Creature in the Well is a top-down hack and slash pinball game...

And its puzzles are a joy to discover and complete. In this game you play as BOT-C, the last unit of a fleet of engineers working to build the machine in the mountain. A terrible sandstorm has blanketed the city of Mirage, and to counter its destruction, scientists and researchers had been constructing a facility with the means to change the weather; but it was not completed. Lurking in the mountain, a monster is responsible for ruining the facility and its systems. Find tools to charge and strike energy orbs, gain energy by powering up barriers and pylons to access new rooms. Find hidden capes to customise your look while activating the dormant sections of the machine.

Gameplay

The gameplay is creative and satisfying, from hitting multiple orbs into a barrier or learning the technique to solve a puzzle. There is a path from the entrance to the boss stage, with intermittent side sections, lore areas, and reward rooms with a bunch of energy to collect. I like how each level has a distinct colour palette while providing a unique gameplay feature, such as switches to hide or show bumpers, filters to direct the ball through, areas which require all bumpers to be activated in a certain time window. The pacing is good, and there are definitely challenging sections but they can be overcome with a new angle of attack, or a tool switch up. The dashing mechanic is important in dodging anomalous energy and beams that can take you out. Sometimes in critical situations when moving my mouse far the in game cursor went off screen which was disruptive. I appreciated the variety of charge tools like the fan blade for health regeneration and dual blades for a laser sight. The folded edge axe was handy to hit multiple barriers in one swing, and the thunder staff looks really awesome (I want one).

Audio Visual

The cartoon style and cool patterned surfaces attracted me to the game. It is just great to look at, and while the walls and floors can look samey, each level has a distinct background objects, and pleasant end rooms where machines are brought to life, and more story can be learned about the world. The camera moves with and about the character which is interesting, and the top-down view allows great visibility most of the time (sometimes the camera pans a little slow or walls block vision). I think the sound design is excellent, and the audio cues help identify what events are happening - such as a pillar that is disrupted. The town is quite empty but I was still attached to the companions and invested into the story which sparks the imagination. The music can range from plodding to energetic, and I like the arcadey feel of activating the barriers to get more energy like a score system.

Pros

• Great visuals
• Fun gameplay
• Nice pacing

Cons

• Some bugs
• Camera a little awkward
• Not much replay value

Conclusion

Creature in the Well is a thoughtful, concise, and artistic hack and slash with a nice story and setting. I score it 8/10.

Information

• Release date: 2019
• Developer: Flight School Studio, MWM Interactive
• Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch