5 Reasons Why You Should Play Downwell

With the recent announcement of an EU price increase with Sony’s premium online service, the debate as to whether it’s worth it rages on. Well, look to great independent titles like Downwell if you’re trying to justify that meal deal-equivalent cost every month.

Developed by ‘Moppin’, this rogue lite vertical dungeon crawler is something of a hidden gem. It’s been around for a while, but was only recently brought to my attention with August’s monthly Playstation Plus game update. The premise is simple: fall as quickly and safely as you can, and press the jump button while falling to fire bullets and eliminate foes; it gets the rogue lite label because of its perma-death gameplay loop and unforgiving difficulty as the levels progress. So, here’s five reasons why you should give this little game a chance.

It’s nice to look at

The colour palette for Downwell is simple, yet really effective in helping you distinguish between friend and foe. The striking blacks, whites and reds contrast against each other to make seeing through the frantic combat that little bit easier, and reaching each stage’s end feel fair.

The enemy design adopts this minimalist style also, with sprites being instantly recognisable. This is important in a game where some enemies cannot be dispatched with a simple bullet, so failure always feels like it’s justified. If you mess up, you only have yourself to blame.

 

It’s deceptively simple

At first glance, you’d think you can just endlessly fall, avoiding enemies, and reach the bottom of each stage. Wrong. If you avoid everything, you’ll miss out on some of the game’s many bonus rooms which reward you with weapon upgrades (altering the way in which you fire shots), or even the occasional merchant. Merchants can’t be interacted with unless you’ve collected red gems from eliminating enemies, so it’s often a good idea to simultaneously fall and shoot.

This isn’t even taking into account the later levels that introduce mechanics like breath, which prevents you from drowning underwater. I couldn’t even tell you much beyond that, because I’m yet to hone my skills enough to stop dying embarrassingly quick.

 

It sounds absolutely great

When you first begin falling down the titular well, you’ll notice the typically retro soundtrack begin to chime in. It’s great stuff, and really sets the atmosphere as you plunge further and further into the cavernous depths.

However, this isn’t where the game really shines. That would be with its effects; specifically, the multitude of noises that accompany each of the game’s satisfying weapon upgrades. Shotgun bursts pack a meaty punch, whereas lasers carry with them a sci-fi ZZAPP. It’s the little things that go towards making this such a great package.

 

It’s super addictive

I’ve always been a sucker for rogue lite games, ever since I first tried out The Binding of Isaac six years ago. Downwell manages to incorporate several aspects of the genre without feeling bogged-down under too many mechanics.

For example, at the end of every stage you’ll be presented with a selection of upgrades to carry with you into the rest of the game. These are, of course, completely randomised and can affect your playthrough differently. Some might cause you to fire upwards while collecting gems, while others will let you utilise a jetpack when things get hairy. Everything’s lost when you die and start over, so there’s no reason not to mix things up every time you’re presented with the item screen.

 

It’s free (kind of)

Okay, so it isn’t free in the usual sense. But it’s one of this month’s several Playstation Plus games, and when you take into account the other titles like Just Cause 3, you’re effectively paying nothing for such a small game. So if you’re hankering for a great little package of retro fun, then Downwell has got you sorted.