CREATURE IN THE WELL review - High fly ball
(Reviewed by Melody Werner)
Creature in the Well is a 2019 pinball-inspired dungeon crawler developed by Flight School Studio. It was released on PC, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch on September 6. I played this on Xbox One via the Game Pass, so my experiences are reflected by that. I first heard of this game while researching promising upcoming games several months prior to launch, which I do so I can feature them for my ongoing NoteworthyVideoGames project. It looked spectacular, and was one game from hundreds that I was particularly anticipating for its unique mix of genres and striking aesthetic. And so, with it having released I jumped on it relatively quickly, and was pleased with just how it came out.
The most immediately apparent point of kudos for CitW is its sensational art style (that reminds of the legendary Moebius) and color pallette. These two visual elements make the apocalyptic wasteland of this world come to life. But I could go on about all the interesting things about this, such as the neat architecture and world design (though I wish the healing pools were more easy to intuit as such). Or the character design, which is sparse but at its finest with the main antagonist. The main character's design is kinda generic, but at least it contrasts nicely with damaging pinballs, drones, and explosives, so that you know what will harm you. Animation is also rare for the same reasons that character design is not abundant (there are really only four characters you see in the flesh and rust, two of whom friendly NPC's, and only one I spoke to regularly), but is a stronger point in the game's favor with the main character boasting some slick animation. Camera-wise, while it can at times be jarring or lead to people misjudging where exactly you can walk, the camera in this is pretty great with its fixed perspective for dungeon rooms and cinematic shots (yeah, sorry about dropping "cinematic" in a video game review) when in between these rooms. The music is generally quite ambient, often fading into the background, but ramps up during boss fights with these great synths. The sound effects are much more noticeable across the board, with weighty impact. During the intro cutscene, I felt that it could've used some sound--even bad voice acting to communicate to the player that the game hasn't bugged out and muted itself. But the game is pretty much absent of any sort of VO, with all dialogue being in text.
The world of Creature in the Well is interesting to explore, with hints of lore cropping up here and there. But I don't think I would have nearly as great a fondness for the writing were it not for the fantastic implementation of the titular Creature, who wisely serves as the game's only real antagonist. As you run from room to room, you will sometimes just see its eyes flicker in the shadows; a constant reminder that you are at its mercy. If it swooped in, it could toss you around like a tin can. And yet, Creature in the Well is such an uplifting game tonally; as you overcome the Creature and its trials, restoring power to the mountain, there is an immense feeling of satisfaction and bringing light into all that is dark. Great stuff. That main friendly NPC I mentioned before is the game's primary source of humor and has a new string of dialogue each time you finish a set of dungeons. Not gonna say these jokes are gut-busters, but I chuckled once or twice. It's a charming character. What's a missed opportunity comes as you first explore the town outside the mountain. A family inside (who I assume are the same one from the intro narration) hide, whispering to each other as you pass by, to stay silent as they can hear "it" is outside. At first I was wowed by this, thinking that this was a sign that you were a frightening figure--but upon thinking on it more, they definitely just think you're the Creature. Also, their dialogue doesn't seem to change.
But let's get to the point I know you came here for, now that I got your ass all nice and buttered up: the gameplay. I know the twee, trite stance to take would be one of "This shouldn't work," but it should because it's crafted specifically to work. And since the devs are evidently talented, it works. Not rocket science. The core gameplay loop of CitW is one that sees players working through puzzles where you must use pinballs to gain electricity and neutralize threats. This electricity is then used to power doors, and since I always found myself having excess energy, I felt at liberty to skip rooms I found frustrating, which is nice. The game features a robust, tightly designed single-player experience that has long been taken for granted, with five dungeons and a variety of gear to acquire for those who complete optional rooms that open up secrets. This is the kind of experience sorely missing in the AAA sphere right now with the deluge of slapped together open world sandboxes and half-baked, cannibalizing live services. Great to see a polished indie filling that gap. Where the game is simultaneously at its most thrilling and tedious is with the boss fights against the Creature. On the one hand, these show the game's greatest strengths and force you to think tactically as you face a gauntlet of everything you have heretofore encountered in that dungeon, but ratcheted up. Each time I failed, I felt like I either figured out some new strategy to employ or new mindset to try on. On the other, these are gauntlets and feel way too long. It feels like there should be checkpoints. But, god, what annoys me most is how long it takes to get back into a boss fight after dying. You have to go from one end of the town into the dungeon, heal up, and then go through the portal back to the boss (which is a nice touch and a piece of elegant design). And when you just want to get back into things, this wait quickly grows tiresome after your first death. Something to trim this down time would have been much appreciated.
Creature in the Well is a terrific and satisfying dungeon crawler. Titles like this that offer such tight, extensive experiences reminding us that those are possible and can be better than what they were in past generations of gaming are what keep me from tolerating the industry's bullshit. Well, other than my general contempt for worker exploitation and such, but I digress. While I have yet to finish CitW, I believe I have spent enough time with it to deliver developed thoughts and that my opinion of it will not change so substantially past this. Maybe it will and I'll need to update this review accordingly. But until then, Creature in the Well gets a 9/10.
Awesome
Summary:
A fresh, kickass dungeon crawler with satisfying, thoughtful gameplay and a phenomenal aesthetic. Highly recommended.
Creature in the Well is a 2019 pinball-inspired dungeon crawler developed by Flight School Studio. It was released on PC, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch on September 6. I played this on Xbox One via the Game Pass, so my experiences are reflected by that. I first heard of this game while researching promising upcoming games several months prior to launch, which I do so I can feature them for my ongoing NoteworthyVideoGames project. It looked spectacular, and was one game from hundreds that I was particularly anticipating for its unique mix of genres and striking aesthetic. And so, with it having released I jumped on it relatively quickly, and was pleased with just how it came out.
The most immediately apparent point of kudos for CitW is its sensational art style (that reminds of the legendary Moebius) and color pallette. These two visual elements make the apocalyptic wasteland of this world come to life. But I could go on about all the interesting things about this, such as the neat architecture and world design (though I wish the healing pools were more easy to intuit as such). Or the character design, which is sparse but at its finest with the main antagonist. The main character's design is kinda generic, but at least it contrasts nicely with damaging pinballs, drones, and explosives, so that you know what will harm you. Animation is also rare for the same reasons that character design is not abundant (there are really only four characters you see in the flesh and rust, two of whom friendly NPC's, and only one I spoke to regularly), but is a stronger point in the game's favor with the main character boasting some slick animation. Camera-wise, while it can at times be jarring or lead to people misjudging where exactly you can walk, the camera in this is pretty great with its fixed perspective for dungeon rooms and cinematic shots (yeah, sorry about dropping "cinematic" in a video game review) when in between these rooms. The music is generally quite ambient, often fading into the background, but ramps up during boss fights with these great synths. The sound effects are much more noticeable across the board, with weighty impact. During the intro cutscene, I felt that it could've used some sound--even bad voice acting to communicate to the player that the game hasn't bugged out and muted itself. But the game is pretty much absent of any sort of VO, with all dialogue being in text.
The world of Creature in the Well is interesting to explore, with hints of lore cropping up here and there. But I don't think I would have nearly as great a fondness for the writing were it not for the fantastic implementation of the titular Creature, who wisely serves as the game's only real antagonist. As you run from room to room, you will sometimes just see its eyes flicker in the shadows; a constant reminder that you are at its mercy. If it swooped in, it could toss you around like a tin can. And yet, Creature in the Well is such an uplifting game tonally; as you overcome the Creature and its trials, restoring power to the mountain, there is an immense feeling of satisfaction and bringing light into all that is dark. Great stuff. That main friendly NPC I mentioned before is the game's primary source of humor and has a new string of dialogue each time you finish a set of dungeons. Not gonna say these jokes are gut-busters, but I chuckled once or twice. It's a charming character. What's a missed opportunity comes as you first explore the town outside the mountain. A family inside (who I assume are the same one from the intro narration) hide, whispering to each other as you pass by, to stay silent as they can hear "it" is outside. At first I was wowed by this, thinking that this was a sign that you were a frightening figure--but upon thinking on it more, they definitely just think you're the Creature. Also, their dialogue doesn't seem to change.
But let's get to the point I know you came here for, now that I got your ass all nice and buttered up: the gameplay. I know the twee, trite stance to take would be one of "This shouldn't work," but it should because it's crafted specifically to work. And since the devs are evidently talented, it works. Not rocket science. The core gameplay loop of CitW is one that sees players working through puzzles where you must use pinballs to gain electricity and neutralize threats. This electricity is then used to power doors, and since I always found myself having excess energy, I felt at liberty to skip rooms I found frustrating, which is nice. The game features a robust, tightly designed single-player experience that has long been taken for granted, with five dungeons and a variety of gear to acquire for those who complete optional rooms that open up secrets. This is the kind of experience sorely missing in the AAA sphere right now with the deluge of slapped together open world sandboxes and half-baked, cannibalizing live services. Great to see a polished indie filling that gap. Where the game is simultaneously at its most thrilling and tedious is with the boss fights against the Creature. On the one hand, these show the game's greatest strengths and force you to think tactically as you face a gauntlet of everything you have heretofore encountered in that dungeon, but ratcheted up. Each time I failed, I felt like I either figured out some new strategy to employ or new mindset to try on. On the other, these are gauntlets and feel way too long. It feels like there should be checkpoints. But, god, what annoys me most is how long it takes to get back into a boss fight after dying. You have to go from one end of the town into the dungeon, heal up, and then go through the portal back to the boss (which is a nice touch and a piece of elegant design). And when you just want to get back into things, this wait quickly grows tiresome after your first death. Something to trim this down time would have been much appreciated.
Creature in the Well is a terrific and satisfying dungeon crawler. Titles like this that offer such tight, extensive experiences reminding us that those are possible and can be better than what they were in past generations of gaming are what keep me from tolerating the industry's bullshit. Well, other than my general contempt for worker exploitation and such, but I digress. While I have yet to finish CitW, I believe I have spent enough time with it to deliver developed thoughts and that my opinion of it will not change so substantially past this. Maybe it will and I'll need to update this review accordingly. But until then, Creature in the Well gets a 9/10.
Awesome
Summary:
A fresh, kickass dungeon crawler with satisfying, thoughtful gameplay and a phenomenal aesthetic. Highly recommended.
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