“Downwell” is a new game for iPhone, iPad and PC that respects your time, your intelligence and your ability. In “Downwell,” the player controls a small white blob who hops into a deep, dark pit. The game is a platform action game, like an old “Mario” game, except the player’s only destination is down; the blob uses boots which shoot bullets to protect itself from rude bubbles, vicious bats, spooky ghosts and other monster baddies by either hopping on their heads or shooting them. By wiping out baddies and going into treasure rooms, the blob collects spare health, alternate weapons, spare charges for the gun-boots and gems which can be used at shops to buy health and charges.
There are four or so worlds in “Downwell,” though most people would forgive you for never seeing the second one. Each world is marked by three fairly difficult levels. Because the only direction you’re headed is down, obstacles like pits and complicated jumps don’t exist the way they do in most platform action games; gravity is fairly forceful upon the blob, so he pretty much is always falling the way he’s supposed to be going so long as some earth isn’t in the way. Instead of making the jumping the challenge, there are just loads of enemies and traps, and health is sparse enough that “Downwell” gives its player a significant battle to traverse.
The way “Downwell” makes battle compelling is by rewarding the player for not touching the earth, either by bouncing the blob around on enemies’ heads or by using the gun-boots to keep the blob from touching the earth. The blob sort of floats a little bit when firing; he can’t really rocket his way back up the well, but it’s enough that he can maybe get the jump on a snake and keep his combo going. These combos, when concluded at a high enough combo, give bonus gems and can even restore the blob’s health.
What’s most interesting about “Downwell” is that it’s not an art game; there’s not really a higher concept, no game-concluding reveal which unveils a college freshman’s philosophy paper—freshmen in the philosophy department: you’ll get better, that’s what college is for—and no intensely beautiful art style. “Downwell” is just a good game, with rounds that last between one and five minutes for most players, and as long as 15 for the best players. It respects your time, it doesn’t talk to you very much, and it doesn’t beg for microtransaction money. Maybe the best thing about “Downwell” is that, by not making these overtures, it serves as a game actually respectful enough to be played by adults on a commute, the ones who’ll survive if they have to interrupt their good combo to send a text message to a loved one.
“Downwell” is $3 on iOS platforms and PC; it probably controls better on PC, but it’s perfect for bus rides and passing periods. The developer, Moppin, claims an Android version is coming soon.
