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StarTopic ANIMAL WELL |ST| Metronomic Underground

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ANIMAL WELL is "a game of secrets" that releases on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows on May 9, 2024. Developed independently by Billy Basso beginning in 2017, ANIMAL WELL is a 2D exploration-based platformer (a "metroidvania") in a darkly glowing, animal-dense world comprising "over 250 rooms." Here are some descriptors and factoids from the game's website:
  • Discover a dense, atmospheric, puzzle box world with multiple layers of secrets
  • Collect items that each have multiple uses and let you manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways
  • Tread carefully as you encounter creatures both beautiful and unsettling. You must assess for yourself what is safe and dangerous
  • Custom engine/renderer built specifically for pixel art on modern hardware. Animal Well looks and plays like no other game
  • Takes inspiration from the survival horror genre, adventure games, and Nintendo classics such as the original Zelda and Metroid
  • Animal Well is being made with attention paid to every detail. Great care is being taken to ensure it remains interesting and giving back far into the future, without the need for updates. The main game is just the beginning; players will be discovering secrets for years.

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Here is some more information:

Developer: Shared Memory
Publisher: Bigmode
Release date: 9 May 2024
Genre: metroidvania, puzzle, horror(?)
Reminds me of: La-Mulana, Rain World, Xenoblade Chronicles X's Noctilum, Down There
Website: https://www.animalwell.net/
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS5, Steam (Windows)
Formats: digital download; physical via Limited Run Games (preorders begin 24 May 2024, ships in October)
Price: $24.99 USD, $31.99 CAD, £20.99, €24.49, ¥2,950 (digital); $39.99 USD (physical); $99.99 USD (collector's edition)
Filesize: 84MB (Switch)
Latest trailer:
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Looks very interesting. It's on my wishlist, will wait for impressions.
 
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This is something I was waiting to play. Play the demo on Pax West last year it was a nice surprise
 
Really hyped for this. While I continue to play and love Metroidvanias, the fact that this game describes itself as a game of secrets appeals to me a lot, because many games in the genre stopped being that, and sometimes you just want to get lost in the world as opposed to walking down a checklist
 
I'm interested in this one, but I'm a coward and will wait for impressions :p

Admittedly, the price is a bit higher than I expected, so I remain on the fence.
 
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Vookatos said:
Really hyped for this. While I continue to play and love Metroidvanias, the fact that this game describes itself as a game of secrets appeals to me a lot, because many games in the genre stopped being that, and sometimes you just want to get lost in the world as opposed to walking down a checklist
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I feel the same way, really excited for this as well, can't wait to hear what people think of it.
 
I'm sitting on some Eshop money I haven't used in months and I think this is the opportunity. I think it looks spectacular. I love the creativity of the upgrades (from what I've seen of them). It seems like there's no combat, which is cool. The atmosphere is so eerie. Can't wait.
 
Definitely interested in both this and Crow Country coming out tomorrow. Apparently reviews don't drop until tomorrow, though, which I hope isn't a cause for concern.
 
it appears the game is now available on Steam and the eShop—there is a 10% launch discount til May 24th.

can't wait to check it out this evening!
 
So I've played about 90 minutes or so, maybe two hours. I'm having an absolute blast with this game, it's extremely up my alley. I love discovering new ways to use the items you get. I do kind of wish there was a bit more music (it's mostly extremely ambient, and isn't present everywhere), but it works for the kind of game this is, so I'm not that bothered.
 
Played some. Very interesting. Puzzle platformer with a very strong atmosphere, when it comes to metroidvanias it reminds me of Alwa games, especially with one power up I got.

Hoping the game goes La-Mulana with it's secrets because I've seen some strange things I noted down and hope I need to pay attention.
 
This game is enrapturing brilliance. I've only played through the first hour or so, but it's already made a positive impression. No handholding, no tedious NPC chatter. It's a darkly intriguing world that drops you in and has you figure things out for yourself. Excited to play more this evening.
 
Thanks for the thread!!

I’ve been looking forward to this ever since Dunkey announced his publishing company. Not because of Dunkey, but because the game looked so darn cool. And it’s awesome that it’s looking like it turned out great. Here’s Arlo’s review, which is beyond glowing:



I’ve got it downloaded on the Deck already and I’m eager to get started.

Aurc said:
This game is enrapturing brilliance. I've only played through the first hour or so, but it's already made a positive impression. No handholding, no tedious NPC chatter. It's a darkly intriguing world that drops you in and has you figure things out for yourself. Excited to play more this evening.
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Dang, when a game’s got Aurc playing day one, you know it’s gotta be good.
 
Honestly, when I read all the glowing reviews early this morning, I thought to myself: "Another indie Metroidvania. How great can it be? We've had so many of these in recent years. How different is it from all the others, really?"

I decided to jump in when Outer Wilds was mentioned and I saw the price wasn't high. And holy crap. "How great can it be?", I asked. Well, freaking awesome as it turns out. As for, how different it is from all the others, it's pretty surprising. The design and creativity here are on a very distinct level when compared to 99% of the other members of the genre.
 
This game is giving me some heavy Prince of Persia vibes. The original one. Looks, colors, the way it plays, sound effects... Everything screams Prince of Persia. Well, of course, the exception of the main character.
 
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Just played for a little bit. I've seen people it compare it to mid-2000s freeware games, especially Nifflas's Knytt and Within a Deep Forest. I think that's spot on. That explains why it's clicked for me so hard.
 
this is incredible! we’re about two hours in over here and I’ve loved every second. endlessly nice to look at, so packed with detail and care, really well-designed and totally unique.
i love animals
 
also: once more folks have played this, the games industry is going to need to have a serious discussion about how stagnant and uncreative most items and upgrades are in comparison to the revelation that is (northeast area item spoilers) ”slink”. unbelievably inventive and very funny—one of those things that elicits a bit of an “oh, huh, weird” reaction right before you see the possibility space unfold in like five interesting directions. I’ve found three items so far and they’ve all been great but that one really blew me away
 
The game isn't quite what I was expecting, but I'm enjoying it. Gotten to dead end of the water area and collected a doo-dad. I'm assuming it's not the end because I can come back there with new items and I know of at least one thing.

This progression of the game where you acquire items that you don't immediately need for other areas but that might help you is really interesting. Guessing speedrun people will be all over this. Wonder what will happen once I do the four immediate areas, because so far they're fairly disconnected outside of a rare secret where you need an item. Hoping for some meta puzzles a la La-Mulana or Enviromental Station Alpha.

Seen some things I had to write down which is great! Also some of the platforming can be fairly challenging. Died a lot trying to figure out one of the puzzles.
 
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Beat the game in one sitting; roughly 5 hours. Super fun! Spent a bit of extra time finding more collectibles/secrets, but feel like i've had my fill.
 
I'm really liking the progression here, some "Ooooooooh" moments, also the details on some of the animals are really cool.
 
So I had hit a point where I was just completely lost, and was getting a little frustrated. But then I figured out what to do and proceeded to blow through a good chunk of the game. This game absolutely rules.
 
Game has its claws deep in my brain, but I have a small complaint that I've seen quite a bit around the web: the checkpoint/save system is wholly unsuited to what is fundamentally a puzzle game. Just unnecessary. But apart from that, it rules pretty hard.
 
I also hit the credits. Absolutely incredible stuff. I can't wait to go back to it and look for more secrets.

Speaking of which, there's a fish in the warp room. Does anyone know what's up with that? I'm sure it's related to a secret, but I can't figure it out. I've noticed it jumps in four directions, but I don't know what to do with that information.
 
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Earthbounder said:
I also hit the credits. Absolutely incredible stuff. I can't wait to go back to it and look for more secrets.

Speaking of which, there's a fish in the warp room. Does anyone know what's up with that? I'm sure it's related to a secret, but I can't figure it out. I've noticed it jumps in four directions, but I don't know what to do with that information.
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lil hint:
Animal Flute
full solution:
The directions correspond to notes on the animal flute. Play them and you warp directly to the warp room from anywhere. I think it's right, right, left, left, down, down, up, up?
Very proud of myself (and relieved) that I clocked this right away. Guess I was in the Animal Well zone.
 
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beaglor said:
lil hint:
Animal Flute
full solution:
The directions correspond to notes on the animal flute. Play them and you warp directly to the warp room from anywhere. I think it's right, right, left, left, down, down, up, up?
Very proud of myself (and relieved) that I clocked this right away. Guess I was in the Animal Well zone.
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Oh, crap! I did play the flute using those directions, but I did it in the warp room itself thinking it would trigger something. That's why it didn't work.

Thanks for the help!
 
Ok I cracked and bought this game, especially since world of goo 2 got delayed and this looks to be one of the best game of the year.
This is the first game released this year that I bought
 
Picked this up on Thursday and really loving it, there's an awesome sense of fluidity in the level design : so much secrets to find, and it's hard enough to stay challenging while being easy enough, so you rarely get stuck. Don't have much time to play these days, but all I can think of is picking up my Switch and launching the game.
 
finished the “regular” part of the game tonight, but i really love how it makes it immediately clear that there’s a lot of mysteries left. my brain is abuzz with a hundred possibilities. what a game.
 
slide's said:
also: once more folks have played this, the games industry is going to need to have a serious discussion about how stagnant and uncreative most items and upgrades are in comparison to the revelation that is (northeast area item spoilers) ”slink”. unbelievably inventive and very funny—one of those things that elicits a bit of an “oh, huh, weird” reaction right before you see the possibility space unfold in like five interesting directions. I’ve found three items so far and they’ve all been great but that one really blew me away
Click to expand...
100% I really like this game, but if it had more standard items/abilities I wouldn’t care as much about it. They’re the perfect combination of unique functions, but also having “hidden” aspects to them that further expands the possibilities and lets you complete puzzles/rooms in different ways from what you’d expect. But they’re also not so over powered that they ruin the fun.
 
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