One Bird's Fowl Fight Against Evil - Well Dweller, Published by Top Hat Studios

You play as Glimmer, a tiny little bird living at the bottom of a well in a forest within a rotting queendom. When his siblings are snatched from their nest by a hunter working for the kingdom's wicked queen, Glimmer sets out to rescue them, armed with nothing but a matchstick that waxes and wanes based on your health.

Look at that. Not a thought in Glimmer's head.

Welcome to Well Dweller by Kyle Thompson, published by Top Hat Studios.

I love the use of fairy tales throughout the game and how they help tell a much bigger story about the world. Along the way, you meet all sorts of interesting characters, each with their own little histories and stories that you can discover through the storybook pages scattered throughout the world. I really enjoyed this aspect of the game because it makes the world feel so much bigger than just Glimmer's own journey.

At first, everything feels fairly whimsical and charming, but there are definitely moments where things get DARK. It honestly reminded me of the original Grimm fairy tales, with all their strange, unsettling, and sometimes downright disturbing elements. I love that the game isn't afraid to lean into that darker side while still maintaining its storybook aesthetic.

As a Metroidvania, there's plenty to enjoy here, too. Some areas can be incredibly challenging, but as you collect trinkets and unlock new abilities, more and more of the world opens up to you. I always enjoy that feeling of being able to revisit an area that previously gave me trouble and discovering all the places I can now reach.

The boss fights were another highlight for me. They're challenging, but the difficulty feels fair and scales nicely with your progression and the areas you're exploring. They really test what you've learned without feeling unfair.

And the ART! I absolutely LOVE the art style. It has such a wonderful hand-drawn quality, and some of the character designs are just wonderfully surreal. I especially love how the game uses differences in scale during boss fights. You're this tiny little bird going up against these absolutely enormous creatures, and it really emphasizes just how small you are in this world.

The music and sound design tie everything together beautifully, too. They do such a great job of capturing both the whimsical fairy-tale atmosphere and the much darker moments throughout the game.

I would absolutely recommend Well Dweller, especially to anyone who enjoys Metroidvanias. It's got great exploration, fun and challenging boss fights, beautiful artwork, and a surprisingly dark little fairy tale at its heart. I went in expecting a cute little adventure about a bird trying to save his family, and I ended up loving so much more about it than I expected.

Well Dweller is available on all gaming platforms.

And remember - when your family is kidnapped by a vicious hunter and you need help getting them back, I shall be here with another recommendation, should you need it.