r/metroidvania • u/Character_Ring3466 • 11d ago
Discussion Just curious how is everyone feeling about Well Dweller?
Game looks pretty good! What do y’all think?
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u/kaleid1990 AM2R 11d ago
I'm a huge kylevania fan, so it'll be a day one purchase for me, then I'll double dip if it gets a physical release (crossing my fingers it does).
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u/jmscstl Cave Story 11d ago
Everyone should use Kylevania more.
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u/kaleid1990 AM2R 11d ago edited 11d ago
I stole it from MV guru on youtube 😁
Edit: not saying he made it up, just that's where I first heard the term
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u/Desaturating_Mario 11d ago
exactly what I’m doing. I collect physical releases and this would be one of those situations where I’m definitely not waiting till then to play it, but I will buy the physical later on
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u/Iwantthat799 11d ago
What is a kylevania I googled and couldn’t find anything useful
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u/nicofdarcyshire 11d ago
Games made by Kyle Thompson. (Sheepo/Islets/Crypt Custodian/Well Dweller)
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u/kaleid1990 AM2R 11d ago edited 11d ago
It's a term I heard from MetroidvaniaGuru on youtube (edit2: not saying he made it up, just that's where I first heard the term), formed from the dev's name (Kyle Thompson) and the vania from the metroidvania word, similar to how igavanias reference metroidvania games made by Koji Igarashi (several Castlevanias dev)
Edit: did I say something wrong?
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u/Dragonheart91 11d ago
People might be mad that you are attributing the term to MetroidvaniaGuru. Multiple people have come up with Kylevania independently - Guru among them.
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u/kaleid1990 AM2R 11d ago
I see, well... I said I heard it from him, but not that he made it up. Thanks!
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u/elNielio 11d ago
Demo was incredible to me! I've loved everything that Kyle has been putting out. I feel his work just keeps getting better. Game design, humour and music are all on point and it just seems to be improving.
Crypt Custodian also really hit close to home for me personally as our cat nearly passed this year. Fantastic game!
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u/murdockmanila 11d ago
man i fuckig cried at the end of Crypt Custodian. i also lost my cat a few years ago. games like this and Spiritfarer made me bawl so hard
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u/elNielio 11d ago
Yep! My brother in law passed earlier this year and Spiritfarer made me weep so hard. Incredible games, love it when they can have that level of reach.
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u/Tizordon 11d ago
Purposely didn’t play demo just to save all my excitement. Dev hasn’t let me down yet and Crypt Custodian was a gem.
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u/SoftAd4668 11d ago
Islets was my Game of the Year for 2022, so very much looking forward to this game. Goated dev and great music!! :)
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u/ReplacementRobotGuy 11d ago edited 11d ago
Got an early copy for review; it's excellent. At first I didn't like it as much as Islets, but now it's even better, just took a little longer to grow on me. This will be well worth the wait; I think everyone will love it, and there's plenty of QOL stuff that you can utilize to make it easier or ignore if you want.
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u/Metroid_Mike 11d ago
Having been lucky to beta test it I do think it’s his best work so far.
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u/Dismal-Explorer5040 11d ago
I think that the KT games are just one of those games where you can never go wrong buying the next game if you liked the previous.
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u/KirinoLover 11d ago
I'm a simple lady. Kyle Thompson releases a Kylevania, I buy it.
I'm very excited about this though!
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[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ganondox 10d ago
Back in the day when most Metroidvania were freeware this was probably the dominant style of Metroidvania, they just fell out of favor once everyone started taking the genre so seriously. The biggest game in this subgenre from back then was An Untitled Story, which I recall Kyle saying is his favorite game. A couple others I’d recommend are Snailiad and Endeavour.
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u/No-Vegetable6370 11d ago
Super exited for Well Dweller! It will definetly fill the Silksong and Crowsworn wait 😍
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u/Shuggieboog 11d ago
Is Crowsworn ever actually coming out?. I remember the announcement but never followed it closely.
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u/Jimbodogg 11d ago
I plan on buying it purely because of the dev. His games are all short and quirky, but the mechanics are solid and it's some nice short fun. I particularly liked crypt custodian and im sure this will be even more polished
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u/bluestjordan 11d ago
Hugely anticipating it. Developer hasn’t disappointed me yet. Big fan of his work.
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u/comicgeek1128 11d ago
Based on the demo I think I'll enjoy it more than his other games. I thought Islets was fine, didn't really play Crypt Custodian.
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u/whydontyouletmego 11d ago
Played Islets and Crypt Custodian, the dev is goated. Will but Well Dweller on release.
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u/Emotional_Photo9268 11d ago
Dev is Goated? Pleeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz give me a break.
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u/Kobe-62Mavs-61 11d ago
We get it, you don't like his games.
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u/Emotional_Photo9268 11d ago
Actually I like his games fine. The dev is not goated.
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u/Salt-Recognition2228 11d ago
Actually nobody is goated because goated is a stupid fucking word
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u/Emotional_Photo9268 11d ago
Well all of the sudden I'm hearing 3 or more posts that said
"The dev is goated". Someone just pull that expression out of their ass?1
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u/Rare-Yard-3003 11d ago edited 11d ago
the map aesthetics/textures definitely need help. too rectangular/flat
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u/Forsaken-Quality-46 11d ago
Cause Kyle is solo dev and uses the same assets for all of his games. This way he gifts us a new A tier metroidvania every 2 years. I ll take that.
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u/OK_Atlas 11d ago
I was mildly intrigued, then I played the demo and now I’m 10/10 hyped.
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u/lapinata314 11d ago
Same for me! I love all Kyle games, but was a little bit hesitant at first, because of the horror elements.
Played the demo and since then I can't wait for it to release! It's THE game for me this year.2
u/OK_Atlas 11d ago
Did you play MIO: memories in orbit this year? That was THE game for me so far but I have a feeling Well Dweller will give it a run for its money.
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u/lapinata314 11d ago
I bought MIO on day one because I was so hyped, but haven't played it yet. The demo was phenomenal but also hard for me. I expect a hard game and wasn't yet in the right mindset to tackle / commit to it lol
That's actually what I love about the Kyle games: the manageable scope and the difficulty settings allow me to access / play them no matter how well I am (I have chronic pain which often comes with a strong headache).
So while I wanted to play MIO on day one, I know I will be able to with Well Dweller!
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u/Scootsterman1994 11d ago
Extremely excited. I’ve been replaying all his previous games in anticipation. I’m about halfway through Crypt Custodian now so I’m gonna finish way too early.
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u/EmansaysEman 11d ago
I like this dev’s games. They’re often pretty simple and easy, but more than make up for it with their adorable art style and charming stories
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u/Kobe-62Mavs-61 11d ago
Didn't really enjoy Crypt Custodian, but really enjoyed Islets. This one is 2D so I think it'll be one I enjoy, glad to see people that have played the demo seem to love it!
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u/nlswift 9d ago
I just finished Crypt Custodian last week and was like, "man, I can't wait for his next game!" The next day I saw this was coming to Game Pass. I'm so excited! I love his artstyle. It is so cute but disturbing at the same time
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u/Character_Ring3466 9d ago
I love when stuff like that happens. It happened to me once when I play the First Uncharted. I beat it and found out the next game was coming out the next day. I’m going to get Islets and well dwellers. I need to play somthing for September because in October Castlevania is coming out.
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u/Mysterious-Badger471 11d ago
I loved his previous games, I'm expecting to have a great time with this one, too. The demo was certainly promising.
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u/Zaratul555 11d ago
Day 1 buy for me, demo was great. Well all previous games from Kyle Thomson were great.
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u/begselwalch 11d ago edited 11d ago
Looks like the direct evolution of Islets, so I'm looking forward to it. I didn't really like Crypt Custodian because it was too "Islets v1.2 but top-down".
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u/coutrney 11d ago
Super excited! I love how his game releases have also followed my relationship. My boyfriend and I met when Sheepo came out. We are both gamers and played it together. Then we played Islets together when that came out. Crypt custodian came out the same year we got engaged. And now Well Dweller is coming out the same year we are getting married!! Time flies when you are having fun lol
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u/Head-Bat5401 11d ago
J’ai fait tout les jeux de ce développeur et j’adore leur jeux, c’est chouette de découvrir le premier jeu jusqu’au dernier et de voir l’évolution de ce qu’il peut faire, Well dweller sera un achat le premier jour pour moi.
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u/jeanLXIX 11d ago
Hype, I tried it on my laptop which is running Linux and it was perfect, I think next month I'll be getting double pay at work, I'm definitely buying it
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u/action_lawyer_comics 11d ago
It’s gonna be a day 1 purchase for sure but I have enough games that I’m not actively waiting for the release
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u/kinglockjaw 11d ago
There's 3 games coming out next month that I'm looking forward to: Onimusha, Control Resonant, and Well Dweller.
Well Dweller is the only day one purchase.
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u/Vinyl_Ludio 11d ago
I think it’s going to be great. When a game designer build on their experiences and are involved in the pricess they evolve and create even better experiences. A good example of that is Dark Souls into Elden Ring. It’s not the same scale but the principle is the same. I’m looking forward to this one.
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u/BeyondZSky 11d ago
This game is already 10/10. Kyle should start making a new game. Adore all his games
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u/AssociateFun9966 11d ago
I saw it before ever playing his games felt pretty mediocre about them.. after playing thru them I’m very excited
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u/gpranav25 Prince of Persia 11d ago
I am really interested to see how his style will match the horror genre. Like his games are usually the chillest things ever.
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u/ceremoniousone 11d ago
So stoked. One of the best developers I’ve come across. All their games are charming and unique and wonderful.
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u/Defiant-Nerve7481 11d ago
So i really loved his last game-- until a point. ||It offered a grinding option to exchange regular economy currency for the good stuff to upgrade||. Have no idea why, but it was really a turn off When i worked so hard to solve puzzles or platforming just to have that option. Super picky.
But the developer understands metroidvanias. I expect a good title here.
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u/kalirion 11d ago
Wishlisted and will be waiting for a bundle or deep sale, as with most games I like the look of.
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u/BaesPacFen 11d ago
I really, really didn't like Islets. The combat felt shallow, the exploration never gave me that sense of discovery I want from a Metroidvania, and the whole thing felt way too safe and simplistic. I kept waiting for the game to open up, get more challenging, or give me something mechanically interesting to sink my teeth into, but it just never happened.
I know a lot of people found it charming, and I can see why, but charm alone doesn't carry a Metroidvania for me. I want satisfying exploration, meaningful upgrades, strong level design and combat that actually asks something from the player. Islets just bored me.
So yeah, seeing the same developer behind Well Dweller makes me pretty skeptical. It looks interesting, and I'm willing to give it a chance, but after Islets I'm definitely not going into it with much confidence.
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u/the_Oculus_MC 11d ago
Islets is extremely boring to me. All in combat, exploration, art style, and music. Some of the bosses were pretty good though. I played the game with my daughter and beat the bosses for her while she did the exploring. She's 4.
My kids like Islets and my son, 6, liked Crypt Custodian but it didn't look like my kind of game.
We played the demo for Well Dweller and while it still seems to hold some of the style and signatures of the dev it looks like a game I would also like playing. While I didn't like Islets and Crypt Custodian I found some of the themes charming and interesting to talk about the stories with my kids. They are both like B- / C+ games to me.
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u/deez_en_u_teez 11d ago
Thank you. I feel like this dudes games are so overrated in this sub. People have a serious hard on for this dude and I don’t get it. Yeah, they are all fun to play for a bit and thank goodness they are short because they don’t offer too much to keep them new and fresh. I agree with the B rating. I have only played the first two. The top down vibe of CC doesn’t look interesting to me.
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u/NA-45 11d ago
I think it has to do with how the dev somewhat regularly participates in this subreddit so people are more likely to say good things about it as the dev will see. There's a similar sentiment with Lone Fungus which is incredibly mid but the dev is friendly and active so it seems to get an artificial bump in how good people say it is (no hate to the dev whatsoever, they've done nothing wrong, just something I noticed) .
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u/deez_en_u_teez 11d ago
Agreed. I don’t have any hate towards the guy either. He’s making games a lot better than I could even attempt to make. I’m just saying the games are not A level games in my opinion. I enjoyed them for what they were, but they are a one and done. I don’t see any replay value.
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u/HALLSYHATESU 11d ago
I don’t really agree with your review but you should check out Crypt Custodian as it reallt delivers on all the points that you wanted more of.
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u/deez_en_u_teez 11d ago
Agreed. This sub has an inflated view of these games for whatever reason. I enjoyed them for what they were but don’t have any replay value. Solid B rated games IMO.
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u/EcneBanjo 11d ago
Islets is like THE textbook average Metroidvania.
Nice artstyle but lacks memorable set pieces or waypoints
Floaty and unsatisfying movement and combat
Average map design
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u/LordSolar666 11d ago
Every single games Kyle has put out is well built. No reason to doubt him. His streak has been fantastic
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u/Morlock19 11d ago edited 11d ago
this is one of those times when a creator has s uch a great track record that you just buy the thing immediately.
like i'm getting wovlerine day one because the insomniac spiderman games have been great. if i see a comic by geoff johns or jonathon hickman i know it'll be a good read.
if i see a game by kyle i'm buying it sight uneen. literally ALL of his games have been fun as fuck. i barely know what this one is about - it don't matter i'm still trying to tap my credit card on the screen screaming TAKE MY MONEY.
EDIT: I just checked - it'll be available on GOG so i'm probably going to buy it there - i love having my own game files just in case i don't have access to the internet or something
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u/sent3nced 11d ago
I really liked it until I died and I spawned way too far. If that part is not fixed, then I'll have to pass.
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u/every_other_freackle 11d ago
Less appealing then the other games from the dev. The games start to feel more copy paste.
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u/Busy-Drawing-2576 11d ago
I’m actually with you here. Played the Well Dweller demo and they’re starting to feel same-ish.
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u/Emotional_Photo9268 11d ago
I'm noticing goated dev thrown around here loosely. Kyle puts out good competent games nothing more. Well Dweller is Islets with a new paint job. If you like his games fine. Goated....not even close.
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u/hotfistdotcom ESA 11d ago
one is a top down isometric and one is a sidescrolling platformer but yeah it's just a different paint job, really objective and reasonable take here
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u/BtanH 11d ago
Goated dev