In the world of Metroidvania games, a few things are standard ways to stick out from the pack. A gorgeous art style, particularly one that feels singular, helps a lot. Gameplay that’s both challenging and crescendos throughout the experience is another, and a tricky balance at that, for all the head-splitting parries of Hollow Knight and the puzzles of a game like Ocarina of Time, a lot has to go right for a game in this genre to work well. Well Dweller shows how a game can look as good as it feels while respecting the player’s time and abilities. It’s also one of my favorite Metroidvania games I’ve played in recent memory. Here’s our review of Well Dweller, played on Nintendo Switch.
Well Dweller is a Dark Fairy-Tale Metroidvania Experience Among the Genre’s Best
Inspired by fairy tales and the harrowing journeys protagonists often face, Well Dweller stars Glimmer. Glimmer and his family live in a well where access to food is scarce, so it’s our job to get some grub. You start with a simple task, and iterative accomplishments slowly raise the stakes to a boiling point. What began as food-gathering slowly turns into an enormous task: saving your family from a hunter.
While you may start with just a matchstick, you’ll find the map offers plenty of upgrades to help you on your quest. I do feel like the combat itself hits a wall a bit sooner than you’d want for the story’s progression. That said, I never got bored with what I was doing, nor did it exacerbate any deeper issues with the controls. Any minor dips in inventiveness throughout are instantly mediated by just how wonderful it feels to be in this game.
Something Well Dweller’s developer, Kyle Thompson, excelled at in his other projects like Islets and Crypt Custodian is atmosphere. Metroidvanias often require players to retread their steps and move back through familiar spaces with new abilities to access other improvements and items. Some games do this well by keeping the gameplay fun, and others make it feel like a chore that’s more visually appealing than it is to play. Thankfully, Well Dweller‘s size and progression strike a perfect balance. A huge part of that is the map.
A Winding Map Worth Retreading Doesn’t Need to Feel Tedious
Nobody wants a Metroidvania game to feel linear or too easy to navigate. Part of the fun is the adventure of unlocking new areas and environments to explore. In Well Dweller, you get a good idea of the game’s scope early. Sometimes, that leaves me feeling overwhelmed in these sorts of experiences. Early on, however, I think the game gives you a clear sense of how you’ll progress through these environments. You don’t know what’s ahead, but it does feel palatable. I’ve had games where the map reveals itself, and I swallow hard at the prospect of working up and down its caverns and tunnels. In Well Dweller, the combination of a good story and clear level design helped me feel determined, not exhausted.
Each area you explore has a distinct feel. From the subtle environmental changes to shifting color palettes and enemy types, it’s well designed for the eyes and hands. These sorts of games feel like they live and die by momentum. Make a boss battle too challenging or an area too vast and you’ll start to feel sluggish. Kyle Thompson’s vision for the fairy-tale experience is rewarding and challenging. It works so well because there are no lulls or periods of stagnation. As each new combat element or enhanced ability is introduced, you’re more inclined to see things through. Gameplay stays fun, even through tough boss battles. All of this is mixed with an art style that’s rewarding to soak in as you scan every little detail.
Art Style Rules Everything in a Metroidvania Game, and Well Dweller Soars in its Presentation
It took me a little over 13 hours to play through Well Dweller, and it always felt like I was seeing something new and exciting. As I revisited certain spots to get once-unreachable items or explored new levels, I was always struck by how magical the game looked. The game has a great atmosphere that looks dark and eerie at first glance, but feels much more fantastical as you move through it. Glimmer’s simplistic design, from a little hat to a matchstick that lights his path and fends off enemies, is worthy of a plushie. I also love what each enemy and main boss brings to the table. You don’t necessarily feel like you’ve seen these characters in a game before, nor these spaces, and that’s hard to pull off.
In any Metroidvania, animations tied to the hairpin controls and quick-reaction movements a player must make can really elevate the game. Well Dweller is gorgeous in these high-intensity combat moments. So many incredible games in this genre have become industry legends. I do feel like not quite in the territory of an all-timer with this one, but I could absolutely see myself replaying it each autumn to coincide with the game’s dark, mysterious vibes.
Review Score
4.5/5
As someone who isn’t necessarily fueled by a challenge that irks me, Well Dweller is among the fairest and most rewarding Metroidvanias I’ve played recently. From its gorgeous art style to a main character you root for throughout, this game’s arrival is welcome. Without spoiling anything, I feel like the time you spend in the game is well worth it, and Glimmer’s journey is memorable. If you’re eager to get your hands on something fitting for the upcoming spooky season, this is the place to begin your festivities.
Well Dweller is out today for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and Nintendo Switch.
The publisher provided a digital review copy of Well Dweller for this review.
