The top-down, pinball-inspired hack-and-slash dungeon crawler Creature in the Well will release later this summer. It will be made available to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One devices, and is included in Xbox Game Pass on Windows 10 PC and Xbox One.
Players control the last remaining BOT-C unit tasked to “unlock the power of an ancient facility and face the ominous, all-seeing Creature.” According to the game information provided by its developers, the players assume that they are the last remaining BOT-C unit, who must venture deep into a desert mountain in order to restore power to an ancient facility. As luck would have it, this mountain just happens to be haunted by a desperate Creature. Quests include uncovering powerful gear and upgrading items to save the city of Mirage from a deadly sandstorm.
The unique pinball-inspired game’s key features include:
- Pinball with swords
- Charge up energy orbs, then bounce and ricochet them to reactivate dormant machinery and stop the sandstorm.
- Defeat the Creature
- Escape the many challenges set by the Creature and confront it in intricate, skillful battles.
- Dungeon-crawler
- Delve deeper into the mountain as you unlock eight hand-crafted dungeons, each filled with unique gameplay themes, unlockables, and secrets to uncover.
- Over 20 unique items
- Customize your play style with upgradeable weapons and clothing that change how you play the game.
As posted on the game's official website, Dominic Tarason of Rock, Paper, Shotgun revealed that what caught his attention was the look of the game. He went on to say that the “hard, clear shading on the environment allows [the developers] to pull off tricks like the well itself being a void of absolute blackness, punctuated only by the hands and glowing eyes of the titular Creature.”
Meanwhile Zachary Ryan of IGN commented that what intrigued him was the way the game made use of branching paths and puzzles. For players who solve the puzzle, they are rewarded with access to upgrades or even a new weapon. Ryan said that Creature in the Well is “super compelling and encouraged me to see puzzles through more than once.”
The intuitive and exciting game, which is a creative re-imagination of an arcade classic, is available for pre-order at Nintendo eShop and on Steam. While the game is currently limited to the Switch and PC, more platforms are expected to follow after Creature in the Well releases.
