Well Dweller is the next Metroidvania from Kyle Thompson and it comes to Nintendo Switch and PC next year

During today’s Indie World Showcase featuring over a dozen games coming to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, a new game from solo-developer Kyle Thompson was announced. Thompson is known for last year’s Crypt Custodian, and it looks like this next game will follow in the Metroidvania footsteps. Well Dweller was initially teased earlier this year during the Top Hat Studios showcase, but we didn’t have a title until now.

Kyle Thompson’s next Metroidvania has a name: Well Dweller is planned for 2026

In Well Dweller, you play as a small, matchstick-wielding bird named Glimmer who is “the only creature brave enough to kill the queen…” via the game’s Steam page. Explore a dark fantasy setting in this 2D action Metroidvania and burn the wicked queen to save your family. Well Dweller looks to have a similar art style as Crypt Custodian, though translated into 2D side-scrolling rather than top-down. This is an exciting announcement as Thompson is known for making incredible Metroidvanias. Crypt Custodian currently has 97% positive reviews on Steam from nearly two thousand players.

Much like Crypt Custodian, it looks like Well Dweller will have an array of cleverly written NPCs to meet, and the player will be able to mix and match trinkets and upgrades to enhance their abilities. Overall, the backgrounds and enemies seem to have a much darker aesthetic. An image from the Steam page shows characters sitting around a campfire in front of a massive humanoid skeleton that stares blankly out at you.

According to the Steam page, lighting the match will affect gameplay, both illuminating the surrounding environment and aiding in combat. It’s also seen being used as a tool to create your own platforms or launch yourself higher. I am very curious to see how it can be used and what kinds of puzzles and challenges the player will encounter.

Well Dweller doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s planned for release next year. This will be Kyle Thompson’s fourth game in six years, which is an amazing feat. Earlier this year, I had the chance to talk with Thompson about their process of creating these games and much more. Well Dweller is planned for release on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam sometime in 2026. You can wishlist it on Steam now.

Crypt Custodian

August 27, 2024

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• Overview

• indie games
• metroidvania
• Nintendo Switch