The Bottom of the Well

The end of the world is a common theme in video games, especially when it comes to post-apocalyptic survival. You only need to think about franchises like Fallout to see just how much potential there is in the subject, and there are many more games trying to tap into it. On the other hand, it would seem like only action-oriented games would have anything to benefit from the theme.

The Bottom of the Well is an interactive visual novel in which although the end of the world involves far fewer lasers and aliens, yet it can be just as exciting. In short, the main gimmick behind it is the fact that you can change the outcome of the story along the way, either by going with different choices when the game presents you with them, or by changing the main character’s personality entirely.

Speaking of which, the role you play is that of a girl by the name of Alice, who one night dreams about the apocalypse. She remembers it in great detail, which is why she decides to share the experience with one of her closest friends. There are many similarities with Alice in Wonderland, especially when it comes to artwork and general mood, but the direction is completely different.

One of the things that influences the course of the story is Alice herself, or more exactly her personality. You can either play as the default character created by the game’s developers, generate a random one one the spot, or even go for the Dark Alice, although it is not a recommended choice for new players. Thus, each playthrough can be unique, since you both get and lose skills depending on your character.

On the other hand, the actual choices greatly affect the plot, because you can decide whether to be confrontational, calm, or just very talkative. Granted, the great majority of the game runs without input from you, but the occasional interaction has the power to change everything. There are many turning points along the way, and even those change depending on your character.

All things considered, The Bottom of the Well is quite intriguing and engaging, especially if you enjoy replaying games multiple times to get different endings. The theme is quite nice as well, since it’s pretty bold for a visual novel.