85
A true video game enthusiast cannot remain indifferent to the romantic figure of the solo developer who brings their creation to life driven by pure passion, even going so far as to program the game engine themselves just to translate their aspirations into the form they deem most authentic. If this developer then manages to craft a high-level gaming experience — one of the best in the metroidvania genre — supporting them becomes the least one can do, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because rewarding the most valuable and passionate projects is the best way to ensure we’ll see more beautiful games in the future. Experiencing something like Animal Well is an act of love, both for oneself and for video games.
100
At a time when the big video game companies are focused on building video games designed to function like sport, with seasons and passes and never-ending fixtures designed to dominate your leisure time, what a joy to be presented with a game that is so intricate and contained. This is a perfectly made contraption, with a start, a middle and an end, intended to inspire joy and build culture, and not, mercifully, shareholder value.
85
A fascinating two-faced videogame, a bit puzzler and a bit platformer, based on excellent level design, enchanting sound design and lovely pixelart.
9
You have to think like an animal. There's barely any text at all in the game and it makes you think in symbols and imagery rather than words. And the visuals are insane. Heartbreakingly beautiful I think. The Chameleon area being the most flooringly gorgeous forest area in any video game ever with the best puzzles and the most intricate tool design. So so so good. It's capturing the essense and style of retro games but the gameplay is so polilshed and the atmosphere is on point. Each sound, particle, smoke, and light effect is immaculately implemented to craft this atmosphere. Lonely, scary, awe-inspiring, meditative.
8
The perfect labyrinth to get lost into for a couple dozen hours. The amount go secrets and hidden puzzles in astonishing, and a lot of them give you that "aha" feeling every time you get to solve one
9
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
Animal Well
Released On:
May 9, 2024
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
90
User score
Generally Favorable
8.0
My Score
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Metascore
Universal Acclaim
90
100% Positive
30 Reviews
30 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jun 9, 2024
100
At a time when the big video game companies are focused on building video games designed to function like sport, with seasons and passes and never-ending fixtures designed to dominate your leisure time, what a joy to be presented with a game that is so intricate and contained. This is a perfectly made contraption, with a start, a middle and an end, intended to inspire joy and build culture, and not, mercifully, shareholder value.
May 9, 2024
92
Animal Well is a masterclass in puzzle design, with tight platforming, set in a beautiful, oftentimes perilous world. It's actually at its weakest when it's just a Metroidvania, and instead, its world and the genre serve as a way to deliver some of the most intricate, interconnected puzzles of any game I've ever played.
User score
Generally Favorable
8.0
74% Positive
527 Ratings
527 Ratings
15% Mixed
110 Ratings
110 Ratings
11% Negative
76 Ratings
76 Ratings
Dec 15, 2025
10
Dentro de los Metroidvanias, o Search Action, Animall Well pertenece a otro subgenéro, el de puzzles, un juego que si entras enamora profundamente, una rara avis lleno de capas de desconociemnto y un juego que hay jugar
Aug 13, 2025
10
This came out of nowhere at the demise of originality. I'm sure this remain a didactic tool for the generations to come.
May 17, 2024
90
After a few hours it really starts to be felt that this game would benefit from more atmospheric music, for longer periods. Minus that, I have no complaints about this lovely indie gem.
May 10, 2024
90
Animal Well is a Metroidvania that stands out in a crowded marketplace thanks to a lack of combat and some seriously creative power ups.
May 9, 2024
90
Animal Well is stubbornly traditional in keeping you in the dark as you embark on your adventure, but that's firmly to its credit as you unravel the mysteries sprinkled around its map. Puzzles involving animals, toys and mechanical devices demand creative thinking, while the sense that nothing is quite as it seems never lets up. This is an endlessly inventive Metroidvania with unfathomable depth.
May 9, 2024
85
Uncover secrets, evade dangers, and embark on an eerie journey in ANIMAL WELL. Billy Basso has crafted a dark neon aesthetic and enigmatic gameplay that delivers a Metroidvania unlike many others. The mystery and cryptic puzzles won’t be for everyone, but those who enjoy a challenge and a good platformer will be rewarded with a haunting adventure.
May 9, 2024
80
If you want a solid and quirky adventure that will put your reflexes and puzzle-solving to the test, Animal Well is an absolutely fascinating journey.
Jul 30, 2025
10
one of the best metroid vanias i played,the movement is tight,it has a very unique and cool atmosphere and has a lot of souce
Sep 8, 2024
7
visual 8/10, creativity 10/10, story 5/10, gameplay 8/10, music 7/10, performance 8/10, value 8/10, i gave up midway because when you die you return to checkpoint and there is few checkpoint and also because it is hard to figure out what you are supposed to do and where to go so you will get stuck multiple time...
Nov 7, 2024
4
Bought this game because of the high scores. What these people were thinking when they gave so much praise to it? This is the worst game I played this year. I absolute love Metroidvania games, but I couldn't stand this one. Dark and boring art style, no music and it doesn't give any kind of substancial hint or information to help the player. If you love being lost for hours and not knowing what to do, this is for you!! Also, there's not a single line of any kind of plot, no apparent purpose or objetive. It's a world that just exist and that's it. Simply hard to get involved with Animal Well.
Aug 31, 2024
4
The controls are so unresponsive somehow. Andat the first part, the game is mainly platformer, I did not get to the point that the story got interesting.
SummaryExplore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter creatures both beautiful and unsettling, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.
