Creature in the Well E3 2019 Preview
Microsoft‘s E3 2019 Press Event boasted sixty titles on stage. Many of those were indie titles, and one stood out to me in a big way. Creature in the Well from Flight School Studio caught my attention immediately because of its similarity to pinball. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the silver ball. So when I saw that this developer had combined one of my favorite types of games with a dungeon crawler, I was on board right away. After getting hands-on time with the game inside the Microsoft Theater, I can safely say that this will be a title I’ll have my eye on until it releases later this summer.
Pinball + Dungeon Crawler = “Pinbrawler”
In Creature in the Well, you assume the role of a robot named BOT-C who is tasked with saving the city of Mirage from a deadly sandstorm. To do so, he must restore power to a facility within a desert mountain plagued by a mysterious creature.
What sets this game apart from typical dungeon crawlers is the method by which you attack. Although you’re equipped with a melee weapon, it doesn’t affect enemies directly. Instead, you’ll find small, white spheres scattered throughout each room as you traverse through the mountain. Hitting these spheres sends them careening around the room until their energy is depleted. The idea here is to direct this energy by hitting them with your weapon. Fans of games like Peggle will appreciate the joy of seeing the frenetic destruction unfold with each hit.
The enemies aren’t your primary goal, however. In order to advance from each room, you’ll need a certain amount of energy to open the door. The spheres come into play once again as you’ll need to hit them into multiple bumpers around the room to receive the needed energy. Once you’ve gotten enough, the pathway opens.
Upgrades Galore
During my short demo of the game, I acquired a couple different power ups. One gave me the ability to harness multiple spheres at once and fire them in any direction I chose. This became important for solving puzzles and defeating a boss towards the end of the level. It took me a bit of time to wrap my head around the mechanics, especially since my gamer brain told me to mash the melee button repeatedly. Once I got the hang of it, however, it was smooth sailing.
Creature in the Well appears to have an abundance of secrets as well. At one point, I was able to unlock a hidden path that led to a more powerful weapon. This encourages exploration in a positive way, and it’s nice to see that some of the puzzles are purely optional. I’m intrigued to see more power-ups that could make the game even more interesting further on.
Sweetening the Deal
If you’re already a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, this is a no-brainer. The novelty of a pinball RPG may not be a brand new idea, but it’s still a very welcome one. The clever twist of the formula should resonate well with fans of pinball and puzzle games. I know I can’t wait to try the full game later this summer, and from what I’ve played, I can’t recommend it enough.
If you’d like to hear me discuss the game further, be sure to check out our E3 2019 Day 2 Recap podcast episode at the 19:11 mark.
