How long does it take to beat Animal Well?

The latest indie smash hit from publisher Bigmode and developer Billy Basso, Animal Well, is a curious title. Players navigate through a labyrinth in a non-linear fashion which can affect play time quite significantly. As such, the completion time will vary from player to player, as well as the amount of time spent exploring the many secrets the game has to offer.

This article explains how long it takes to beat Animal Well and explores more about the game.

---

How long does it take to beat Animal Well?

It should take around nine hours to complete the game on average (Image via Bigmode)

Animal Well is a rather short game - provided you wish to simply progress through the main “campaign. For players rushing through the game and avoiding (most of) its secrets, the game can be completed in around six hours.

Completing a healthy chunk of the game’s additional objectives will feature around nine hours of gameplay.

Opting for a completionist run will, however, set you back by around 20 or so odd hours - taking into consideration the insanely detailed world of the game, with its many secrets laid out for the player to solve on their own.

This information comes courtesy of user statistics obtained via the website, howlongtobeat.

---

Is Animal Well a linear game?

The game is entirely non-linear (Image via Bigmode)

No, Animal Well is a non-linear game. Players can play through this Metroidvania-esque title in any order. Progression is uninterrupted, as none of the game’s sections are hard-locked in any way.

Consumables and other key items can be unlocked in any order. However, the game is cleverly built around this “freedom,” as certain parts require key items to easily progress through and ultimately fulfill the main goal of collecting four “Flames” to roll through the credits sequence.

This also applies to boss encounters, which can be played through in any order. However, having access to your full arsenal beforehand makes these encounters easier to deal with.

Thus, the title can be considered a pseudo-open-world game.

---

Animal Well is a Metroidvania title from developer Shared Memory/Billy Basso, and publisher Bigmode. The game sees players exploring a labyrinth as a blob-like creature, navigating through its various puzzles, while simultaneously avoiding hostile animals.

The game features the clever use of environmental puzzles, ambient noise, and a beautiful Commodore 64-esque retro visual makeup to deliver a surreal experience.

This single-player-only title was released on May 9, 2024, for PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.