Well Dweller
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Well Dweller Trailers
Well Dweller Release Date Trailer
Well Dweller - Official Demo Trailer
Well Dweller: Exclusive First Boss Preview
Critic Reviews for Well Dweller
Well Dweller is a fantastic traditional metroidvania, with incredibly well-designed challenges supplemented by a perky and upbeat dark fairytale.
A charmingly gothic riff on the Metroidvania genre, Well Dweller is a terrific expansion of the genre that has enough unique touches to stand out.
Well Dweller is a must-play for fans of Metroidvania games. If you are like me and tired of digging through all the crap out there to find a great adventure, you can stop here.
With a dark — yet hopeful — fairy tale narrative and excellent level design, Well Dweller might not reinvent Metroidvanias, but it confidently plays the genre’s greatest hits, adding its own engaging spin. It’s so good that even this platformer-challenged gamer had a great time.
Well Dweller's simplistic approach to the metroidvania genre creates a neutral void that the Kyle Thompson adventure ultimately lingers in. On one hand, it's beginner friendly and won't deter gamers not hungry for a Soulslike challenge, while on the other, it's simply not bold enough to break new ground within the genre. Well Dweller remains an enjoyable folk tale romp that, for anyone looking to take a chance on a metroidvania, is safe as houses.
Well Dweller does not wholly transform the Metroidvania genre. It undeniably features a deliciously rendered storybook world with a grim underbelly. However, some basic combat also makes it apparent that there are places where the game could have felt significantly more special. This genre is a hard nut to crack and with so many entrants year after year, it becomes increasingly challenging to differentiate from the pack. But in many ways, Kyle Thompson succeeded. And as this talented solo developer’s journey continues, I’m sure all the lessons learned will deliver something truly different and masterful.
Well Dweller does not need to reinvent the Metroidvania to succeed. Its exploration follows a familiar shape, and a few demanding movement sections could feel better. What stayed with me after finishing was its sense of progression: the next ability made me curious about the map, and the next boss made me eager to put what I had learned to use.
Will you be able to burn down the wicked queen and bring back peace to the land?
