The new Metroidvania on Steam is basically Silksong meets little nightmares and it's amazingly weird

It can be hard to stand out in the crowd when it comes to an indie game these days, but Well Dweller is such a wonderfully odd take on the Metroidvania genre that it's hard to ignore. There are plenty of great indie Metroidvania's out there for you to settle on Steambut Well Dweller have managed to find a few key ways to differentiate themselves from the mainstream genre offerings. Steam has been the premiere home for brand new indie games for several years now, and the options keep getting more inventive and unique as inspirations bring unexpected game mixes.

Some of the best Metroidvania games of the last few years have been found through Steam, but one of the modern greats of all time is undoubtedly Hollow Knight. The long-awaited release of its sequel, Silksongwas one of the most interesting moments of 2025 and Well Dweller he asks the fun question of what would happen if Hollow Knight games were combined with Little nightmares series.

A new Metroidvania game on Steam combines Silksong and Slime Rancher to fix the genre's biggest problem

Dewdrop Dynasty looks like the rare Metroidvania that understands that a ruined kingdom isn't the only way to make exploration matter.

Well Dweller takes Hollow Knight: Silksong and combines it with Little Nightmares horror

Players take on the role of Glimmer, an adorable bird who has decided to kill the queen who rules over the land and citizens. Glimmer's journey to destroy the queen takes him on a treacherous journey that is full of monsters, dangerous obstacles, but also a lot of friendly faces trying to simply survive in a kingdom that has fallen into darkness. Well Dweller clearly draws a lot of inspiration Hollow Knight: Silksong's game, but the enemy images feel like they were ripped straight out Little nightmares.

Guess the emoji games.

Easy (120s) Medium (90s) Hard (60s)

Key features of Well Dweller

CHALLENGING COMBAT AND EXPLORATION OF METROIDVANIA which leads Glimmer through a series of harrowing encounters and obstacles.
RIDDLES AND MYSTERIES hidden in the depths Well Dwellera world that reveals the secrets of a declining kingdom.
A POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE FORM OF A MATCH which Glimmer must use to defeat the various enemies that block his path.
A DARK WORLD THAT NEEDS SAVING from the ruthless queen who did Well Dwellercreates a dark and disturbing nightmare.
Charming and unique characters who help Glimmer approach the queen.
MIX-AND-MATCH SKILLS AND UPGRADES which allow players a lot of game customization options.
CUTE AND LITTLE HERO which packs a much stronger punch than meets the eye.

Well Dweller it brings a lot of cool features that are sure to make it a fun new Metroidvania game. Whether you're looking for a great puzzle game, a challenging Metroidvania story, or simply want a fresh indie that boasts a unique identity, Well Dweller it has what it takes to appeal to a variety of players. It's familiar enough to appeal to die-hard Metroidvania fans, but it also remixes its core features in a way that gives the game a fresh feel.

Well Dweller it will also be available on Nintendo Switch at launch, but it's unclear if it will make it to other consoles.

Art design inspired by Well Dweller's Little Nightmares gives the Metroidvania genre a Tim Burton-esque edge

As for the friendly NPCs that Glimmer meets on his journey, their design is rather reminiscent Hollow Knight: Silksonguser characters. However, the main bosses look like a mixture of nightmares Little nightmares and Tim Burton characters. Little nightmares wears the inspiration of Tim Burton on its sleeve and Well Dweller takes that influence even further with his boss designs.

Tim Burton's Spice from Little Nightmares is the perfect way to improve the Metroidvania recipe

It's a great design decision for a Metroidvania. The stark difference in character design between the friendly NPCs and the main bosses helps drive home how sinister monsters rule Well Dwelleris a mysterious kingdom. Each boss has a twisted and mysterious appearance that contrasts with how adorable Glimmer is. Good character design in games is important and Well Dweller he excelled in it in the same way as Little nightmares the characters do.

Glimmer's quest to destroy the queen takes him on a treacherous journey filled with monsters, dangerous obstacles, but also plenty of friendly faces…

Little nightmares the bosses are heartbreaking, but all of the heroes in the three games have a much cuter aesthetic that helps set them apart from the horror world they all inhabit. A dark but strangely endearing concoction that Tim Burton helped popularize through his films and artwork Little nightmares much more efficient and Well DwellerSimilar opposing energies perfectly demonstrate why this method works so well for the Metroidvania genre.

The story and setting of Well Dweller is a heartfelt reminder that even the most unlikely heroes can defeat the darkness

Glimmer may be small, but his determination and the use of his trusty matchlock weapon help him overcome obstacles and dangers. In addition to being a game about friendship, what makes this game so special are the supporting characters he meets along the way. The entire list of characters for Well Dweller hasn't been revealed yet, but there are some adorable NPCs that players can expect to meet along the way. Ilda is a camping-loving little mouse who tries to escape the queen's control, while Looter is a scavenger who scours the kingdom far and wide to steal the best things around.

In addition to meeting and befriending other NPCs, Glimmer must also try to find and reunite with his missing siblings.

Well Dwell could be one of the biggest indie surprises of 2026

Release date for Well Dweller is being kept under wraps for now, but the game's official Steam page has at least confirmed that Metroidvania should arrive sometime later this year. There are already so many games coming out in 2026, with one of the obvious heavy hitters being GTA 6release date, so there's plenty to compete for.

The calendar is stacked. Late summer in particular gets crowded quickly with all the games coming out in September. It's hard to say what a launch window would be good for Well Dwellerbut hopefully he can avoid getting lost in the crowd. This Metroidvania looks like a game that has a lot of heart with an interestingly strange world and fun gameplay, so indie lovers should definitely be on the lookout for the release date announcement.