Animal Well has been shadow dropped for Xbox, meaning one of 2024’s highest-rated games is now playable on Xbox Series X/S. Animal Well, developed by Shared Memory, is the first game published by Bigmode, the publishing company started by popular YouTubers Dunkey and Leahbee. It launched earlier this year on PC, Switch, and PS4 to widespread critical acclaim.Animal Well reviews were glowing, earning the Metroidvania game an impressive 89 overall rating from critics. Critics heaped praise on the game for its level design, clever gameplay twists, and striking art style. Animal Well’s incredible reception has helped it become not just one of the highest-rated new game releases of 2024, but one of the highest-rated Metroidvania games in history. Related Animal Well: How to Unlock the Secret Message from videogamedunkey By solving the BDTP and Wingdings puzzles, Animal Well players can unlock a secret audio message from videogamedunkey. There’s a reason why many expect Animal Well to be nominated for multiple awards at The Game Awards this year, and now Xbox gamers can see what all the fuss is about. Animal Well was shadow-dropped on Xbox Series X/S as part of the Xbox Partner Preview event, finally giving gamers on the platform the chance to play one of the year’s best. Xbox gamers can expect their Animal Well experience to be identical to the other versions of the game. Animal Well is Now on Xbox While Microsoft continues to push Xbox Game Pass as the cornerstone of its gaming strategy, Animal Well was not announced for the service. Some may have expected Animal Well to release on Xbox Game Pass since it was a day one PS Plus Extra game when it debuted on PlayStation, but it seems that those interested will have to pay for it instead. Close Some might assume that Animal Well being a day one PS Plus Extra game would keep it from Xbox Game Pass, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are plenty of examples of games existing on both subscription services at once, and in fact, that has even been the case for day one releases in the past. As some may recall, Sea of Stars was a day one game for both PS Plus Extra and Xbox Game Pass back in the day, so it’s unclear why Animal Well isn’t on the service.Regardless, Animal Well is certainly worth the price of admission, and sets the bar high for future games from the Bigmode publishing label. It’s an incredible Metroidvania game and one of the best in the genre, so Xbox gamers shouldn’t hesitate to check it out as soon as possible.