The Metroidvanias have become a beloved genre paying homage to the design and mechanics that made Metroid the hit that it is. Side-scrolling, platforming, exploration, and punishing combat are all apart of what makes this genre addicting for those who love it. Kyle Thompson’s Well Dweller is looking to add its own mark on this beloved genre. I believe it does so in a unique way that also feels perfect for spooky season.

Well Dwelling

Players enter a land where birds are hunted down and stripped of their feathers for the Queen’s royal gown. Those who seek to survive do so by hiding, much like our protagonist and his family. Underground, in a well, we find the adorable Glimmer, his mother, and his little siblings. Running low on food, the mother bird elects Glimmer to go above ground and find resources. She also sends his siblings, some of which are still sporting their shells as odd clothing. It becomes clear later that while sending Glimmer out on this quest was necessary, his mother also just really wanted some quiet time.

Glimmer’s first quest is to steal some berries from a local hunter’s shack. This initial adventure also sets players up to experience the tone of the gameplay to come. The map is massive and slowly unlocks as you traverse the winding halls and levels. Players get their first taste of combat with Glimmer’s matchstick, including the premier boss in the game. This is The Groundskeeper, a massive spider-like enemy with gardening tools for legs, who seeks to keep you from within the shack. Glimmer finds a plate of food inside after dispatching the oversized spider and all seems well. But as Glimmer leaves you see the hunter’s silhouette in the background. Apparently, Glimmer was not as stealthy as believed. The hunter follows him home and abducts his family, Glimmer barely escaping with his life. He is now alone, scared, and in desperate need of rescuing his family before they too become apart of the Queen’s dress.

Wondrous Worldbuilding

The art style for this game is breathtaking. The dark fairy-tale vibes exist throughout the game from the smallest details to the boss battles. Each level has its own theme that echoes across enemy types, color palette choices, and general setting. Kyle Thompson, the mind behind Well Dweller stated in an interview that Well Dweller heavily pulls inspiration from classic fairy tales. While playing, I could see that inspiration quite clearly. The juxtaposition of cute and quirky alongside the dark and dangerous makes for an interesting setting. Despite the game being a side-scroller, even the backgrounds are meticulously crafted to create atmosphere and story. Sometimes events in the background provide foreshadowing of what’s to come.

The music and audio design is just as intentional. The music has this whimsical air while something dark is happening on screen. Instead of creating something discordant in their differences, the two moods come together to harmonize beautifully. Even more interesting was finding out that the man behind the music is none other than Kyle’s brother, Eric. Well Dweller is not a game that fights to understand what it wants to be. Despite being a game that calls to mind such Metroidvania giants as Hollow Knight, Well Dweller stands on its own with graphics and audio design blossoming into a beautiful addition to the genre.

Traversals and Trinkets

Staying true to the usual mechanics of Metroidvania games, exploration is a well-rewarded requirement. Traversing spaces at first can be a little frustrating. Players can clearly see items and enemies on ledges that are inaccessible. Later skills and environmental additions allow players to return and venture into paths previously unknown. Whether a new skill or a boost found organically, the traversal mechanics are quite fun. Controls are incredibly responsive and if I missed a jump, it wasn’t because of a lagging button press or missed input. It was, unfortunately, because I had made a mistake.

Glimmer has varying skills acquired throughout the game. For example, players come across a new friend who teaches them how to throw fire bombs. Later, he learns who to use his trusty matchstick as a springboard to reach ledges inaccessible prior. These skills often come after traversing large sections of the map, which means doubling back. I did not find this an issue as the new spaces now available were well worth the backtracking. Collectibles and trinkets were often waiting, and the spaces were new enough to not feel monotonous. I normally do not enjoy retracing my steps. Here the traversal mechanics are so enjoyable that I didn’t mind.

Speaking of trinkets, these little items help build out Glimmer’s arsenal. He has access through both a shopkeeper that takes up residence in his tent as well as finding them across the map. These trinkets often look like everyday items such as a bent fork, a bottle cap, or a thimble. Each provides some sort of skill or bonus to Glimmer. They also have their own costs in how many slots they take to equip. Additional trinket slots are available for purchase, but it creates a decision player must make for how to “build” Glimmer. These trinkets are interchangeable at the tent, a checkpoint of sorts that allows the player to save and heals Glimmer.

Verdict

Well Dweller is a great game to enjoy this fall and a clever addition to the Metroidvania genre. The traversal and movement mechanics make exploration and even backtracking an enjoyable affair. Glimmer is an adorable protagonist with fun skills and abilities to employ. The world and sounds are beautiful and aid in telling the story, and selectable difficulty scaling allows players to control their experience, tailoring this adventure to the mood of the player. Admittedly, I got lost in the massive map several times. But being lost didn’t feel as punishing as other games in the genre. Combat felt fair and bosses, while challenging, didn’t feel inordinately difficult for the sake of it. I played on Switch 2 and whether in handheld or docked, I experienced no issues in graphics or gameplay.

Jamie’s Score: 8/10

Well Dweller releases September 22 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.