Summary
Made by Shared Memory,Animal Wellis an unusual search action or ‘Metroidvania’ game. There’s no gothic heroism like inCastlevania, or sci-fi drama likeMetroid. In fact, there’s not much of a story at all. Not in text anyway. Players simply take their blob through labyrinthine levels, learning more as they progress, gain new abilities, and find new animals…if they don’t find the blob first.
It’s an intriguing game, with few others that resemble it. Nonetheless, it’ll be a while before an ‘Animal Well 2’ or the like turns up. IfCastlevania: Symphony of the NightandSuper Metroidaren’t quite scratching the itch for newAnimal Wellfans, they may enjoythese great,Well-esque Metroidvania games.
Ever wondered what would happen if someone combined a Metroidvania witha Soulsborne game? Where players can explore new areas with each new ability or powerup they got, then get punished for it if they’re not careful? That’s what Kumi Souls Games was going for when they madeThe Last Faith. Its hero, Eryk, is in a race against time to recover his missing memories before he loses his mind and conscience altogether.
But to do that, he must explore the gothic ruins of Mythringal for clues, and defend himself against its host of ghouls and monsters. It leans more on the combat side of things, offering multiple melee weapons and firearms. However, its oppressive horror atmosphere will be a perfect fit for fans who likedAnimal Well’s eerie charm.
6Pikuniku
Metascore: 76
WhileAnimal Wellsticks to gameplay to tell its story,Pikunikuhas a busy plot by comparison. After being mistaken for a monster, Piku is imprisoned by the local villagers. To earn his freedom, he must fix the bridge he accidentally broke. Once free, he’s able to explore the world, and take on the sinister Mr Sunshineand his robots.
The game isn’t the strictest example of a Metroidvania, as there are only a few sections where the player needs a later powerup or skill to access them. But it’s a neat, cutesy puzzle-platformer where players will have to think outside the box to progress. It even comes with a 2-player co-op mode where Piku and Niku both use their stretchy shapeshifting to reach new sections together.
LikeAnimal Well,Semblanceplaces players in the role of a squishy, little blob. Their world has been infected with a green blight that makes the land hard and rigid instead of soft and pliable. The only way to stop it is to collect enough pink orbs to neutralize the threat. It’s a surreal premise, but it ties in well with the gameplay, as players use their stretching and squishing abilities to get through levels.
They can warp some of the levels to create extra ledges or dips to get around obstacles, and float over death pits and spikes. It’s more of a puzzle-platformer than a Metroidvania, as players must plot their courses through the levels with care. But like a Metroidvania game, they can explore the blob’s world in any order they like. Any form of progress is fine if the player is still getting those orbs.
Bombservice has been makingMomodoragames since 2010. Luckily,Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlightis a prequel, so players won’t miss out on much if they start with this one. Set 400 years before the original game, players control the priestess Kaho as she tries to rid the kingdom of Karst from a curse that’s been spreading across the land.
The game combines 2D-style platforming with combat, as Kaho can fight enemies up-close with a leaf, or from a distance with a bow. If her deft dodging and jumping can’t get through an area, she can find and use different items to help get the job done instead. That, and learn new spells that can help take the edge off fighting the tricky bosses.
If players thoughtThe Last FaithandMomodorawere plot-heavy compared toAnimal Well, they haven’t checked outAxiom Verge. Directly inspired byMetroid, its story involves mysterious alien races, interdimensional travel, identity issues, cloning, and more. But likeAnimal Well, it starts off simply, as scientist Trace Eschenbrenner wakes up after an accident and finds himself on an alien planet.
To find out what happened to him, he has to explore his surroundings. At first, he only has a few abilities. But as he explores the planet of Sudra, he can find up to 60 new items and powerups to help him against its less friendly lifeforms and obstacles. It’s not as testing asLa-Mulana, though it offersa trickier time thanPikuniku, and sights as freaky if not freakier thanAnimal Well’s twisted fauna.
2La-Mulana
Metascore: 87 (Wii), 78 (Switch)
La-Mulanatrades the blobby protagonist for a moreIndiana Jones-inspired figure, but is still about exploring vast, maze-like levels in any way the player likes. Provided they can handle the difficulty. The game is a tribute to old-school MSX games likeMaze of Galious, and it goes beyond the deliberately low-res pixel graphics.
The original devs, GR3 Project, felt hard games weren’t as commonplace on its original release as they were in the 8-bit days. So,La-Mulanawas made to be more testing, and to make players think twice before leaping into deep pits or ominous-looking areas. Especially as there are few health pickups in the tombs. If players want a challenge,La-Mulanawill be right up their alley.
Animal Welltakes familiar animals like deer, cats, kangaroos, etc., and makes them spooky and potentially threatening. So, fans might feel right at home withHollow Knightand its animal-themed NPCs. They’ll offer items, advice, and lore as the titular Knight explores the subterranean ruins of Hallownest, a kingdom destroyed by a mysterious illness.
It’s more plot-heavy thanAnimal Well, though its gameplay is a real treat. The better the player gets at melee combat, the more Soul they’ll earn to cast magic. By using both well, they canexplore more of Hallownest, and find items that’ll give the Knight more abilities like double-jumping and dash attacks. It’s one of the most acclaimed Metroidvanias around, making it a must-play for any fan who hasn’t checked it out yet.
