5 Reasons Why Animal Well is a Masterpiece
Вставка
- Опубліковано 14 чер 2024
- Exploring the game design of Animal Well, the first game published by @BIGMODE. I provide not one, not two, but FIVE reasons why this game slaps like a truck.
@videogamedunkey knows what's good.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
1:26 Reason 1
4:52 Reason 2
7:24 Reason 3
10:43 Reason 4
13:36 Reason 5
18:38 Closing thoughts
#animalwell #gamedesign #metroidvania
Calling the aesthetic of this game bioluminescent nails it.
I actually never learned you can blow a bubble under the character; I just stood on a bubble, and waited for it to go down on its own; I didn't even try ducking to make it fall faster. At the same time, the bubble infinite jump was one of the first things I learned. The game has so much expressiveness that I missed something you would consider an essential tool, while still beating the game in my own way
Yeah somebody else mentioned that as well, I see now it is indeed possible to clear that room without the downwards-bubble! For me I just didn't have the patience to shoot the bubble up and ride it back down because those octopuses in the background can slap you around if you're too slow. Either way, you have options haha
@@mrsnulch I had no idea there even was a downwards bubble
"players will be discovering secrets for years"
Bloody hell did the collective gaming community get fired up about that taunt!
2 weeks after release, and the player community got to the super secret layer 4 of the game. Talking about dedication to solve the mysteries of the game, and how well (no pun intended) they were presented in it. Saw an interview where Besso said he was shocked to learn just how fast gamers had unraveled most the secrets, and that he expected them to take much longer to be discovered. Good thing tho there seem to be more mysteries to be found, and there might still be a 5th layer nobody had accessed yet.
The aesthetics - the beautiful pixel art with modern touches like the particle effects, the warm neon colours, the CRT scan lines, the retro sound effects which complements the spooky but cute atmosphere.
I forgot to mention the CRT scan lines, damn! They are such a cool touch, really make the game feel unique.
Thought this was from a much larger youtuber due to the sheer quality of it and had a double take. Glad this popped up in reccomended, and to be your 10th sub
Wow thanks so much, I really appreciate that. And thanks for the sub! I'm actually surprised UA-cam put my first video out there at all. I have more stuff in the works :)
@@mrsnulch I had the same reaction as Oden here, was genuinely floored by the fact that you didn't have more subs, and I'm glad to be your 22nd :)
Great cadence, structure, and editing. All around a great vid
@@RomanianSwede Thank you, I wasn't sure if my cadence was good because I listened to it for too long on the editing floor haha. Glad to hear it flows well, and I appreciate the sub!
@@mrsnulch that's what happens when you work on something for a long time. You start picking up on the microscopic flaws that no one else notices; you start picking up flaws that aren't even there.
Bro genuinely when I lit my 7th candle and a bat appeared and roared I actually felt fear for the first time in about 6 months. Same with the kangaroo appearances
Lmao same, but was some enjoyable screaming
I want to say kudos for being what seems like the only reviewer to praise and focus on the main game and not act like the post game secrets are the only things that make it worthwhile.
Love the twin peaks connection. I thought the music sounded similar too
Yeah, there's no way that was an accident
DUDE. Awesome video. I had no idea I was watching a small channel until I looked in the comments. I'll be here for the next one for sure.
Thank you, I appreciate that!! The next one is in progress 👌
It's so good when games have easy to pick up mechanics BUT tons of depth to those mechanics if you want to master them
You are so underrated. This review went hard.
Thanks so much, this is my first vid and I wasn't sure how it would be received, so that means a lot right now haha. I'll make more 100%
Lovely Animal Well video, and a great PSA for Future game designers in any genre. Im commenting a comment so it helps boost your channel. Only 108 subs is criminal for satisfying content like this. I havent animated online for 7 years and still somehow have 5x your subcount, which is just wrong.
Thanks so much Jeremy, I appreciate that and sub'd you back! This is actually my first video, I wasn't expecting anyone to see it but that's how I got those 100 subs. So I better hurry up releasing the next one 😂
The 'strangely unsettling animal' thing is something I don't think I have seen before, at least not in this way. It's hit on a original sort of surrealism.
This is a fire review. It provides the satisfaction that I think all reviewers should aim for, where your dormant thoughts while experiencing a work of art are realised verbally with such precise articulation that you can’t help but sit and go “That’s exactly what I was thinking/feeling - I wish I could’ve put it that well!”
I’d love to see more videos from this channel in a style akin to this one.
Thank so much - that's just what I was going for! Putting those thoughts into words took some time lol. I have more game reviews/analysis on the docket 👍
6:58
Animal Well rests within the "Metroidbrainia" subgenre of Metroidvania. Your knowledge of the world influences how you approach the game, which is the major difference. It's a lot like Outer Wilds basically.
Somehow I have went my whole life without hearing that term, and you're right that is exactly what it is lol. Very good point. I see some major similarities between the post-game world puzzles and Outer Wilds. Which is another basher, I'll have a video on that game as well (eventually).
@@mrsnulchMay I interest you in Void Stranger, probably the best to do it since last year? It’s a puzzle game. How much of the game is a puzzle game grows larger the more you see and do.
Great term. I agree, it stands on its own merits and shouldn't just get lumped in with the Metroidvania genre. It's like when games that aren't Soulslike get called Soulslikes just because there's a death loss mechanic and a bit of difficulty
Shoutout Outer Wilds btw. A top 5 all timer for me personally for sure
@@lancesmith8298 I've never heard of that game but it actually looks awesome and I will definitely buy it on Steam and get around to it. I have a bit of a backlog of games I need to play and videos I need to make, but I WILL get to that at some point, it looks unreal. Thanks for the reco!
having a great time with this game , glad to see another dunkey fan make a banger video ab it
Can’t believe you do t have thousands of subscribers! Great video !
this is an amazingly done video, i love animal well and it's good to see it get the love it deserves :)
Twin peaks mentioned? You're the goat
Ever since I played FEZ years ago, I've been waiting for a game with puzzles that were even half as engaging. Animal Well was everything I wanted in a puzzle game and more. Hats off to the developer for bringing this masterpiece to life
This debut video is like the debut game in its title - a masterpiece. Keep ‘em coming 👏
Thanks so much, that's high praise, much appreciated! I'll see if I can top it with the next one, coming soon 😁
Bro this is such a very high quality video for a small channel. Better than IGN for sure.
The floor is lava and cats stuff was peak for me. Like damn. Next level puzzles in a game that you wouldn't have expected to even have them.
15:20 I beat every (up to 3rd layer) puzzle without ever learning that downward bubble throwing was a thing. Bloody hell that would have made so many things easier! Imagine doing FIL without having to deal with screen changes every jump!
Gotta agree with the other commenters, very surprised at the super high quality summary of how great this game is when looking at subscriber count. You’ve done a great job describing many aspects of the game, +1 subscriber and will be going through your past videos, would like to see how you break down other favorite games!
Thank you for the sub and feedback! I'll break the bad news that this is currently my only video lol, but I have plenty of breakdowns coming through the pipeline 👍
man, what an insanely good review
Subscribed and turned notifications on cause this video left me wanting to hear more about what you've got in store. Great introduction to both the game and the channel, keep it up!
Thank you so much, I appreciate you! I don't exactly have a "roll out" schedule, but I shouldn't keep ya waiting too long - got more videos planned 😜
It is indeed a masterpiece and one of the best games I played the last years.... And the most amazing thing is that most of the those games came from small team or even a single developer (Tunic, Chained Echoes, Signalis, Hollow Knight)
Great video, incredible game. Billy is awesome, these are the moments we love to see. I can’t think of the last game i played that i couldn’t wait to dive back in to explore more of!
If you hadn’t figured it out yet, the sound that he talks about at the end of the video plays every time an hour of game time passes. It’s a reference to… something at the end of the game (won’t spoil)
Sick review
this is such a high quality review, i am glad that this game is beginning to catch more attention from the public. keep it upppppp
This video helped me figure out a looot of little things I was missing in my play through, especially since it’s the first vid on Animal Well I’ve watched since I’ve started playing it. Also the fact you only have two videos is so baffling to me- like please don’t stop doing this your style and comedic beats are dope
Awesome video, man!
Great video! Keep it up
Damn really good first video bro
This is a great review a lot higher quality than I thought especially for an only 100 sub channel bro will grow.
I'm almost done with the game and I didn't know that you could shoot the bubble straight down haha
Haha no way. I'm guessing you got out of that room by shooting a bubble upwards then riding it back down. Billy Basso man, he gives us so much freedom and love.
I figured out the bubble jump technique in the room at 15:21 and didn't learn the bubble fall until much later as I jumped up to the ledge on the right instead of going the way you're "supposed" to. I didn't even notice the whale fan until when I revisited that room later
great video, ez sub!
I found the Bubble Wand from the left side
You convinced me, bought it this morning. My seven year old and I had a nice hour play just exploring around, hopefully it will distract him for a while from his attempt to 112% hollow knight.
Loved it. Great quality and definitely interested in checking the game out!
what a great video, very good job
Beat the game without realizing either of the bubble tricks!!! That’s nuts!
Dude says "if you've gotten the disc you should be fine with the spoilers in this video", proceeds to do just fine for 17 of the 19 minutes of it and then slaps you with like 100 of them in the last 2 minutes. smh!
Other than that, cool video, liked and subscribed!
100% completing the game? Good job on finishing layer 2... time to start working on layer 3! And that's not even the deepest you will go... The game is truly glorious...
In Dunkey's own words, MASTAPIECE!
Haha exactly! I was gonna spell it like that in the title, but was worried it wouldn’t be as good for the algorithm 😂
First of all, great review man. You’ve earned a sub. Secondly, that sound in the background has been driving me nuts and I’m not seeing anyone talk about it! Yours is the first video to even mention it. What is it?!??!?
I believe I've (mostly) figured it out, but I won't say nothin'! It became more clear after beating the game and getting to that sweet post game.
Praise the algorithm! This was great, see you next time in my sub feed 👌
I know right? I really wasn't expecting the algo to show my first video to anybody, but I'm not complaining 😅. I appreciate the sub and have more videos coming!
haha we'll all be able to say "I knew him when"
DUDE thank you! I have no idea how to "grow" or whatever, but I will continue to make videos and see where she goes haha.
that the animals might be bound by a shadowy figure, and yet we destroy the lights and bring them to the middle, ALSO inviting the darkness, thos purple faces that hurt. they appear after each flame is removed it seems
Crazy? I was crazy once, they locked me in a Metroidvania, a hard Metroidvania, a hard Metroidvania where I am stuck in a body with no where to go but fight all bosses and complete the game until I lost all that progress and had to start over... What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, and it makes me crazy...
great video, leaving a sub 😎🤙
Hey dude. Great video! :)
I expecting that game and you totally got me hyped.
It was a pity when I realised it's your debut video and couldn't see more. Sub & waiting... :)
I really appreciate that - yes this is my first video, but I will totally be releasing more. Too many opinions to keep trapped in my brain!
Twin Peaks is great, thank you for bringing that up. Like this game, David Lynch makes you think. His movies are riddles. Mulholland Drive is my fav.
N.. No videos? OKAY, I'm in. Subscribed
Thank you, you rock! There will be more 🤙
FOR THE 1000th TIME !
IT IS NOT A CAT GHOST !!!!!!
LOL WHY DOES EVERYBODY THINK THAT????!! GOD.
What is it then?
@@joalcogui It's a dog bro, I know shocking right?!?? The area theme is dog, dog enemies, dog statues, everything dog. Why would someone think the area bos is a .... CAT ??? LMAO what an absolute uneducated brain-dead take.
If you look closely the dog ghost even has its tongue out, dogs do that, not cats. Some dog breeds have pointy ears, and it is supposed to look creepy and demonic. Also if you check the statue where you deposit the flames, the body is obviously a dog's body, not a cat.
just letting yall kno that the bubble wand trick becomes arbitrary by using one of the post game items!! hint hint its hidden in the last rooms of the final boss... hehehehe
Oh yeah, I know the one haha. I kept my review centred on the first half of the game just to be safe, but that item really does shake things up going into the post-game, which is awesome.
i also think that this game couldve explored more quirks and tricks with the items, cuz most of them serve one purpose which is to press buttons for you
i think the way they demonstrait the infinite bubble feature is great
while a lot of other games would give you a tutorial on how to do it, a good game doesnt just let you figure it out yourself, but insists on giving you the TOOLS to figure it out yourself
a great example of this is in the game ultrakill, theres a cool trick you can do where you shoot a bomb out of your shotgun, then shoot that bomb with the pistol to make it explode early, but now that you know that, you think "okay what if i shoot that bomb with a different gun?" and you try that and it makes a massive explosion
i think striking a balance in mechanic education to the player is very important, because you WANT the player to find these things, but you dont want them to be told how to do these thing, and while leaving something purely up to your imagination to find can work sometimes, giving the player the (mental) tools to find them on there own can be just as rewarding, but more consistant
countdown to mossbag breakdown
15:46 well actually... (spoilers)
You technically shouldnt be able to do it with the base version. I mean, you can of course, but the intended design is for the upgraded version that lets you have infinite bubbles. Very clever game design, given it was probably something people figured out how to do while playtesting and he was like "not only will I design levels for that, but ill make an upgrade so people can do that easier."
learning the portal song was so satisfying. its not crazy hard or anything, but it is instant. so good. zelda could learn from billy. jk fuck zelda, billy for life
I know, it's awesome. Basso 43v3r 🧡
100% agree!
If I had to give this game *one* criticism its the.... (spoilers of course)
Spinning top item. Ok I swear the amount of eggs and secrets I would have never found without a guide is 99% these freaken slightly spiking ground tiles. Sometimes it doesnt even have that indication. I genuinely think that in a metroidvania these types of things should be like *somewhat* obvious. Even though the blacklight can give you indicators, what am I gonna scroll the whole map with the blacklight out? Also not every time. Even if we ganted this blacklight solution, it should be baked into breakable ground, not just on ocasional walls. I also think the kangaroo blocks should have been just a little more saturated, or at least gave some indication of their existence in the kangaroo room so you know what to look for.
But these are minor nitpicks for what is an overall fantastic game.
what a banger of a first video
this is a great video :)
Great Review
But you know by now what the 'random' owl sounds represent?
Spoiler:
They play right as you start the game and then every full hour. That's it, yet still i was so happy once i made that connection and saw it confirmed once i had the stopwatch
17:38 this sound also bugged me a lot at first! But then after quite some time I figured it out what this sound was
Spoiler (not that important to gameplay or lore anyways)
This sound plays when you get another hour into gameplay, this probably means something deeper but I can't really figure it out what it is, and it's another factor to why I love this game
That's right! After beating the game you find that cuckoo clock in the basement, so I'm probably going to stand next to the clock and wait for that sound, as I assume that it comes out of the clock to mark each hour? Something like that.
my god! 13:51 lol I spit my drink
saw that coming and still laughed out loud
Hahaha YES I'm so glad that got you both. I decided to throw it in while editing and I won't lie, I was cackling to myself a bit
Wtf, I learned the bubble jump and felt like a genius. And only now I learn that you can shoot them downwards 😢
Do you have a second channel or something? This was really good, thoroughly enjoyed it
Thank you! I don't unfortunately, but I do have more videos coming soon 😁
@@mrsnulch I just ask cause out of the gate the quality matches other UA-camrs I like to watch that have been at it for a while, again, well done, really good content :)
There are flaws in this game that make it so that it doesn't reach its highest potential, but it is a good game.
I agree, I would have liked to add a final section that goes over some of the downsides of the game to cover all the bases. I will keep that in mind for future reviews 👍
Gotta agree, while the game was great I felt it was a little weaker when to similar games (Tunic or Void Stranger as examples) at the end game.
I reached a point towards the end of layer 2 where I began just kinda wishing the game would end already which I didn't really experience in its contemporaries and it was mainly due to the tedium in scouring the map to find something different with the UV or for details I wasn't paying attention to before due to not knowing future mechanics (breakables, hints, etc...).
To such an extent that I think the UV light is my least favourite tool in the game basically being a 'backtrack for the puzzle' but with the potential for any area in the game to be the puzzle area effectively asking you to recheck every room. Which gets all the more annoying when many rooms don't have hints and some hints are for puzzles you've already solved.
Normally when this is done in a game the game takes great effort to make features stand out so that you know where to go to minimize the tedium and maximise the effect on the player. But in animal well it almost feels like the devs are trying to make the player not notice and need to check every room. With how UV hints can be on any innocuous background piece or how the floors the spinning top can breakable's don't look out of place if you don't know it can do that. On that note why give us a map and then later seperately give us the ability to mark places on the map, Its not like there were any extra barriers to the two so why not just give them both together? It would prevent situations like mine where I explored a different way at first came back much later at first wishing there was a means to mark information and then cursing the fact there was a way but I would have to eventually go back and mark points of interest.
Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh for what's ultimately a smaller portion of the game compared to standard gameplay but as I see it that was likely the reason I finished the game on a bit of a sour note, leaving a bad taste of what was overall a good experience.
Early game: examples of great game design
Late game: examples of bad game design
Overall still very solid, but the end of layer 2 and all of layer 3 is so tedious that it's literally better to skip them with a guide.
well i just got into it and yes it has been testing my gamer abilities for sure!! part of it is annoying but that gut gamer feeling of " i can almost reach that place just need to time it right" hits with this game 😅😅 im playing this right after playing another challenging game called "another crabs treasure" but that one was challenging in a different way this game is more puzzle mind game type.
there is a minor thing i dont fully like, that is the 16 bit style because some times the background and characters dont seem to mesh well or i randomly feel like my i dont know where i am after going to another area. Minor thing probably but because that gamer side of wanting to fully know if i missed a area or if there is even another hidden area etc etc.
Great stuff!
..::: Now do Tunic ::...
Good call! I haven't played Tunic yet and have a few other video ideas in the pipeline (which may or may not include Zelda), but I will get to that one for sure.
Ive filled out so much of the map, have over 20 eggs, but still cant reach the flames! 💀
Sweet video mate, got some nice jokes on you!
Also: no Unity/Unreal or other bloated third party engines, but a self coded game engine -> only a few MB file.
That's a huge point I'm kicking myself for forgetting to mention. Self-coded game engine is part of the reason I compared it to Cave Story at the start, and one of the main reasons why I love the game. It shows the dev really knows what they're doing and is willing to put in that extra work to make the game their own.
I’d actually like to hear your opinion after you’ve 100%ed the game. While the dev claims that people will discover things for years, it took secret searchers (and data miners…) 5 days after launch to seemingly find everything this game has to offer. And some parts of it are… less than praiseworthy once you get to that point.
Ah interesting, I didn't know it was fully decrypted. I haven't solved all the post-game puzzles so I can't get back to you on this just yet. I'm really enjoying them but I do agree that after beating the base game, it could become a bit of a puzzle slog for those who aren't into that kind of thing and lacks clear direction. It may have been better design to incorporate those puzzles into the core game as bonuses to power you up for the finale and prevent it from becoming aimless. But I haven't solved them all yet and don't know what the rewards are, so can't get into this yet lol - perhaps will address in future vid.
Nicolas Jaar - BBC Radio 1 DJ set - thank me later
grahhhhh its not a cat ghost its a dog 😡😡😡😡😡
lol
Im not sure the dog example is the best one, if you pay attention it’s smaller and more tubular like a dashchund, which I’m pretty sure were bred to chase critters in holes like it did to you
Ahh interesting, good point. I feel like most people would never catch that though lol. If you were able to notice that, then first of all holy shit good eye, and that also speaks to Reason #5!
@@mrsnulch I’ve thought on it more and I’ve changed my mind on the matter. While it’s clear it looks different it’s true the game led you to believe holes are safe from creatures bigger than you. I actually thought it was a weasel when I first saw it, which does the same thing so that might color my perception, but the fact that you could reasonably come to the conclusion I did is more of a mark of good game design in my opinion
@@corrymuth2997 Exactly, I think it's cool that he makes it look subtly different from the other dogs so it's possible to catch that it might be suspicious if you're paying attention, but not guaranteed.
Why is mastAHpiece misspelt in the title?
17:44 can someone tell me what this sound means???!!!???
Let’s just say it’s a… cuckoo clock
@@mrsnulch is that it? I kinda had a hunch that it meant a boss had moved or something
@josephnichols7419 it's also a hint for a question you'll have when you find the clock. It's trying to tell you something.
@@gloom_slug wdym?
Whats the Game at 7:10?
Hahah I say the name of the game as I show the clip. It's called Lone Survivor. Pretty cool game.
How did you play with scanlines 😂 I had to turn that shit off immediately
Bro makes a direct counter argument to my video 😜
Amazed to see you on my feed after getting your comment! Keep up the good work
@@sheanstanks Hahah yep, I saw your video after releasing mine, liked and subbed of course! You do make very good points and I will concede that the game does have its flaws, and unless you're really into puzzle solving it definitely falls off in the second half.
Keep it up with yours as well!
You definitely hit all the best points of animal well 100%
Btws I didn't find out what the ding dong sound was until I beat the base game and listened to the OST. Things will become a lot clearer 😜
@@sheanstanks Yeah, I think I've just about figured that out!
hmm i know why and when it happens, but i can’t figure out why or what it hints at!
its not a cat its a wolf
10:51 Game?
Olija. Amazing indie game. Highly recommend, especially if you like Spain and Japan.
@@mrsnulch Thank you so much
Imo it can get boring and frustrating, especially with the eggs and the bunnies.
Yeah it's not a perfect game and not for everyone, I could have maybe added a section on the flaws of the game at the end to be more thorough. I'll keep that in mind for future analyses.
03:13
Section is FILLED with dogs
You literally have a frisbee in your hand
The ghost sounds like a dog
You called it a cat
10/10
You mentioned everything except for the fact that the thing looks like a cat
Excellent review. Some advice from avid game content content watcher, feel free to ignore it.
At 13:50, that whole joke about not lying breaks the flow of the video and sort of feels like a reference to something I don't care about. Do you usually lie or are accused of it? Or what does it have to do with anything?. It could probably be funnier if it was shorter.
Anyway, great video, subbed, just my 2 cents.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback! TBH I had no subscribers and didn't think anyone would see this video, so I was sort of horsing around. I will always have some weird humour in my videos but agreed that I should avoid breaking the pace of the analysis. And thank you for the sub!!
You said something along the lines of 'spoiler alert until you find the disc' but i found that within like 2 mins and you not only dropped like 2 unseen encounters for me but broke down mechanics i didnt fully understand. Im only 2 hrs in watched countless other videos, and they found substance well without reeking of spoilers :p
bless
i think the game is great but overpriced
like by putting it at 25 bucks you're saying this game is worth more than celeste, or worth more than hades, a game with tons of artists and voice actors
Couldn't get into this game at all. Started it and the art style immediately put me off but I tried pushing through anyway. Wandered around aimlessly, stumbled unto the dog that chases you through the small tunnel and obviously got killed because I didn't know this would happen. Got sent back about 30 minutes as punishment and decided then and there to uninstall the game. I don't have the time to deal with "haha, funny surprise, now go back half an hour and repeat at least one weirdly difficult platforming challenge along the way.". This game is FAR from a masterpiece. Just awful design and a complete disregard for the player experience
Great review but disappointed that when you talk about the excitement of discovering a new use for an item, you say what that use is which robs the viewer of that same joy.
Good point and thanks for the feedback, it's tough to fully avoid those kinds of spoilers when they're a part of the game that impressed me and I want to discuss. Maybe I can beef up the spoiler warning a bit for future vids, encourage people to fully beat the game before watching the analysis. Cheers!
@@mrsnulch thanks for hearing the feedback and great review!
You can tell someone is an ultra normie is when they use the adjective "masterpiece".
Ever since I played FEZ years ago, I've been waiting for a game with puzzles that were even half as engaging. Animal Well was everything I wanted in a puzzle game and more. Hats off to the developer for bringing this masterpiece to life
Yeah he's a genius! I was boycotting FEZ back in the day because I heard the developer was a total A-hole. But now I accept that I have to check it out, it just looks too good 😌