In 2018, during a girl’s night, the writer and her best friend decided to create a Neopets account for the first time since middle school. They split custody of their pets and turned to YouTube to watch someone play Neopets while they waited for their dinner. This led to the writer’s introduction to a creator called videogamedunkey, whom she has enjoyed since.
Six years later, Dunkey is now working with an indie publisher called Bigmode, which has exceeded expectations. The writer expected something lighthearted and silly from Bigmode, but their game “Animal Well” turned out to be different than expected. The game had a strong impact on the writer, even though she did not prioritize it at first due to her dislike for the genre.
The unexpected popularity of the game led to her boss asking her to write guides for it. She was initially surprised by the lack of combat in the game, but soon found herself engaged in its unconventional gameplay. The writer encountered a moment in the game that made her truly “get” it, despite not traditionally enjoying the genre.
Though “Animal Well” may not have made her a fan of Metroidvania games, it has led her to reconsider her dislike for the genre. Overall, the writer’s experience with “Animal Well” has been unexpected and transformative, showing her a different side of video games that she wasn’t previously open to exploring.
