It took Billy Basso seven years to make Animal Well, the dense, dark Metroidvania game that crashed onto Steam’s top-seller chart earlier this month amid a flurry of player hype. The game is a labyrinth exercise where players wander a world inhabited by sometimes friendly, sometimes not-friendly creatures as a small, very able blob. It’s emblematic of what’s possible with indie games—a breed that could be on the brink of extinction.
Animal Well is light on instruction. Part of the game is figuring out how to play. It all but requires players to interact in Discord or Reddit communities when their puzzle-solving dead-ends. Although you can finish the game relatively quickly on your own, Animal Well’s real magic is in the post-credits game, which contains challenges that players must work together to solve. It is, in a word, charming.
Also, incredibly unique. Part of Animal Well’s appeal lies in the fact that it’s an indie game that feels born of the internet. It was published by Bigmode, a company founded by YouTuber Jason Gastrow (better known online as Dunkey) and its Steam success—it landed at number nine when it was released the week of May 7—came on the heels of excellent social media word-of-mouth. It felt like a secret, until it wasn’t.
Critics who initially hated the game found themselves converted once they managed to beat it. Fans got Animal Well manicures and made art; journalists announced documentaries on its development. Players post comments on Reddit claiming they “just couldn’t let go,” even after “beating” the game. It’s been widely hailed as one of the best games of 2024 in a year with strong contenders like Balatro, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Helldivers 2.
Courtesy of Shared Memory
Animal Well also comes at a turbulent time for the game industry. Outfits like Gastrow’s and developers like Basso are getting hit hard. Every month this year has included new headline-making layoffs at big game companies, while smaller studios without the name recognition have faded away quietly or gone on some kind of “hiatus.”
Even indies that have been acquired by major publishers are struggling. Two days before Animal Well’s release, Microsoft announced it would shutter several studios, including Tango Gameworks, best known for the beloved Hi-Fi Rush.
Animal Well has started its life as something of an endangered species. Perhaps that’s why efforts to protect the game and its secrets feel so urgent. It is, unfortunately, impossible to talk about what makes its post-game so good without ruining it, and every other post on its subreddit seems to be diligently marked with a spoiler tag as a result. Even as new gamers discover it, they’re implored to participate, and keep mum.
Sure, this is a lot to hoist onto one title. Hades II’s early-access release, for example, generated as much, if not more, excitement. But coming at a rough time for scrappy upstarts, its success—universal acclaim and a time as a top seller—looks like survival of the fittest.
