Post Script
Q+A, Billy Basso, creator, Animal Well
Billy Basso (right) began making Animal Well as a solo hobbyist side project seven years ago, before eventually committing to developing the game full-time – bringing on former Nintendo and Xbox alumnus Dan Adelman for marketing assistance and then becoming the first signing for Bigmode, an independent publisher set up by YouTube personality Jason ‘Dunkey’ Gastrow and his wife, Leah. Here, Basso reflects on the challenges and successes of the game’s long development journey.
When we first discussed Animal Well two years ago, you talked about wanting to blend Metroidvania and survival horror, and the subsequent tension between empowerment and disempowerment. Did you consciously keep that in mind throughout development, and did you find yourself leaning more towards one over the other?