the moveset, which is problematic because the graphics are too simple to reliably recognize what move the boss is performing next.”
    • “The game itself is really not good at all... if you can get past the incredibly crappy visuals, the gameplay is worse, just brawl and dash garbage with badly designed boss fights.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”

  • music

    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    72% positive mentions, 18% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty, moodiness, and ability to enhance the atmosphere and immersion. While generally considered great or amazing, some find the soundtrack serviceable but not particularly memorable. Overall, the soundtrack effectively complements the art style and gameplay, contributing significantly to the game's engaging experience.

    • “The music is seriously beautiful, props to the composer.”
    • “Both the art and music are stellar, perfectly complementing the game’s exploration-heavy design.”
    • “That, combined with a gorgeous OST composed by Travis Moberg, thrusts players even farther into this gorgeous and immersive world.”
    • “The music could be better.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't the greatest or memorable but it does the job.”
    • “Sound design complements this presentation well, with ambient effects and a restrained musical score that heightens tension without overpowering the experience.”

  • story

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    22% positive mentions, 67% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    The story is subtly conveyed through environmental storytelling, cryptic dialogue, and item descriptions, encouraging exploration and discovery of lore tied to the myth of the fountain. While praised for its intriguing world and atmospheric depth, some players find elements of the narrative and side quests feel incomplete or obscure, requiring patience and attention to piece together. Overall, it offers a dark, whimsical, and satisfying experience for fans of lore-rich, exploration-driven games.

    • “The myth of the fountain—an object tied to youth, immortality, and control—casts a long shadow over the world, and much of the story is pieced together through environmental clues, cryptic dialogue, and item descriptions.”
    • “Developed and published by John Pywell, the game presents a tightly interlinked world that prioritizes discovery, mastery, and environmental storytelling over hand-holding or overt exposition.”
    • “Extremely clever level design in a classic, but refreshing Metroidvania style map where I don’t find myself bored while exploring, finding items/gear or unlocking new secrets about an interesting, well thought out story.”
    • “Some elements of the story and side quests feel unfinished or abandoned.”
    • “Story-wise, I only played a bit but found it bizarre, and not in a good way.”
    • “Maybe they pull something together later in the story, but I was not interested in the least in what was going on.”

  • atmosphere

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    44% positive mentions, 37% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions

    The atmosphere in Fountains is widely praised for its dark, mysterious, and evocative mood, reminiscent of Dark Souls but with a unique pixel art style. The game blends gloomy, foreboding areas with calm, welcoming locales, enhanced by moody ambient music, creating an immersive and rewarding exploration experience. Overall, the atmospheric world design is considered a standout feature that strongly appeals to fans of challenging ARPGs and souls-likes.

    • “The world has this mysterious, almost dreamlike atmosphere that pulls you in, and the exploration is genuinely rewarding.”
    • “The world’s ambiance is distinct and evocative: dark areas feel oppressive and foreboding, while the town exudes a calm, welcoming atmosphere.”
    • “Fountains excels in creating a beautiful, atmospheric world that encourages exploration.”
    • “There are a few very minor things that might improve the experience, but for some reason the simplicity, precision, and atmosphere just make me forget what they might be.”
    • “The atmosphere definitely reminds of DS1, but in my opinion, that's the only similarity to Dark Souls there is.”
    • “Very tight atmosphere.”

  • grinding

    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and borderline mandatory, especially when facing tough bosses that require repetitive attempts. Extended boss fights and frequent enemy dodging contribute to frustration, with some encounters dragging on due to bosses running out of range. While manageable early on, the excessive grinding towards the end can negatively impact the overall experience.

    • “It makes grinding borderline mandatory if you want to throw yourself back at a tough enemy that killed you after you used up your healing the last time around.”
    • “Many bosses constantly run out of range, dragging fights out unnecessarily and making them feel tedious.”
    • “You barely have any time to hit enemies while dodging them and it gets really tedious.”

  • humor

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, featuring a mix of dark and quirky jokes alongside clever, out-of-the-box ideas. Players appreciate the funny character interactions, amusing enemy and NPC voices, and the overall goofy tone that adds enjoyment without overshadowing gameplay.

    • “Even has some funny Elden Ring gimmicks.”
    • “Some do it with lots of dark humour, funny ideas, out-of-the-box ideas, etc.”
    • “Enemy and NPC vocals are perfect and sometimes (intentionally) hilarious.”

  • optimization

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game is highly praised for its flawless performance and excellent optimization, delivering a smooth experience without any technical issues. Reviewers commend the developers for ensuring the game runs perfectly from the start.

    • “Finishing on a positive note, I've really enjoyed the artwork and the performance has been flawless.”
    • “It's definitely a breath of fresh air to play a game with zero performance issues, and I applaud the dev for taking the time to get it right the first time.”

  • replayability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game offers good replay value by blending Zelda and Metroidvania elements with a Soulslike challenge, providing an engaging experience despite its simplicity.

    • “Fun little Zelda/Metroidvania game with elements of a Soulslike with good replay value despite its simplicity.”

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Users report severe stability issues, with the game causing their entire PC to freeze within minutes of launching, significantly impacting playability.

    • “I'd like to enjoy it, but now every time I launch the game, it lasts at most a minute before my whole PC freezes.”

  • character development

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The character development is praised for its strong design and memorable music, though some users wish for more variety through additional mini-bosses or secret bosses to enhance the experience.

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Play Times

29h Median play time
20h Average play time
3-37h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

FOUNTAINS is a open world hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval, historical and dark fantasy themes. Common tags for FOUNTAINS include indie, exploration, pixel graphics, metroidvania, souls-like and others.

FOUNTAINS is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 20 hours playing FOUNTAINS.

FOUNTAINS was released on December 20, 2024.

FOUNTAINS was developed by JohnPywell.

FOUNTAINS has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked FOUNTAINS for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

FOUNTAINS is a single player game.

Similar games include Death's Door, The Last Faith, ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights, Drova: Forsaken Kin, Afterimage and others.