PC Critic Reviews

If you enjoyed the dev’s previous effort in Crypt Custodian, this is a no-brainer and, in my mind, an all-timer in the genre. There is always something to uncover, new creatures to befriend, and weird and excellently designed enemies to fight. I had a fantastic time from start to finish and can’t wait to revisit Well Dweller in the future.

Well Dweller is one of the most polished and captivating Metroidvanias I've played in years, and even in this packed season it's a must play.

Well Dweller is an absorbing metroidvania that thrives on smooth pacing, intuitive combat, memorable enemy design, and approachable exploration. Its straightforward mechanics and more linear structure may leave genre veterans wanting greater depth, but those same qualities help create a consistently engaging sense of flow.

Even in this crushing time of year where indies bear down like an avalanche, I couldn’t stop playing. With no time to play anything, I made time to get every achievement in the game, something I rarely ever do. And I would do it all over again if I could.

Well Dweller is, simply, a fantastic traditional metroidvania, with an incredibly well-designed world supplemented by wonderful storytelling and atmosphere in its perky and upbeat dark fairytale. Every biome in the game is downbeat, desolate or gloomy in some fashion, but the animal characters never feel beaten down by the darkness, instead having a great time despite the human world deteriorating in the background. The contrast of, for example, a merchant wishing he could live the life of a person who drinks out of a golden cup, despite the human skeleton in the background who's sitting at the table being very clearly dead, adds the touch of innocence the story needs. One of the collectibles is story pages from fairly tales, the type that end badly for all concerned, but the birds and rats and frogs are all living their best lives despite the moments of horror going on around them. Granted, it also helps that Glimmer is working his hardest to rescue everyone, and it seems highly unlikely the woodland creatures' stories would have ended anything like as happily otherwise, but a fairy tale hero's job is to wrest a happy ending from the darkest events, no matter what kind of abominations are wandering the spiked platforms of the fallen kingdom.

Like the duo's previous games, Well Dweller is a polished take on the genre that understands what makes Metroidvanias enjoyable without overcomplicating the formula. Fans of the genre should find plenty to like, and the Thompson brothers have once again delivered a strong entry in their growing catalog.

Metroidvanias have had a major impact on the indie gaming sphere and the larger AAA market for years. Plenty of approaches exist for this 2D adventure style. Well Dweller might be the best in a while, though. It's cute despite its gothic tones and hopeful even with its grim aesthetic. Especially for fans of classic exploration-centric gameplay, this might be one of 2026's best sleeper hits.

Well Dweller is a great-looking and charming metroidvania that emphasizes exploration over punishing difficulty. Its combat can become repetitive and the bosses may be too gentle for genre veterans, but Glimmer’s clever matchstick mechanics and smooth movement make getting lost withg this plucky bird surprisingly enjoyable.

Not every metroidvania has to be frustratingly difficult; we need games like Well Dweller that manage to appeal to everyone. It tells a great story through equally great presentation, with a cast of incredibly lovable characters, while making excellent use of metroidvania mechanics.

For those who are already fans of Sheepo, Islets, or Crypt Custodian, Well Dweller is a premier and autumnal treat. For anybody new to the Thompson metroidvania-verse, this is a great place to start – Islets is probably still my favorite, but I think the additional refinement and scope of Well Dweller makes it the most compelling overall package. While so many lesser metroidvanias grope for the buzz-mechanics – parries, difficulty, po-faced seriousness – Well Dweller proves that, if we peel back the pretension and the anxiety of influence, there is nothing quite like pure search action.