• A Genre is Born
During the Playstation One era, a remarkable surge of creativity seemed to flood the video games market, resulting in some of the most memorable experiences ever to grace the medium. New technology gave way to new ways to play and developers the world over rushed to create innovative, non-traditional gaming titles. The likes of Parapa the Rapper, I.Q.: Intelligent Qube, Vib Ribbon, Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, Devil Dice, Vagrant Story, Deception, and countless others, captured the minds and hearts of gamers whom had grown up alongside the simple bits of the NES and longed for something truly different. Flight School Studio’s Creature in the Well acts like a time travel device back to that age, where developers dared to experiment and create games that were unlike anything the masses had played before. Creature in the Well offers one of the most original experiences in recent memory, and it is one that belongs in every gamer’s library.
One word you can use to describe Creature in the Well would be ‘minimalist’. As the last remaining BOT-C unit, you venture deep into a desert mountain to restore power to an ancient facility. The facility, however, is haunted by the looming shadow of the creature – a massive, all-seeing entity that lurks in darkness and will stop at nothing to prevent you from fulfilling your task. The narrative set-up isn’t anything we haven’t seen before; the plot description reads like *insert most RPG titles*. But while the driving force behind BOT-C’s expedition into the deserted depths of a powerless facility may sound familiar, the means by which he executes his mission is how Creature in the Well begins to show off its originality.
• A Pinball Wizard
Creature in the Well is a self-described ‘pinball-inspired hack & slash’. Similar to a game of pinball, the goal here is to lay smack on a ball – in this case a glowing orb of electrical energy – and aim it at the power points (bumpers) to generate energy which can be used as a type of currency to open locked doors and further explore the facility. In terms of control, you can hold the Y-button to make use of your charging blade, a weapon that holds the energy ball in place and allows you to more accurately line up your next shot. The X-Button is assigned to your secondary weapon, which ranges from a wooden spoon, a baseball bat, and even a mighty axe. This weapon is what propels the energy ball forward, and you will use it to continuously whack the ball as it frantically bounces around the room and ricochets off the walls and power points. Each room sort of acts like a mini-puzzle of sorts. While some are as simple as harvesting enough enough currency off of the power points to unlock a door, the game inevitably tosses in a few gimmicks to keep your focus laser sharp. Aside from turrets which shoot projectiles at you, floor panels which heat up and burn through your fragile metal exoskeleton like liquid hot magma, and power points with built-in bombs and an incredibly devastating blast radius, expect to encounter bumpers with countdown timers. In these instances you will either have to hit a series of power points in succession before each individual timer reaches zero, or you must clear a bulk of power points within an allotted time. Failure to do so will reset the puzzle and brings you back to square one. Overall it leads to a fun yet frenetic gameplay experience which doesn’t skimp on the challenge.
Keeping track of multiple bouncing balls in the room can get a bit insane over time, especially when you are trying to avoid incoming projectiles and slow moving mines all while you are racing against the clock to complete a puzzle. It’s especially worse when your starting weapons are a flimsy sword and a beaten-up baseball bat who’s days of playing on a field are long behind it. Fortunately, Creature in the Well offers rewards to those who fully explore each of the factory’s dungeons. Each map is fairly linear with branching paths that are calling out to be examined. Doing so will often lead to a particularly tricky puzzle room which will open a hidden door upon completion. These ‘secret paths’ as the game likes to call them, often lead to invaluable weapon upgrades which change up how your BOT-C handles his balls (yes, I’m 36 years old, and no, I don’t care how childish that sounds). Whether the reward is a blade that gives you an actual laser pointer so you can aim your balls with incredible accuracy, or a battle axe which splits a ball into multiple balls, going off the beaten path is highly encouraged. Not to mention the fact that these hidden rooms may also house discarded robot cores, which can you turn into the local blacksmith and use them to further upgrade yourself. And trust me, you are going to need every advantage you can get your robot arms on if you expect to conquer the creature.
At the end of each dungeon, the creature will emerge and try to discourage you from carrying out your mission. It’s one-sided banter starts off rather benign but as you progress through each of the game’s dungeons and restore power to a certain part of the facility, it will no longer be able to mask its aggression and your encounters with the creature will become far less pleasant. Instead of traditional boss battles where you would expect to fight the creature head-on, you are instead challenged to a series of puzzles that will put your reflexes to the test. These are some of the most difficult scenarios the game has to offer so don’t expect any sympathy. At times the creature will throw every trick it has at you and you are just going to have to keep your cool, stay vigilant, and handle your balls like your life depended on it. And hey, at least the game looks and sounds incredible every step of the way.
• Hellish Inspirations
Creature in the Well not only stands out with its twist on the traditional dungeon-crawler formula, it’s also a visual splendor and a joy to listen to. There is a surprising sense of direction at play here, as the camera moves and shifts into cinematic positions to highlight the tension during certain moments. The soundtrack is equally moving as a minimalist tunes underscore the sand-covered world you occupy. Most impressive however, is the game’s art style. Deeply inspired by Mike Mignola, iconic illustrator of the Hellboy comics, Creature in the Well has a sort of graffiti-like aesthetic, where thick, black lines and vibrant color palettes play off each other in such a way that is simply awe-inspiring. I only wish there was more of it to appreciate.
For as excellent a game as it is, Creature in the Well is over before you even have a chance to really say goodbye. I’m sure I was tricking myself into thinking that I had just barely scratched the surface as a quickly approached what turned out to be the game’s final sequence. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, and I had indeed reached the end of this magical, gem of an indie game. While the impression it left won’t long be forgotten, I just wish there was a bit more to it. I was able to finish the game with a 100% completion rate at around the 4-hour mark. And for the $14.99 asking price, its brevity might dissuade some.
• Electrifying
All in all, Creature in the Well remains a dazzling experience, that will light up your life in more ways than one. It’s fast-paced gameplay and breathtaking design make for an unforgettable journey. Get this game now; you will absolutely love the balls off of it. And keep your eye on developer Flight School Studio – something tells me they are going places.
