It’s time for our annual countdown to award the very best games this year had to offer. Over the next ten days, we’ll count down our top ten games of 2024.
As always, the votes of each Press Start team member, weighted from #10 through to #1, were collated to compile our collective very best for the year that was. Games worthy of one’s top spot would be awarded a maximum of 10 points and the values would descend to their tenth selection, which would receive a single point.
Animal Well is an astoundingly layered, ingeniously crafted Metroidvania that builds its entire ethos around exploration and player curiosity. It’s a nonlinear labyrinth that can be tackled in any order, with monstrous fauna, such as the horrific kangaroo, obstructing the player’s path. All of the collectible gear items have several not immediately clear uses to the player, which adds even extra depth and density to what is a relatively small game.
It’s hard not to love the development story of Animal Well, which began its life as a hobby project before Billy Basso transitioned to full-time on the game. He designed his own engine to create the hamstring, to not be hamstrung by the limitations of other oft-used engines.
He crafted the game’s architecture to deliberately frustrate those who might data-mine some of the game’s tougher puzzles, which Basso hopes may withstand years. Absolute rascal behaviour from Basso there.
Because of this, he decided to make the file as accessible as possible, with it ultimately being an incredibly minuscule 33MB executable.
Due to the game surprising us out of left field, we actually didn’t publish a review for Animal Well. Clearly, it still left an impact on our team, so let’s hear from a couple of those who voted for it.
Ewan said: “Animal Well is an incredible debut indie title, impressive technical achievement, and a masterclass in Metroidvania-style game design. The distinctive, eye-catching art and sound design are minimal (and both contribute to a file size well below 500MB) but absolutely ooze with atmosphere.
Never holding your hand, you’re left to explore and solve puzzles at your own pace with surprises at every turn. It’s a must-play for fans of the genre, and one of the year’s most memorable experiences.”
James said: “Animal Well is one of my surprise favourites of 2024, coupling an intricate and vibrant artistic style with a gloomy and isolating feeling to deliver an atmospheric puzzle-platformer like no other.
Whether taking in the depths of the world through ambient noise or minimalistic soundscapes or conquering tough situations with clever use of tools and platforming, Animal Well is one of the best Metroid games since, well, Metroid.
While its minimalistic approach to the story might deter some genre novices, Animal Well’s willingness to leave players to their own devices encourages experimentation and rewards smart players. The result is a game that feels almost meditative at points, an experience that lingers long after you’ve finished playing.”
On the review aggregator Metacritic, Animal Well is resting at an average of 91.
Congratulations to Billy Basso and Bigmode for earning a place in our top ten for 2024.
Game of the Year 2024
#10 – Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
#9 – The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
#8 – Helldivers 2
#7 – Animal Well
