TThe dark mouth of a well has always been a fascinating focal point of human fascination. It is seen as both the source of life-sustaining water and the entrance to dangerous secrets. Our fables are replete with scenes in which curiosity gets the better of crying children, who gaze up into a halo of light that is forever damp and out of reach. Animal Well is an indie game seven years in the making that throws you into one of Twilight’s labyrinths, a complex of caverns constantly dripping and darting with furry, luminescent creatures. The goal is unstated but clear: explore, map, emerge. It’s an instantly engrossing quest.
You play as a shapeless blob, not the most ambitious cipher ever, but what it lacks in limbs and such it makes up for in courage and ingenuity. At first, all you can do is bravely leap between rocks and scaffolding, but over time you’ll gain new tools, gadgets and abilities, gaining access to previously inaccessible passages and tunnels. Bit by bit, the map will fill up as you explore deeper into the cave system.
Dangling lightbulbs swaying in the underground breeze illuminate the surrounding scenery, but you have to look closely at each scene to notice the half-submerged gears, pulleys, and levers that open up the world. Animal Well It’s a game about exploration, with puzzles and secrets, where your ingenuity matches that of the game designers. And when you find the solution, everything falls into place, the world opens up a little, you can dive a little deeper, and that’s when you feel the thrill of it all. Animal Well Excellent.
In an era when major video game companies are focused on developing video games with leisure-time, sport-like features — seasons, passes, endless matches — what a treat to see a game this complex and restrained come along. This is a perfectly crafted contraption with a beginning, middle and end, designed to inspire joy and build culture — thankfully not shareholder value.
Source: www.theguardian.com
