Downwell is a mix of a shooter and platform game, with some features of a roguelike game. It was created by Ojiro Fumoto and released by Devolver Digital for iOS and Microsoft Windows in October of 2015.

Gameplay

Downwell features a protagonist named Welltaro, who is a curious individual exploring a nearby well one night. Despite the presence of monsters inside, he puts on his gunboots and starts his journey downwards, defeating his enemies and collecting treasure along the way. The game’s controls are simple, with the ability to move left and right, jump on solid surfaces, and fire from the gunboots when airborne by holding down the jump button.

The well in the game is created through procedural generation and presents the player with numerous enemy types. To defeat these enemies, the player can either shoot them with gunboots or stomp on them. However, some enemies are immune to stomping and can only be killed with bullets. Normal enemies are indicated by a red glare and white outlines, while the resistant ones are completely highlighted in red with a more solid appearance.

Story

The main character, a man named Welltaro, is intrigued by the well in the park one night and decides to descend into its depths. Despite knowing that there are monsters lurking inside, he equips himself with gunboots and begins his journey downwards. In order to advance and gather valuable items, he must defeat his adversaries along the way.

How long is Down Well?

When it comes to the primary goals, Downwell typically takes about 6 and a half hours to complete. However, if you’re the type of gamer who likes to explore every aspect of the game, it may take you around 13 hours to achieve 100% completion.

Reception

Downwell was highly regarded upon its launch, as critics lauded the game’s innovative game design and unique play-style.