Downwell
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Downwell
Don't let appearances deceive you - Downwell's retro chic aesthetic is the wrapper for an incredibly deep, satisfying game.
The action is entertaining, but the incentive to complete run after run isn't there
Challenging, accessible and engaging. Downwell is a focused action-platformer done well.
Downwell is a fantastic arcade game from the '80s transplanted into a modern-day computer. The pixely art style and minimal color palette reinforce its influences but the animation and number of different moving parts on screen at once are nothing 80s hardware would have been able to keep up with. The interlocking gameplay elements are far smarter than they look at first glance, teaching you how to play and get better while also not being shy about killing you dead.
This is an excellent port of a game that feels like it's found a natural home on Switch thanks to a plethora of control options and the console's natural facility with vertical orientation. Short of popping your 4K TV on its side, Switch offers the very best way to play Downwell. Its roguelike structure and twitch platforming might not be for everyone, but you should really give it a chance. For our money, it's a modern classic that should be in everyone's collection.
These are the kind of things you learn as you delve deeper and deeper into Downwell's four worlds (three levels each) and they are presented intelligently. For example, the first spat of blood red enemies that you shouldn't be jumping on all have spikes, video game shorthand for danger. Later ones won't warn you so nicely. And of course there's trial and error, too, like touching a hot stove, for those who don't get it.
Please do yourself a favor and buy now Downwell, on PC or on iOs, wherever it suits you. This masterpiece has a thing that most of modern AAA games lack: pure fun. A wonderful shoot'em up and a love letter to the genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Downwell truly feels like a classic NES game both in aesthetics and in difficulty, which paired with incredibly addictive gameplay makes the under $5 Downwell at least worth giving a try.
