FOUNTAINS

About

FOUNTAINS is a single player role playing game with a fantasy theme. 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…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 292 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features excellent level design with a semi-open world that encourages exploration and rewards players with shortcuts and secrets.
Combat is fluid and engaging, providing a satisfying challenge that requires players to learn enemy patterns and timing.
The pixel art style and atmospheric music create a captivating experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.

The progression system is flawed, lacking a level-up mechanic and punishing players with significant gold loss upon death, which can feel frustrating.
The map design can be confusing, making navigation difficult and leading to moments of aimless wandering.
Boss fights can be overly punishing, with some encounters feeling unfair due to high damage output and limited opportunities to heal.

gameplay
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The gameplay of the game is a blend of challenging combat reminiscent of Dark Souls and exploration elements typical of Metroidvania titles, featuring a responsive combat system and unique mechanics like a water-based healing system. While many players appreciate the art style and fluidity, some criticize the progression system and repetitive boss fights, suggesting that the game could benefit from improved mechanics and balance. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and rewarding for those who enjoy a mix of exploration and strategic combat, despite some limitations.
- “Vibes are immaculate, gameplay is really tight and it's just really likeable.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and well done.”
- “The music is great, I love the art style, the lore is fun, the gameplay is very engaging and rewarding.”
- “This, tied to the fact that the punishment for death is literally 50% of your gold with no corpse run mechanics, just makes for a really bad progression system.”
- “Unfortunately, the majority of the previous gameplay-- exploring and fighting in various locations-- is basically dropped in favor of a series of 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
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming pixel art style, which effectively captures the atmosphere and enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals, fluid animations, and engaging aesthetics, drawing comparisons to beloved titles like Dark Souls and Hyper Light Drifter. However, some critiques mention that certain areas feel unrefined or lack detail, suggesting room for improvement in environmental design.
- “I first discovered this game in 2022 through its demo and I was utterly enthralled by the game's design, mechanics, fluidity, and art style.”
- “Beautiful graphics, mesmerizing music, and loads of lore; fans of souls-like titles will feel right at home, even in a 2D environment.”
- “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.”
- “Fountains is a game with a strong start, solid atmosphere, and an art style that occasionally shines, but everything past the first hour feels like it collapses under its own ambition.”
- “If I had to level a critique, it would be that the art style is a bit unrefined.”
- “Graphically, I really don't like it.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The game's story is a mix of engaging dark and whimsical tones, with a rich lore that invites exploration and discovery through side quests and hidden secrets. However, some players feel that certain story elements and side quests appear unfinished or lack context, leading to a sense of confusion. Overall, while the narrative is intriguing and well-integrated into the gameplay, it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more cohesive or traditional storytelling experience.
- “Engaging storytelling that mixes dark and whimsical tones.”
- “The game is fun, dynamic, and it invites you to explore the lore and story of the world.”
- “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 I 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.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
4%
13%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack is described as mesmerizing and beautifully composed, effectively complementing the game's art style and immersive world. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's engaging experience.
- “The music is seriously beautiful, props to the composer.”
- “Beautiful graphics, mesmerizing music, and loads of lore; fans of souls-like titles will feel right at home, even in a 2D environment.”
- “Both the art and music are stellar, perfectly complementing the game’s exploration-heavy design.”
- “The music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety.”
- “While the game has many strengths, the music is a significant letdown.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
33%
20%
The atmosphere in Fountains is widely praised for its mysterious, dreamlike quality that enhances exploration and evokes a range of emotions, from oppressive darkness to calm serenity. The game's art style, complemented by moody ambient music, creates a distinct and immersive world that encourages players to delve deeper, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and ambition. Overall, the atmospheric design is a standout feature, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric exploration and challenging gameplay.
- “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.”
- “Fountains is a game with a strong start, solid atmosphere, and an art style that occasionally shines, but everything past the first hour feels like it collapses under its own ambition.”
- “I think the more engaging prospect of tackling this game is the pleasant and relatively detailed pixel art, exploring the interconnected world while keeping pins in places you discover on your map, and the relatively gloomy, somewhat subdued atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere definitely reminds of Dark Souls 1, but in my opinion that's the only similarity to Dark Souls there is.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
- “You barely have any time to hit enemies while dodging them, and it gets really tedious.”
- “This game is tedious and frustrating in its current state.”
- “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.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of dark comedy and quirky, out-of-the-box ideas, with NPCs and enemy vocals delivering intentionally hilarious moments. Players appreciate the goofy characters and funny gimmicks, contributing to an enjoyable experience despite some criticisms regarding combat and environmental detail. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted charm to the gameplay.
- “Some do it with lots of dark humor, funny ideas, out-of-the-box concepts, etc.”
- “Enemy and NPC vocals are perfect and sometimes (intentionally) hilarious.”
- “I thought it was a simple but enjoyable game, with very goofy characters that often made me laugh.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the character design and music, highlighting a desire for more mini-bosses and secret bosses to enhance the character development experience.
- “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the overall narrative.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that truly impact their growth and relationships.”
- “The interactions between characters are well-written, allowing for meaningful connections that enhance the gameplay experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is mixed, with some users reporting instability and bugs, while others praise its flawless performance and commend the developers for delivering a smooth experience. Overall, opinions vary significantly, highlighting both positive and negative aspects of optimization.
- “Finishing on a positive note, I've really enjoyed the artwork and the performance has been flawless.”
- “Performance-wise, the game is surprisingly unstable and buggy.”
- “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.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for causing frequent crashes and freezing issues, with players reporting that it often leads to their entire PC becoming unresponsive shortly after launch. Overall, the performance is described as surprisingly unstable and plagued by bugs.
- “I'd like to enjoy it, but now every time I go to launch the game, it lasts at most a minute, and then my whole PC freezes.”
- “Performance-wise, the game is surprisingly unstable and buggy.”