I’m always happy to play a game from the Thompson brothers. Since 2022, I have been playing really damn good Metroidvanias, and this week is another good one.

This week is Well Dweller.

Well Dweller is a 2D Metroidvaniafrom Kyle Thompson and Top Hat Games. The game was released on September 22nd, 2026, for all modern consoles and PC, and retails for $20.

I’m always happy to play a game from the Thompson brothers. Since 2022, I have been playing really damn good Metroidvanias, and this week is another good one.

The world of Well Dweller is doom and gloom to the extreme. This world is dead and rotting, and the game lets you know at every turn. The Bog is filled with skeletons of those the Queen did not like, the little creatures in Gravenvally burn whoever they deem as witches, and Burial Ground is filled to the brim with the dead.

What I really enjoy are narrative-driven collectible pages that explain the theme of melancholy in each area. The stories are dark and somewhat unsettling (especially the Lookout Tower), but they breathe life into areas devoid of human presence, which are instead populated by grotesque creatures. This sadness is usually broken up by a goofy, often incredibly likable cast of characters like Willow the frog, who is looking to open a spa, or Ilda the mouse, who is devising a way to get her siblings back from the Queen.

Each area is broken up with its own set of puzzles and movement mechanics, things like bubbles that give an extra jump, winds to glide on, and creepy-looking fungi that bounce you in a certain direction. These traversal puzzles are introduced well, and by the time you leave the area, you have mastered the ability.

If you played a Metroidvania or a Kyle Thompson game before, then you’ll be right at home here. Each area branches off into other areas or goody spots, often unreachable until the player has the corresponding ability. You’ve got your running, jumping, gliding, and the incredibly satisfying slide ability that takes the place of the dodge. With the run-of-the-mill movement arsenal that Glimmer has, it is safe to say that it is incredibly fluid, and I had the most fun moving throughout Well Dweller‘s world. There are optional time trials so that you can flex your movement skills that are equal parts fun, challenging, and reward the player accordingly.

The matchstick as a springboard is *Chef’s kiss* the best.

Combat is pretty standard, requiring Glimmer to smack the bad guys until they disappear into spendable currency. Glimmer can also throw bottles of oil into the air and smack them into enemies, causing massive burn damage, which is incredibly satisfying to do. Glimmer has an HP bar that can be refilled by standing and doing a painstaking minigame that rewards the player with an area-of-effect fire that damages enemies. Glimmer only ever really smacks with one button press, so the combat can get a little samey, but is alleviated a little when the trinket system is involved.

Souls from the slain can be used to buy upgrades in the form of trinkets and their respective points. Trinkets are fun and usually pretty impactful, like additional damage when low health, in the air, more currency, longer heal window, and much, much more can be equipped. At first, Glimmer has almost no trinket spots, so picking and choosing may be hard, but when you get towards the mid-game, the player will have plenty of space for trinkets that I think may be infinite (I had 80 trinket points the time I 100% the game).

Big fan of the boss battles, though I usually beat them on my second attempt, which occur in each area. The bosses are towering creatures that are so gross-looking that they really give off the vibe that this world has fallen. Bosses usually challenge the player in the mechanics learned in the area and are usually really fun. There are a few different types of battles, ranging from combat-oriented chase sequences to a single stealth section. As previously stated, the bosses are not too difficult as pattern recognition really only goes as far as four different attacks.

Everything in Well Dweller looks great, though at some points it had me totally grossed out, specifically speaking, the lookout tower boss. Each area is unique with its own color pallets, backgrounds and enemy types. Animations are crisp, and the mini storybook-like cutscenes are well illustrated. The sound design from Eric Thompson is also on point, reverberating the melancholic art direction into sound. Boss fights are fast-paced and amp up the sound, while traversing areas has a unique backdrop of sadness.

Well Dweller is a gem of a video game. I sat down and played the game and forced mysel to stop playing it. The narrative is simple and propped up by the adorable family and friends Glimmer meets along the way. The movement is damn near perfect, the combat never got tiring, though some say that it does and I can understand. The boss fights are fun, and it looks and sounds great. The Thompson brothers have done it again.

9/10