It can be hard to stand out in the crowd when it comes to being an indie game in this day and age, but Well Dweller is such a wonderfully strange take on the Metroidvania genre that it’s hard to ignore. There are plenty of great indie Metroidvania’s to sort through on Steam, but Well Dweller has managed to find several key ways to set itself apart from the usual genre offerings. Steam has been the premiere home for brand-new indies to debut for years now, and the options continue to get more inventive and unique as the inspirations bring forth unexpected gameplay blends.
Some of the best Metroidvania games of the past few years have been found through Steam, but one of the modern all-time greats is undoubtedly Hollow Knight. The long-awaited release of its sequel, Silksong, was one of the most exciting moments of 2025, and Well Dweller asks the fun question of what would happen if the Hollow Knight games were combined with the Little Nightmares series.
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Well Dweller Takes Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Gameplay and Combines It With Little Nightmares’ Horrors
Players take on the role of Glimmer, an adorable little bird who has taken it upon himself to be the one to slay the queen who holds dominion over the land and citizens. Glimmer’s journey to destroy the queen takes him on a treacherous journey that is filled with monsters, dangerous obstacles, but also plenty of friendly faces who are trying to simply survive in a kingdom that has fallen to darkness. Well Dweller clearly draws a lot of inspiration from Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s gameplay, but the enemy imagery feels like it was taken straight out of Little Nightmares.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Well Dweller’s Key Features
- CHALLENGING METROIDVANIA COMBAT AND EXPLORATION that takes Glimmer through a variety of harrowing encounters and obstacles.
- PUZZLES AND SECRETS hidden within the depths of Well Dweller‘s world that unravel the mysteries of the decaying kingdom.
- A POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE FORM OF A MATCHSTICK that Glimmer must use to defeat the various enemies that block his path.
- A DARK WORLD IN NEED OF SAVING from a ruthless Queen who made Well Dweller‘s setting a dark and unsettling nightmare.
- CHARMING AND UNIQUE CHARACTERS who help Glimmer get closer to the Queen.
- MIX-AND-MATCH ABILITIES AND UPGRADES that allow plenty of gameplay customization options for players.
- A CUTE AND TINY HERO who packs a much mightier punch than one would first assume.
Well Dweller is teasing plenty of great features that are bound to make it a fun new Metroidvania game. Whether one’s on the hunt for a great puzzle game, a challenging Metroidvania story, or simply wants a fresh indie that boasts a unique identity, Well Dweller has what it takes to appeal to a variety of gamers. There is enough familiarity for it to be intriguing to diehard Metroidvania fans, but it also remixes its main features in a way that gives the game a sense of newness.
Well Dweller will also be available on the Nintendo Switch at launch, but it’s unclear if it will come to other consoles down the road.
Well Dweller’s Little Nightmares-Inspired Art Design Gives a Tim Burton-esque Edge to the Metroidvania Genre
When it comes to the friendly NPCs that Glimmer meets along the way, their designs are more reminiscent of Hollow Knight: Silksong‘s characters. However, the main bosses look like a nightmarish blend of Little Nightmares and Tim Burton characters. Little Nightmares wears its Tim Burton inspiration on its sleeve, and Well Dweller takes that influence even further with its boss designs.
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It’s a great design decision for a Metroidvania. The stark difference in character design between friendly NPCs and main bosses helps drive home just how sinister the monsters ruling over Well Dweller‘s mysterious kingdom are. Each boss has a twisted uncanny appearance that contrasts with just how adorable Glimmer is. Good character design in gaming is important, and Well Dweller has excelled at this in the same way that the Little Nightmares characters do.
Glimmer’s journey to destroy the queen takes him on a treacherous journey that is filled with monsters, dangerous obstacles, but also plenty of friendly faces…
Little Nightmares bosses are heart-stopping, but the protagonists from the three games have all had a much cuter aesthetic that helps set them apart from the horror-drenched world that they all live in. The dark, but strangely, cute blend that Tim Burton helped popularize with his films and artwork made Little Nightmares that much more effective, and Well Dweller‘s similar opposing energies perfectly showcases why this method works great for the Metroidvania genre.
Well Dweller’s Story and Setting Is a Heartfelt Reminder That Darkness Can Be Defeated By the Most Unexpected Heroes
Glimmer might be small, but his determination and use of his trusted matchstick weapon help him get through obstacles and dangers. Beyond his own grit, though, the side characters he meets on his journey also make this a game about friendship. The entire list of characters for Well Dweller hasn’t been revealed yet, but there are a few adorable NPCs that players can expect to meet along the way. Ilda is a tiny camping-loving mouse who is trying to escape the Queen’s control, while Looter is a scavenger who searches the kingdom far and wide in order to steal the best items around.
In addition to meeting and befriending other NPCs, Glimmer also has to try to find and reunite with his missing siblings.
Well Dwell Could Be One of the Biggest Indie Surprises of 2026
A release date for Well Dweller is being kept under wraps for the time being, but the game’s official Steam page has at least confirmed that the Metroidvania is expected to arrive sometime later this year. There are already so many games coming out in 2026, with one of the obvious heavy hitters being GTA 6‘s release date, so there is a lot to compete with.
The calendar is stacked. Late summer, in particular, is quickly growing crowded with all the games coming out in September. It’s hard to say what a good launch window would be for Well Dweller, but it hopefully manages to avoid getting lost in the crowd. This Metroidvania looks like a game that has a lot of heart with an intriguingly strange world and fun-filled gameplay, so indie lovers should definitely be on the lookout for a release date announcement.
- Released
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2026
- Developer(s)
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Kyle Thompson
- Publisher(s)
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Kyle Thompson, Top Hat Studios, Inc.
- Number of Players
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Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unknown
