Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 89 | 84 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 98 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 84 | 274 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 90 | 82 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 25,294 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 233 reviews sampled · 218 total reviews in window · weighted 183.2 up / 8.3 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (65)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 100
- 90
“A fantastic metroidvania that will be remembered for a very long time due to its originality and the amount of mystery it contains.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Animal Well isn’t some grand adventure or sweeping artistic statement. It’s just a boatload of tiny interconnected puzzles, woven together to form an almost unimaginably intricate web.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Developer Shared Memory's stated goal is "to craft complete experiences that will be playable long after the world loses its internet connection," and screen after screen, Animal Well excels in delighting your eyes and giving your brain something to stew on. It's a riposte against a culture of post-launch updates in favour of a meticulously crafted, singular vision with potentially years' worth of discoveries baked in. By all indications, Animal Well delivers on that long-term promise and does so with a one-of-a-kind elegance.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Animal Well makes a damn good first impression with its awesomely-crafted pixel art, moody aesthetics, and ambient sound work. And within hours while you're playing and even after finishing the game (6 to 8 hours tops), you won't forget a sight like Animal Well.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Animal Well surprised me around every turn. What I expected to be yet another Metroidvania quickly became one of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve had in recent years. Its a game that you’ll get out of it as much as you put in. If you want to see credits and be done, you’ll have a great time. However, if you want to see how deep the well truly goes, you’ll be embarking on a journey you may not have been prepared for. I assure you, the twists and turns and conundrums you will come across are well worth your time.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“It’s easy to describe Animal Well as a puzzle-focused Metroidvania eschewing traditional combat, where nearly every room is a puzzle room, but that falls so far short of describing just what this game is and how expertly it defies genre and classification that it feels like a disservice. Animal Well is a paragon of the art form, a game that simply must be experienced.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Animal Well is an extremely rewarding game, if you're willing to lose yourself in it. The sort of mysteries it's hiding go well beyond finding collectibles, giving you a rich and detailed world to unpack. If you have the patience and the curiosity, it's absolutely worth plumbing its depths.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Even though it drops a few balls while juggling all these mechanics together, such as the boss battles. Still, ANIMAL WELL is a brilliantly put together game that I'd highly recommend to anyone who wants to get lost in a small but intricately designed game. I am quite convinced that both designers and players will be delving down deeper into this well over the coming years.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“If you like your games challenging, weird, beautiful, and a little unsettling, ANIMAL WELL should be on your must-play list.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“The game might initially seem like a combat-free Metroidvania or an extension of indie platformers. However, its deep game design becomes more attractive when played. Where puzzles stimulate curiosity, the curiosity initially becomes the key to solving it. While the game's graphics also act as a hint, and the sound effects blend seamlessly into the gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If the idea of being plopped in a foreign place that is ominous with no explanation and residents that may or may not want you there sounds appealing, Animal Well will prove an interesting trip.”
read full review ↗
Stryftek
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Kakuchopurei
The Indie Informer
Too Much Gaming
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Nintendojo
INVEN
Siliconera…and 53 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Minor change to input handlingOct 22, 2024
- More minor fixesJun 14, 2024
- More small fixes and adjustmentsJun 5, 2024
- Some small fixes and adjustmentsJun 3, 2024
- Lowered SSE4.1 requirement for CPU to SSE3May 28, 2024
- Added Controller Speaker ToggleMay 27, 2024
- Small FixesMay 27, 2024
- Some more small fixesMay 23, 2024
- Fixed startup crashMay 21, 2024
- More fixes!!!May 20, 2024
- More Fixes!!May 14, 2024
- More Fixes!May 13, 2024
- More fixesMay 13, 2024
- A few small fixesMay 10, 2024
- Fixed potential softlockMay 9, 2024