Metroidvaniaenthusiasts are restless waiting forHollow Knight: Silksong’srelease, but Billy Basso and the team at Shared Memory have delivered a puzzle platformer to scratch the itch. Deserving a shoo-in for game of the year in this category,Animal Well’slabyrinth of secrets and nightmarish bosses have kept gamers awake at night, but the community has banded together to discover everything this indie is hiding.
Following a wayward blob navigating a neon-drenched underground of animal-themed rooms with head-scratching puzzles and buried details, Animal Well lives up to the challenging gameplay this sub-genre is notorious for, and we praised its “rich mystery” in our 9.2 out of 10review. Thanks to the lively community spirit, however, players aren’t alone in their plight.
Animal Well’s Ghost Dog Is This Year’s Scariest Video Game Boss
Taking inspiration from the survival horror genre and Commodore 64 games, it’s no wonder Animal Well evokes a nostalgic nightmare.
Animal Well Community’s Secret-Solving Spirit Brings People Together
Hosting anAMA sessionon the Nintendo Switch subreddit, Animal Well creator, Billy Basso, and “business/marketing guy”, Dan Adelman, discussed their favorite elements from the game, dished a few tips, and highlighted the community’s enthusiasm for picking apart the indie to uncover every mystery.
One fan asked how the devs felt about the rate at which players were finding secrets, and Basso admitted “they have been solving them way faster than I was expecting,” however the creator was “very flattered people care that much.”
Adelman added it had been “amazing to watch so many people collaborate like this,” making him feel like he was “part of something really special.” In an age of negativity and toxicity, particularly on social media, Adelman pointed out that “very few phenomena on the internet really bring people together in a positive way like that.”
Despite being “a little bummed” once Animal Well’s bigger secrets were being discovered so rapidly, Adelman loved “how the game is speaking to people and helping them form bonds and friendships.”
The community at the center of this positive endeavor, including journalists and reviewers, was given a Discord server by the development team, and they took it upon themselves to turn Animal Well’s puzzle-solving into a collaborative activity, including completing the pixel bunny board puzzle.
The devs confidently consider Animal Well a solo entity, but that hasn’t stopped them frombrainstorming a successorset in the same universe. It may not be the sequel Metroidvania lovers were hoping for, but it’s a chance for the team effort to continue.
Animal Well
21 Minutes Of Animal Well Gameplay | The Rundown
The eggs, Mason, what do they mean?
