The Fascination of Animal Well

A Video Game Masterpiece! Available on Steam | PS5 | Switch

Jul 31, 2024

Have you played Animal Well? No?

Well, you should! I think that everyone who loves games should give this one a try. Even if you don’t play that many games, this is the kind of one you might want to check out!

Here are a few things I can think of off the top of my head about Animal Well:

A mysterious, open-world pixel-art platformer game with challenging puzzles
Solo-developed by Billy Basso in 7 years (the last two years full-time)
Design, graphics, coding, and engine 100% by one single person
File size is only around 33 MB on PC
Retro pixel-art graphics combined with beautiful and unique visual effects

It’s one of the games I am currently playing on my Steam Deck OLED, and I have already kicked myself in the butt multiple times for having waited so long after its release in May this year.

When you play this short clip from the startscreen, you will already sense the eerie atmosphere in this game:

This is not an extensive review. Instead, I am pointing out the most fascinating facts about the game, why it’s awesome, and interesiting insights from the developer, Billy Basso.

Animal Well is a masterpiece! It brilliantly combines elements of old-school platformers, Metroidvania titles and retro pixel-art with immersive visual effects, innovative gameplay mechanics, incredible sound design, and extremely rewarding puzzle-solving while exploring.

On top of that, the controls are super responsive and everything feels extremely fluid with great physics.

You are a tiny blob… and other animals are much bigger than you! Source: animalwell.net

By the way, it’s a perfect handheld game, so I mainly play it on my Steam Deck. I will write more about my handheld gaming experience soon, so make sure to subscribe:

I would call Animal Well an adventure platformer that draws you in with its tight controls, rewarding experience, and captivating pixel art combined with intriguing visual effects.

The game combines pixel art with modern particle systems and fluid simulations for smoke and water to create a world that feels so dynamic and alive despite its old-school feel.

As you explore the open world of Animal Well as a little blob, you'll encounter puzzles and dangerous enemies that you can't quite fight back against but can only defend. It's up to you to use the tools you collect and your own creativity to pass each test as you wander from one screen to another …

The blend of classic pixel art with advanced effects like dynamic lighting and layered rendering gives Animal Well a unique depth, making every screen of its mysterious world a pleasure to explore.

Example: Early on in the game, you will find a typical example of that old-school pixel art mixed with modern visual effects: A ghost cat drifts across the screen like a slender, floating ghoul, creating a particularly eerie and captivating atmosphere. It's just brilliant.

I Know That I Know That I Don’t Know

The four flames you need to collect. Shown at the beginning.

There is no story, no NPCs explaining stuff to you, no tutorial, and not even tooltips. The only thing you know when you start the game is that you need to collect four flames.

If you've played other famous adventure platformers like Hollow Knight or Ori, you're likely aware that talking to NPCs is seamlessly integrated into these games and forms a key part of the overall experience. However, the lack of NPC interactions in Animal Well perfectly fits its mysterious and spooky atmosphere.

The Unknown: Animal Well offers a unique sense of discovery, and the rewarding feeling is almost overwhelming every time you discover something or solve a puzzle. When exploring a room, I often know there is something I am missing, and I can’t wait to discover it on my own.

Challenging: The puzzles are often more than challenging, and you have to be very creative and think outside the box. But it never feels unfair. In fact, there is usually more than one way to solve a room.

Here is what the developer Billy Baso said about the in-game challenges:

Animal Well is pre-loaded with secrets that may take years to uncover -- giving you a reason to return to it after it's been sitting on your shelf.

Billy Baso says that the challenges in the game exist on four different ‘virtual’ difficulty layers. He explained them once in his blog on PSN. It’s quite intriguing:

The First Layer

Billy Basso explains that the first layer of Animal Well is the base game, which includes all the necessary areas required to see the ending. He describes this layer as a very rewarding experience on its own, estimating that it will take most players about 10-15 hours to complete without any hints.

This layer focuses on exploring the core content and solving puzzles that showcase the game's beautiful pixel art and intricate mechanics, providing players with a satisfying journey from start to finish.

The Second Layer

Basso explains that the second layer introduces optional items and areas for dedicated players who wish to "100%" the game. This layer challenges players to uncover hidden secrets and solve additional puzzles, often requiring more exploration and a keen eye for detail.

Basso expects that many players will be able to complete this layer, though they might occasionally search online for a hint or two, as it pushes beyond the base game to offer a deeper and more rewarding experience for completionists.

The Third Layer

The third layer of Animal Well is where things start to get truly challenging, according to Basso. He explains that this layer includes far more obscure puzzles whose existence may remain unknown to most players.

Basso anticipates that the internet community will need to collaborate to solve these puzzles, or they might not be solved at all, adding an element of mystery and intrigue that encourages players to think outside the box and work together to uncover hidden truths within the game.

The Fourth Layer

Finally, Basso describes the fourth layer as the ultimate secret, containing puzzles and mysteries that only he knows. He sees this layer as a challenge to the internet, daring players to discover everything he has hidden within the game.

Basso has promised to make an announcement confirming his defeat if and when this final layer is uncovered, which adds an exciting layer of competition and curiosity to the gaming experience, pushing the boundaries of what players can achieve.

AMA on reddit

There was an AMA on Reddit where Billy Basso expressed surprise at how quickly players began uncovering the secrets of the fourth layer in Animal Well. He was impressed by the community's creativity and collaboration in solving these puzzles, some of which he thought would remain undiscovered for much longer.

While a few mysteries still remain unsolved, Basso acknowledged the players' determination and noted that they have already begun to scratch the surface of this challenging layer.

Interviews With Billy Basso

The following two video interviews are worth watching. I also summarized the most fascinating aspects of his background and career.

Education Background: Billy Basso completed his Bachelor's degree in Film/Video and Photographic Arts at Columbia College Chicago from September 2007 to May 2011. After developing an interest in game development, he pursued a Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science with a Multimedia Concentration at DePaul University, graduating in 2014. This combination of film and computer science education gave him a unique perspective on game design and development, influencing the creative and technical aspects of Animal Well.
Self-Taught Programming: While studying film, Basso already took a self-directed approach to learning programming languages such as C++ and Python, diving into game development as a hobby.
Industry Experience: After graduating, Billy Basso worked at NetherRealm (Mortal Kombat) Studios and other companies, where he contributed to various game projects, gaining experience in professional game development.
Solo Developer for Animal Well: Armed with his educational background and industry experience, Basso embarked on the journey of developing Animal Well as a solo project. He spent the first years creating the game as a hobby project, building a custom game engine. One of his goals was to achieve a distinct blend of pixel art with advanced graphical effects. Finally, he quit his job at a studio to work full-time on this project for the last two years before release.
Development Philosophy: Billy Basso’s approach to game development is characterized by a meticulous focus on layering depth and mystery within the gameplay. He aims to create an experience where players can explore and uncover secrets at their own pace, rewarding curiosity and engagement beyond the surface level of the game.