The Metroidvania and world's first open-well type game Animal Well was finally released on May 9, 2024 after being developed for around seven years by solo developer Billy Basso. It won't take seven years to finish this game, but it could take a bit longer than some might expect – especially if you want to 100% the game.

Animal Well How to Unlock Fast Travel feature image
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Though the main story itself is relatively short, Animal Well has a plethora of hidden collectibles (like Eggs) and secrets for players to discover after rolling credits. Depending on how good you are at platformers and puzzle games, the time it takes to beat Animal Well varies greatly.

How Long To Beat Animal Well Main Story

How Long To Beat Animal Well Intro Start Spawn Location Blob Pixel Squirrel

The main story of Animal Well is enigmatic. The game's murky, mysterious, often frightening worldbuilding and setting is open to the player's interpretation, but there is a clear "end" to Animal Well – when the credits roll.

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The time it takes to gather all four flames shown in the game's intro cutscene and reach Animal Well's normal ending is around five to 10 hours. Ultimately, the time it takes to beat Animal Well depends on your ability to navigate the game's labyrinthian map and enigmatic puzzles.

But after rolling credits, there are still a ton of things to do to truly complete the game – and to see its True Ending.

How Long To 100% Complete Animal Well

How Long To Beat Animal Well Four Flames Intro-1

Animal Well might not have continents of content to explore like Elden Ring or an open-world Assassin's Creed, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot to do in this open-well puzzler.

It's possible to beat the game without collecting all of the tools, so you may still have some to get. Additionally, you will still likely have Eggs to collect, Unlit Candles to light, unexplored areas to uncover, and the True Ending to unlock.

In the end, when it comes to the question of how long is Animal Well, it depends on what your goal is for the game. If you just want to roll credits, expect to spend no more than five to 10 hours in-game. But, if you want to uncover all of its hidden secrets and 100% complete Animal Well, prepare to spend anywhere from 15 to upwards of 20 hours in-game.