The joy of getting lost in Animal Well’s cryptic world
Talk to someone who is fully immersed in the indie game Animal Well, and you’re bound to hear some strange things. They might get excited about a new way to use a Frisbee or be frustrated about playing music for a caged cat. They’ll probably chat your ear off about the dozens of different-colored eggs they’ve collected, and all of the ones that seem just out of reach. Mostly, though, what they’re saying will sound like gibberish. That’s because the world of Animal Well is so odd and cryptic it almost requires its own language to discuss — but once you speak it, it’s hard to think about anything else.
Animal Well is the first release from solo developer Billy Basso, and it’s probably best described as a Metroidvania. You play as a little...