PC (Microsoft Windows)2016

The Bottom of the Well

In The Bottom of the Well, you play as Alice who has just had an unsettingly life-like dream about the end of the world. She retells her experience to her friend in a huge, branching narrative. Although a single play-through might take as little as 20 minutes, experiencing all the possible paths Alice can take through the ruins of her city will take you many hours.

Community

Screenshots

7 user reviews

582 Steam reviews

Review History

Reviews

582 total

≥h

Steam User 9175STEAMRecommended

Decent time killer although content feels limited, achievement designs are flawless

Feb 22, 2026·2h·Verified

Steam User 9654STEAMNot recommended

not worth playing

Feb 22, 2026·Verified

Steam User 7829STEAMRecommended

Für eine halbe oder eine Stunde unterhaltsames, kostenloses Spiel mit düsterer Atmosphäre. Die Musik ist passend, wiederholt sich aber schnell.

6/10 persönliche Weiterempfehlung, +1 Bonuspunkt für Errungenschaftensammelnde.

Feb 1, 2026·1h·Verified

Steam User 1011STEAMRecommended

Gratuito pra pegar o perfect. Dá pra terminar num peido.

[b]TOTALMENTE GRATUITO![/b] Incluindo dlc com bônus!

Jan 16, 2026·1h·2·Verified

Steam User 4006STEAMRecommended

Short, sweet, each to 100% achievements and better yet it's free. Fun little story where you can hit all playthrough scenarios in just under an hour while still enjoying the story. It successfully introduced me to a new dev to buy games from in the future.

Jan 12, 2026·1h·Verified

Steam User 4405STEAMRecommended

good story

Jan 10, 2026·2h·Verified

Steam User 2699STEAMRecommended

This game let me make choices, and then directly after reminded me that I’m terrible at making choices.

The atmosphere is fantastic and the writing is eerie, poetic, and slightly judgmental.
It’s a story that stays with you long after you close it. A great gateway into existential dread.

Dec 7, 2025·9h·3·Verified

Steam User 4872STEAMRecommended

i like the music in this game. story is nice.

Nov 22, 2025·92h·Verified

Steam User 9876STEAMRecommended

Very good. Enjoyed a lot :)

Nov 15, 2025·5h·Verified

Steam User 8067STEAMRecommended

[i] "Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her, and to wonder what was going to happen next". [/i]

[i] The Bottom of the Well [/i] isn't just a story you read once - it's a big riddle you unravel piece by piece. With every new playthrough, the tone shifts, more fragments of lore are uncovered, and more hints at something deeper being beneath the text start to show; the more you replay, the more cracks start to show... and that's where the real horror seeps in.

The game also features a unique RPG mechanic, where before each playthrough, you're given the opportunity to allocate points to certain traits of the game's protagonist, Alice. There are many endings to this game, and with enough exploration and curiosity, [spoiler] you'll be able to piece together a code that can be used to unlock the true ending and escape this massive dream that you've been having all along. [/spoiler] All in all, it's a clever little game that plays on [i] Alice in Wonderland [/i] in such a cool way.

Oct 31, 2025·1h·Verified

Steam User 6539STEAMRecommended

Want a survival visual novel that makes every decision count from what you decide to pack in your bag to what you do for a living and you personality. Seriously give it a shot!

Sep 5, 2025·54h·Verified

Steam User 5569STEAMRecommended

👍

Aug 22, 2025·Verified

Steam User 0843STEAMRecommended

[h1]

[/h1]

Aug 10, 2025·44h·1·Verified

Steam User 9052STEAMRecommended

Played this game many years ago back when it came out, and again today out of nostalgia.

Wow...I really missed it, the graphics, music and tone are so good.

Aug 3, 2025·3h·Verified

Steam User 8050STEAMRecommended

Thumbs up!

Jul 11, 2025·1h·Verified

Steam User 4268STEAMNot recommended

hyina

Jun 25, 2025·1h·Verified

Steam User 8362STEAMRecommended

"The dreamer is still asleep. He's inventing landscapes in their magnetic field, working out a means of escape.
"We'll cut across the crop circles" The seer says no, not much time left for these escape attempts.
Look at it this way, in ten years' time who'll care? Who'll even remember?
One dies like that, deep within it, almost inside it. It's there for a reason
I'll give you my old address, and take that little book to tear and cut the paper.

The beginning is also the end. Time defines it, time defines it
It will end, like close friendship nothing could be further..
We forget the space between people and things is empty.
We forget, and don't notice the loss. Pressing into venerable degeneration
Such radiant pollution. The god with the silver hand surveys this vast contamination
The dreamer is still dreaming."

You recommended this game to me, actually you might have added it to my account. I never really played it until now. We knew time does not flow in one direction. Another wave hello received on the day the apocalypse began for Alice. A lock to a key, that unfolds into higher attainment of self knowledge.

May 7, 2025·3h·Verified

Steam User 0234STEAMNot recommended

[b] 3/10 HorriblyHorrid [/b] | Would rather jump down a well

[i] Objectivity Certified by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/27178692-Fricken-Good/#browse] FG [/url] [/i]

Mar 7, 2025·2h·Verified

Steam User 9067STEAMNot recommended

ᅠ

Mar 3, 2025·2h·Verified

Steam User 5044STEAMRecommended

This is the weirdest adaptation of Alice in Wonderland I've ever seen... if you can call it an adaptation. Regardless, it's an interesting exploration of the beginnings and fallout of nuclear war, how the struggle to survive affects human nature, and how we can change the world through our actions to prevent such a horrible future. It's a visual novel, but also briefly includes elements of point accumulation and puzzle solving. There are plenty of branching paths to explore depending on what you choose to prioritize. It's easy to die, but the game rewards multiple playthroughs. The music is perfectly fitting for the story. Achievements aren't too difficult to get. Please play this game. It really does deserve the overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Feb 28, 2025·3h·Verified

Steam User 8681STEAMRecommended

for free overall alright.

Feb 27, 2025·1h·1·Verified

Steam User 4291STEAMRecommended

A well written Visual Novel with some gameplay elements, like customizing your character and your beginning loadout, to survive the impending nuclear attack. You can finish a playthrough in about 25-30 minutes, but to survive you will have to play the game multiple times and do different things to figure out what to do in the final confrontation. I liked most of the game but the fact that gathering the necessary intel [spoiler](the numbers)[/spoiler] felt random and the "Skip" button skips all of the text unlike other Visual Novels that only skips the unseen text, makes you accidentally skip some text unintentionally. So I had to manually advance some of the text to make sure I was not skipping any necessary info. For a free game though, it was still a quite good experience, recommended if you like Visual Novels and/or apocalypse themes, 7/10

Feb 1, 2025·5h·1·Verified

Steam User 5203STEAMRecommended

A fantastic free visual novel with achievements. I’ve 100%-ed the game in terms of achievements, but there are still some routes I haven’t tried and can easily see myself coming back to this game at a later date to try out those routes. Character customization (stat-wise, not apperance-wise) is pretty varied for a game like this. If you’re a fan of visual novels and choose-your-own-adventure style games-you’ve got no reason not to give it a try.

It also runs flawlessly on Steam Deck. I just wish these devs would release another project-because I’d love to see more games like this.

Jan 21, 2025·2h·Verified

Steam User 2523STEAMRecommended

[h3][b]The Bottom of the Well – A Dream of Doom and Choices[/b][/h3]
This game hit me in a way I didn’t expect. It’s a visual novel, sure, but it doesn’t play like your typical narrative adventure. You’re thrown into a scenario where the world is about to end — a full-on apocalyptic fever dream — and it’s all based on your choices. But here’s the kicker: it’s presented as a lucid dream, where you wake up knowing exactly when the end will come. That concept alone intrigued me. It’s not about stopping the apocalypse but figuring out what you’d do with the time you have left. The tension between dream and reality is what makes this game stand out.
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]Gameplay & Mechanics[/b][/h3]
The game is a mix of visual novel storytelling and interactive decision-making. You play as Alice, a young woman who experiences a vivid, prophetic dream about the apocalypse. You wake up, and now it’s on you to decide how to spend your remaining days before everything goes to hell.

The gameplay revolves around branching choices. You get a few days to prepare — stockpiling food, gathering supplies, making alliances, or even just spending time reflecting on life. Every decision affects the outcome. But don’t expect any hand-holding. The game doesn’t spell out which choices are "right" or "wrong." Sometimes, you’ll make what feels like the best decision, only to have it backfire spectacularly.

And that’s life, isn’t it?

The game makes you think about survival, human nature, and priorities when everything is crumbling. It’s less about the apocalypse itself and more about how people react to it. What do you value most? Who do you trust?
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]Story & Characters[/b][/h3]
The story feels personal. Alice isn’t a superhero or some chosen one. She’s just someone trying to make sense of a surreal experience. She’s relatable in a way that many game protagonists aren’t. Her reactions to the looming end feel grounded — panic, confusion, moments of calm acceptance.

The other characters you interact with are varied, though they can come off as archetypal. You’ll meet conspiracy theorists, survivalists, and regular folks just trying to get by. The game taps into different reactions to disaster — some people become more selfish, others more altruistic.
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]Atmosphere & Music[/b][/h3]
Now, here’s where the game really shines. The atmosphere is phenomenal. The art style is minimalist but striking. It gives off a hand-drawn, indie vibe that works perfectly for the dream-like setting. But the piano music? Beautiful and haunting. It sets the tone perfectly, making you feel like you’re trapped in a surreal, inevitable march toward doom.

The music isn’t just background noise; it carries the emotional weight of the story. The piano compositions are melancholic yet calming, like the game itself is telling you to accept the inevitable.
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]The Deeper Meaning[/b][/h3]
At its core, [i]The Bottom of the Well[/i] is a meditation on fate, control, and human resilience. It’s about how we cope with the idea that something bigger than us can wipe everything away. The game doesn’t give you a neat resolution — there’s no magic solution to stop the apocalypse. Instead, it’s about the journey, about making choices that reflect who you are in the face of an unstoppable force.

There’s something profoundly human about that. It reminded me of the concept of [i]memento mori[/i] — the reminder of death’s inevitability and the importance of living meaningfully.
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]The Game’s History[/b][/h3]
Developed by [b]Fell Tree Games[/b], [i]The Bottom of the Well[/i] is a small indie project that didn’t get much mainstream attention. But it doesn’t need it. Games like this live on through word of mouth, through players who appreciate something more introspective.

The title is a reference to [b]Lewis Carroll’s [i]Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland[/i][/b]. The protagonist, Alice, mirrors her namesake in a way. She falls down a metaphorical well — into the depths of a dream that reflects the chaos of the waking world.
[hr][/hr]
[h3][b]Final Thoughts[/b][/h3]
I genuinely liked this game. It’s not perfect, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s an experience more than a game, something that sticks with you after you close it. The atmosphere, the piano music, and the existential questions it raises all make it memorable.

It’s the kind of game you play when you’re in a reflective mood, when you want something more thoughtful than action-packed. If you’ve ever wondered how you’d face the end of the world, this game gives you a chance to explore that in a meaningful way.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but with a caveat — this isn’t for people looking for fast-paced gameplay or clear-cut resolutions. It’s for those who appreciate introspection, atmosphere, and narrative-driven experiences.

And hey, it’s free. What have you got to lose?

Jan 12, 2025·5h·1·Verified

Steam User 4015STEAMNot recommended

The Bottom of the Well is not a game, it's an e-book that's been dumped on Steam masquerading as a game. As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay, it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, "How did something this badly written end up on Steam?". When someone hoping to become an author is unable to get published in print, they spend $100 and dump their high school fan-fiction onto Steam, under the guise of a game.

The Bottom of the Well is a somewhat unusual and also not all that great CYOA e-book (not a game, nobody read a Choose Your Own Adventure book and said "wow what a great game I just played"). Guide discussions from a girl named Alice who had a dream about the end of the world. If you ask me, the world ended when failed authors started dumping literally thousands of badly written e-books and fanfictions onto Steam, pretending they're games. Books aren't games. I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it.

Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you wanted to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages. You'd think it was garbage.

Now imagine that experience, but with much worse writing (because if these guys could write professionally, they'd be published authors and this would be on shelves in bookstores, and they wouldn't have to pay Valve $100 to self-publish this on Steam), and you have your average Steam e-book.

One of the chief problems with failed authors polluting Steam with non-game E-books is that E-books can easily just be presented in a web browser... there's no justification for charging money on Steam for what might as well be a webpage. We don't spend thousands on buying a gaming rig to spend money on Steam for something Chrome or Firefox could do.

While this E-book is "free", you can get better quality, professionally written books and comics for free online (from places like Project Gutenberg) or from public libraries. Steam isn't a comic book store, neither is it Netflix, it's for games. Your gaming rig is not a Kindle. It's impossible for me to recommend things to PC gamers that aren't really games.

Nov 27, 2024·4h·4·Verified

Steam User 8174STEAMRecommended

Pretty fun game, I enjoyed the writing in this a lot! 5/5

Nov 20, 2024·4h·2·Verified

Steam User 2753STEAMRecommended

spoko sprawa, umierasz i dostajesz achievementy

Oct 18, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 1809STEAMRecommended

This game is so interesting. It's immersive and really well written. It has a few typos but for the most part, it's super good. The true ending disturbed me and I have so many questions. I love the aesthetic and I like the characters. I especially like Mad Hatter. I love the character designs as well. I wish this had a sequel or something. I'd love to see Alice and Mad Hatter again with a new story.

Oct 9, 2024·5h·1·Verified

Steam User 7427STEAMRecommended

interesting lil visual novel that follows this girl telling her online friend about a dream/nightmare she had and how she survived. you take control of this girl (i forgot her name dont care to remember), customize her stats, and inventory then are basically thrown into the world whille it is seemingly plummeting into chaos. will you make the right choices? or will you end up..

at The Bottom of the Well.

WAAITTTTT THAT WAS SO CLEAN

Oct 9, 2024·1h·3·Verified

Steam User 1965STEAMNot recommended

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Sep 26, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 9075STEAMRecommended

It is free.
It is a game.
TBH this doesn't need a review, look at the screenshots on the store page and if it seems your thing, play it.

"I played this in 2016"/10

Sep 24, 2024·3h·Verified

Steam User 8281STEAMRecommended

This is the most in depth and varied visual novel I have ever played. The game requires you to go down very specific paths in order to acquire the numbers for a code, which you can use to escape the dream. It requires upwards of 10 playthroughs before you can get the "true" ending. It is a very in depth game that the developers obviously put a lot of love into. The art style has a very unique theme, the characters all feel very real especially Alice and the Mad Hatter. Their conversation feel natural, like conversations I would have with my friends. It also has very fun achievements, the best quality of a free to play indie game. seeing that the game is free, it is absolutely worth checking out if you are curious.

Sep 24, 2024·5h·2·Verified

Steam User 9496STEAMRecommended

Um jogo narrativo independente que mistura temas de ficção científica e aventura com uma experiência focada em escolhas e consequências.

Strengths (Forças):
[list]
[*]Narrativa envolvente: O jogo se destaca pela profundidade de sua história e pela construção de um enredo com múltiplos desfechos baseados nas escolhas do jogador.
[*]Estilo artístico único: A estética gráfica, que remete a histórias em quadrinhos, cria uma identidade visual marcante e memorável.
[*]Tom atmosférico: A atmosfera apocalíptica e sombria, combinada com a música, cria uma sensação imersiva que prende o jogador.
[*]Diversidade de escolhas: O sistema de múltiplas escolhas realmente impacta o desenvolvimento da história, oferecendo um nível alto de rejogabilidade.
[/list]
[b]Weaknesses (Fraquezas):[/b]
[list]
[*]Jogabilidade limitada: Por ser um jogo altamente focado em narrativas e textos, pode não atrair jogadores que preferem uma experiência mais interativa ou com maior ação.
[*]Duração curta: Mesmo com finais alternativos, a experiência inicial pode ser concluída rapidamente, o que pode desapontar jogadores que buscam jogos mais longos.
[*]Repetição: Jogadores que buscam todos os finais possíveis podem sentir que algumas escolhas levam a repetição de certos eventos, tornando a jogabilidade menos dinâmica em múltiplas jogadas.
[/list]
[b]Opportunities (Oportunidades):[/b]
[list]
[*][b]Mercado de jogos narrativos em crescimento:[/b] Com o aumento da popularidade de jogos focados em escolhas e narrativas, "The Bottom of the Well" pode atrair uma comunidade de jogadores que busca esse tipo de experiência.
[*][b]Expansão de conteúdo:[/b] O jogo poderia ser expandido com DLCs ou atualizações que adicionem novas ramificações à história ou novos finais, aumentando seu valor e longevidade.
[*][b]Parcerias com plataformas de streaming:[/b] A história interativa poderia se beneficiar de parcerias com streamers ou criadores de conteúdo que gostam de jogos narrativos.
[/list]
[b]Threats (Ameaças):[/b]

[*][i]Concorrência com outros jogos narrativos:[/i] Jogos como "Life is Strange" e "The Walking Dead" da Telltale oferecem experiências narrativas mais refinadas, o que pode ofuscar títulos menores como este.
[*][i]Foco em nicho:[/i] O estilo e a abordagem podem limitar o público, já que nem todos os jogadores buscam esse nível de leitura e narrativa estática em suas experiências de jogo.
[list]
[b]Resumo da Análise[/b]
[hr][/hr]
Prós:

[*]Narrativa envolvente e densa, com múltiplos finais baseados em escolhas.
[*]Estilo artístico único que complementa a atmosfera sombria.
[*]Alto nível de rejogabilidade devido à diversidade de escolhas.
[/list]
Contras:
[list]
[*]Jogabilidade limitada para jogadores que buscam mais ação e interação.
[*]Duração relativamente curta, mesmo com múltiplos finais.
[*]Repetitividade nas jogadas subsequentes.
[/list]
[b]Conclusão:[/b]

"The Bottom of the Well" é uma excelente opção para fãs de narrativas profundas e jogos focados em escolhas. Se você aprecia histórias interativas com várias possibilidades de desfecho e não se incomoda com uma jogabilidade mais contida, este jogo pode ser uma experiência bastante gratificante. No entanto, se você busca ação ou uma experiência mais longa e dinâmica, pode achar o jogo um tanto limitado.
[hr][/hr]

Sep 20, 2024·13·Verified

Steam User 9477STEAMRecommended

음산한 분위기의
무료
비쥬얼 노벨게임

다크한 분위기를 잘 살렸고
스토리도 괜찮다.

선택지및 분기점이 꽤 많기
때문에 루트가 상당히 많다.

한글패치는 없지만
해석 난이도가
매우 쉽다.

배경 및캐릭터들의 어두운 분위기를
잘 살렸다.

Sep 19, 2024·7h·4·Verified

Steam User 4229STEAMNot recommended

De fato chegamos no fundo do poço.

Sep 8, 2024·Verified

Steam User 7864STEAMRecommended

84%

Aug 20, 2024·8h·3·Verified

Steam User 0139STEAMNot recommended

Why does mad hatter have to keep asking questions or making comments? It's every text box. Alice is doing up 8-line paragraphs just to get a word in. Aside from that, the only good things about this game were the music and the mouse.

Aug 20, 2024·2h·Verified

Steam User 7765STEAMRecommended

Просто заспидранил всю игру и получил достижения.
Потому что русского языка всё равно нету...

Aug 15, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 8311STEAMNot recommended

This game is unengaging and boring

Aug 13, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 5079STEAMRecommended

Jul 8, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 5690STEAMRecommended

‎

Jul 3, 2024·1h·3·Verified

Steam User 7447STEAMRecommended

made me unable to sleep
it's 5am
check my discussion post for spoilers

Jun 30, 2024·5h·1·Verified

Steam User 6066STEAMRecommended

Short choose your own adventure narrative. Worth a play through or two.

Jun 23, 2024·Verified

Steam User 7661STEAMRecommended

A fascinating and immersive story, totally worth playing since it's free anyway.

Jun 20, 2024·2h·Verified

Steam User 9127STEAMRecommended

- 모든 도전과제 완료 한방컷 -

< First Death & Better Prepared & I live, I die, I live again! >
(Default Alice)
"I went online to find out what was going on"
"The Fallout Shelter seemed like the best option"
(Exit Inventory)
"I gave up"
"I needed to get out of town"
"to try to steal o vehicle right away"
"What i had planned to - find and appropriate a car"
"No - i still hoped i could get far enough away to be out of danger"
(Repeat 1 time & 5 times & 10 times)

< Angel & Metro 2016 & So Close... >
(I would like a custom Alice)
Survival: 2 / Fitness: 2 / Social Life: 2 / Supplies: 1 / Career: 1 / Dating: 1
"I went online to find out what was going on"
"The Fallout Shelter seemed like the best option"
(Take food / Exit Inventory)
"I tried to push the door open"
"I said i wasn't the only one wanting to get in"
"I tried to get as many in as i could"
"I gave up both my food, and my spot"
"I could try to leave town, leading the group"
"to walk past the worst"
"I kept walking although i started looking for shelter"
"I knew we didn't have much time, so we ducked into the closet shelter we could find"
"I just huddled down and joined in the praying"
"We left, promising ourselves we'd try to find help"
"I wanted to keep going"
"I went up to them and confronted them"
"I explain me and mine were going through, and there was nothing they could do about it"

< Happily Ever After >
(I would like a custom Alice)
Survival: 1 / Fitness: 2 / Social Life: 2 / Supplies: 2 / Career: 0 / Dating: 2
"I went with Ches, to help him out with his sister"
(Take food / Take food / Take Flashlight / Exit Inventory)
"We decided to walk out of the worst chaos"
"I kept walking, intending to get away from danger before i had to stop walking"
"For 24 hours"
"I wanted to keep going"
"I went up to them and confronted them."
"I tried talking my way through"

< Shelter King >
(I would like a custom Alice)
Survival: 2 / Fitness: 2 / Social Life: 2 / Supplies: 3 / Career: 0 / Dating: 0
"I went online to find out what was going on"
"The Fallout Shelter seemed like the best option"
(Take food / Take food / Take food / Take First Aid Kit / Take Flashlight / Take Crowbar / Exit Inventory)
"I tried talking my way in"
"I decided to take the Queen up on her offer"
"It was live or die. I went in alone"
"I asked her who the hell put her in charge"
"I stepped in - this was unacceptable"
"I voted for working on the trap door"
"We started digging"
"I wasn't going down without a fight - that fallout shelter was ours!"
"I was done with the ♥♥♥♥♥ - i socked her on the jaw"

< Furiosa >
(I would like a custom Alice)
Survival: 3 / Fitness: 3 / Social Life: 3 / Supplies: 0 / Career: 0 / Dating: 0
"I needed to think about my options"
"I decided to try to leave town"
(Take Crowbar / Take First Aid Kit / Exit Inventory)
"to try to steal a vehicle right away"

< Such A Bad Idea & Follow the White Rabbit & The Keypad >
(I would like a custom Alice)
Survival: 3 / Fitness: 3 / Social Life: 0 / Supplies: 1 / Career: 2 / Dating: 0
"I needed to think about my options"
"I decided to try to tough it out at home"
(Take food / Take First Aid Kit / Exit Inventory)
" I stayed for 24 hours. Like the man on Tv said"
" I took my bag and left"
" I stuck with my original intention - to leave, alone"
" I needed to get out of town, as far as i could go"
" There are other bridges across. I went downriver to find one"
" No, damn it. I had gotten this far. I was crossing."
" Run as fast as I could"
"I tried to open the box"
"4714"

May 22, 2024·1h·2·Verified

Steam User 3386STEAMRecommended

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　　　　　(,`, 　　　　,.ノ
　　　　　ゞ_,,,....彡彡~

May 8, 2024·Verified

Steam User 8605STEAMRecommended

Decent little game especially considering its free.

Dont expect to beat this game on your first run as you need the knowledge of what to do/bring in previous options and theres 3 achievements for dying 1, 5 & 10 times so its definitely not in your odds that you will survive your first run so consider it a bit of a roguelike also hit that skip button if your trying to get back to your previous choices.

Achievements arent too bad its mostly just dying and getting to the different endings with only a few id consider niche so use a guide if your having trouble on the wrap up.

May 4, 2024·2h·Verified

Steam User 2424STEAMRecommended

não dá pra chegar no final verdadeiro com alice normal, melhor ir customizando a personagem em cada run desse novel

Apr 18, 2024·7h·Verified

Steam User 1357STEAMRecommended

The Bottom of the Well is a unique visual novel with strategy and RPG elements involved!

Alice (in Wonderland?!) is retelling a dream she had to a friend about her time in a post-apocalyptic world where she had to fight to stay alive.

Each choice in this game reflects what Alice did in her dream, so basically, she's recalling the dream as you choose it to happen, which I believe to be a really neat concept.

I love the art style too, it's mostly just black, white and red but it's all done in a way that is befitting of a post-apocalyptic era.

The game is free and although this game isn't quite for me, I can see why people would enjoy it. It is a really unique concept after all!

Apr 18, 2024·1h·1·Verified

Steam User 3360STEAMRecommended

Returned to this game just to finish up and snag all of that achievements.

Mar 27, 2024·2h·1·Verified

Steam User 2465STEAMRecommended

☀️

Mar 26, 2024·12h·1·Verified

Steam User 1711STEAMRecommended

Жена сказала, что если на этом обзоре наберётся 10 лайков и 5 наград, то она подарит ящик пива. Мужики, выручайте!

Mar 19, 2024·1h·2·Verified

Steam User 9241STEAMRecommended

⠀

Feb 8, 2024·14h·8·Verified

Steam User 0511STEAMRecommended

intruiging gameplay with witty banter

Jan 26, 2024·8h·Verified

Steam User 2898STEAMRecommended

Just a Taste of The Bottom of The Well

Each dream different yet feeling oh so familiar.

[list]
[*] [b]Gameplay[/b]
[/list] - In The Bottom of The Well (TBTW) you will be making choices with just your mouse. There's very little you can do other then go through the text using your space bar if you are tired of clicking, but eventually you will have to use your mouse to make a choice. Now the choices you make are not exactly akin to like Telltale's The Walking Dead game or Detroit: Become Human. In my honest assessment it plays more like a choice driven puzzle game. There's [spoiler]only one[/spoiler] ending, but it's in no way '[i]clear[/i]' as to how to achieve the ending. You just got to keep going down the different paths until you do get an actual proper objective and then even after that there's more paths to take in order to properly finish the game.

Different Alice's - Now in order to finish the game you have to play the game as you normally would. Make choices and see how it goes. I will say this as [b]MAYbe[/b] a minor spoiler, but if you haven't made it to the [spoiler]college and you haven't spoken to the old man[/spoiler] you are doing something wrong. That's about all I'm going to say in terms of any [b]BIG[/b] spoilers. Now I encourage people who are reading this to toy around with all of the Alice's available if you do not want to search up anything for the game. The different Alice's range from a default version that the developers give you to being able to craft your own Alice with different stats like: Social, Romance, Survival etc...

[b][list]
[*] Dreams
[/list][/b] - Essentially the 'dreams' are a narration tool that if something goes wrong like: "if you die" that nothing really happens to you, but there are implications that your dreams have some sort of relationship to reality, but I'm not in the business of spoiling unnecessarily.

[list]
[*] [b]Apocalypse[/b]
[/list] - Like I said before there's one true objective, but outside of that I guess what you would call your 'regular' objective is to survive in a [i]Apocalyptic / Apocalypse[/i] setting. It is sort of fresh to be playing a game that's before and after a very catastrophic event in real time I suppose. I will say there is many things in TBTW that can kill you ( [spoiler]and you will most likely die a lot[/spoiler]). But that's kind of the fun factor of the game is seeing your choices play out and if they don't work ([spoiler]die[/spoiler]), seeing how you can adjust the choices and maybe see something else you haven't seen before.

[list]
[*] [b]Alice[/b]
[/list] - Alice is the main character who talks to her friend M. Hatter about her dreams that she's been having. Essentially your choices will formulate through the back and forth between both them. If I didn't mention it before there is no voice acting or anything like that, you are just mainly reading text and once in a while the artwork will change in the back to reflect where Alice is in her dreams. Overall I enjoyed the dialogue between both Alice and Hatter. Reading the text was honestly very enjoyable it felt just like if I was talking to a internet friend or even someone in real life. It felt really grounded and I had no problem visualizing everything, not even really needing the artwork in the back if they never did it to begin with.

[list]
[*] [b]M. Hatter[/b]
[/list] - The main side character who pretty much is in the entire game. There's not much to say that I haven't said already. I like the back and forth between both of them, but since Alice was the one that had the dreams she could in theory talk and talk and say nothing. But luckily we had Hatter to pretty much help Alice go through her dreams by mainly through asking questions, but also he will not hesitate to have his own opinions on certain choices that Alice makes via the player.

[list]
[*] [b]The Text[/b]
[/list] - The main reason why you would play this game in the first play whether it's free or not (it's free) is because you must like either A) enjoy the premise of the story or B) like make choices in games. Overall it's a story driven game mainly told in writing form, no voice acting or anything of the sort. Honestly there's nothing really I disliked about reading through TBTW. This is probably criticism outside of the text, but the only thing I mainly disliked was the amount of times I had to restart in order to make some headway, but other then that I think the writing is well done.

[list]
[*] [b]Artwork[/b]
[/list] - Every once in a while depending on the choices you are making and where you are in the game the artwork will change while you play. Mainly it changes to reflect where you are at in the game. Realistically it doesn't do whole lot in terms of the visualizing the world, because honestly the writing legit speaks for itself. So it all honesty not really needed, but aye something to look at on the screen will always be better then nothing ha ha.

[list]
[*] [b]Soundtrack[/b]
[/list] - The music was pretty much the same. There was only like 2 or 3 tracks something like that, that changed depending on the situation or the environment you are in. It's fine not much to say.

The Final Bite - If there is any take away from the review it's 2 things mainly 1) It's free so might as well try it, but most importantly 2) This is NOT a substitute for a choice driven game like The Wolf Among Us or Heavy Rain. Be prepared to having to do things over and over again until you figure it out in it's entirety. If you are okay with what I just said; I think TBTW is a honestly a chill experience. For a free game with the amount of creativity and freedom you have in having a play through is honestly pretty nice. Seeing how dialogue changes depending on what you picked previously or even if that was your first choice is always exciting to experience. Even though it's not like some of the other games I mentioned previously it's still enjoyable to go through.

[b]The Bottom of The Well 7/10[/b]

Dec 21, 2023·9h·Verified

Steam User 0429STEAMRecommended

The Bottom of the Well'de, dünyanın sonu hakkında rahatsız edici derecede gerçekçi bir rüya gören Alice olarak oynuyorsunuz. Deneyimini arkadaşına devasa, dallara ayrılan bir anlatımla yeniden anlatıyor. Tek bir oyun 20 dakika kadar kısa sürse de, Alice'in yıkıntıları arasında geçebileceği tüm olası yolları deneyimlemek...

Nov 17, 2023·2·Verified

Steam User 1793STEAMRecommended

A CYOA visual novel, a sort of a grimy and solemn riff on the Time Machine books you might have picked up after scoring a $20 off your mom for the scholastic book fair. Take it for granted that because it is a visual novel that there will be multiple endings; but unlike the expected vestigial aspect of a typical branching narrative, each playthrough here provides feedback toward discerning the larger plot. You can search all the endings to figure out the Big Mystery; or maybe just 4; or maybe just one if you're a lil cheatin-ass punk.

It's kinda clever, and a surprisingly satisfying game that spites its current asking price of "free." Yeah yeah, you can spend "free" on a bunch of other stuff too, I'm sure, but it's all stuff like... sloppy handjobs from a bitter housewife at the Church fundraiser. You can do better. This is definitely better than that.

Nov 9, 2023·5h·Verified

Steam User 3863STEAMRecommended

🤫🤫🤫🤫

Nov 8, 2023·1·Verified

Steam User 7536STEAMRecommended

To był dziwny sen, o ataku nuklearnym... Apokaliptyczna powieść wizualna z elementami RPG. W zależności od cech postaci, są różne możliwości działania. Wymagana dość dobra znajomość języka angielskiego.

Oct 15, 2023·2h·Verified

Steam User 1707STEAMRecommended

I really love the writting and story telling.

Jul 22, 2023·10h·Verified

Steam User 3192STEAMRecommended

爱丽丝末日冒险记，挺有意思。比想象中短，死路很多所以可以好多周目。如果没有攻略，我的爱丽丝大概一辈子都没机会逃出来……
最后补齐成就时，发现有闪退的问题。

[u]给两百个免费游戏写评测122篇[/u]成就完成度12/12

Jun 12, 2023·1h·8·Verified

Steam User 2061STEAMRecommended

This game is very in depth and has a bunch of choices. Completely leaves it to the player to make their decisions based on their perception. Plenty of dialogue, music, and outcomes.

May 17, 2023·1h·Verified

Steam User 6638STEAMNot recommended

May 11, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 8445STEAMRecommended

Интересная механика скиллов и инвентаря для визуальной новеллы.
Сеттинг шикарный - Алиса в стране чудес, но эта самая страна чудес стала криминальным городишкой и нужно выживать.
Ачивки легкие.

Apr 23, 2023·1·Verified

Steam User 5074STEAMRecommended

The game is easy to 100% and actually has quite an interesting story. Also, it is free. Everyone should give it a try.

Apr 6, 2023·1h·1·Verified

Steam User 8401STEAMRecommended

Well, it's the bottom of the well. It's a fun visual novel with multiple endings

Apr 5, 2023·3h·Verified

Steam User 5768STEAMRecommended

You get a lot of choices and some customization. Overall a good game and also free.

Mar 14, 2023·1h·Verified

Steam User 3101STEAMNot recommended

If you're going to make a game with Steam achievements, make sure they all work.

The VN itself is great though.

Mar 14, 2023·Verified

Steam User 8569STEAMRecommended

cool game i like ♥♥♥♥♥♥

Mar 2, 2023·6h·Verified

Steam User 5647STEAMRecommended

A visual novel with a simple and gritty illustration style. I enjoyed the story and the various endings we were able to play out. If someone is looking for a good end of the world genre visual novel this is very much something to look into.

Feb 24, 2023·5h·Verified

Steam User 0726STEAMRecommended

I live, I die, I live again!

Feb 19, 2023·Verified

Steam User 1327STEAMRecommended

Idk. I guess.

Feb 1, 2023·1h·Verified

Steam User 0409STEAMRecommended

Red Nettle, please make another game. This has to be the most underrated game of all time. Would recommend 10/10

Jan 29, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 8123STEAMRecommended

so bad but like for nothing

Jan 10, 2023·6h·Verified

Steam User 1091STEAMRecommended

I did pretty bad my first play through was not able to get a good ending. The game itself was interesting and based on what you choose is your fate

I got the bad ending sadly!

Dec 29, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 0916STEAMNot recommended

Honestly, it could've been told better. It all only being a dream kinda just takes away rather than adding to the story.
Aside from fun achievements the story in my opinion is lacking.

4/10 for this one.

Nov 18, 2022·2h·Verified

Steam User 9541STEAMRecommended

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Nov 4, 2022·14h·Verified

Steam User 1813STEAMRecommended

Prawie ja kassasin scredd

Moja ostateczna opinia to 5/10

Oct 16, 2022·28h·Verified

Steam User 9818STEAMRecommended

Fully guided Visual Novel which takes about 30 minutes to complete. Achievements count towards your profile.

Oct 13, 2022·6·Verified

Steam User 9739STEAMRecommended

Really fun story line would recommend this.

Oct 13, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 6949STEAMNot recommended

I tried to play this a few times and just couldn't get into it. Not sure why...

Oct 1, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 5412STEAMNot recommended

A choose-your-own-adventure that is presented through back-and-forth dialogue from a future perspective. The writing is very to the point and just dialogue which was boring. I think it would be better if the story was taking place from the MC's perspective in real-time, so you know, you can choose your own adventure and experience it instead of just reading dialogue about it.

Sep 26, 2022·1·Verified

Steam User 9230STEAMNot recommended

Boring!

Sep 11, 2022·Verified

Steam User 3625STEAMRecommended

Una historia corta pero con múltiples rutas y finales

Sep 10, 2022·2h·Verified

Steam User 5999STEAMRecommended

Actually pretty interesting for a free choices game :)

Jul 23, 2022·3h·Verified

Steam User 4341STEAMRecommended

(¯`·._)♣ ♤ ♥♠ villanueva-9 ♣ ♤ ♥♠(¯`·._)

Novela visuales visible algo corta con logros.

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Jul 13, 2022·6h·4·Verified

Steam User 6041STEAMRecommended

Fascinating story! Very much enjoyed exploring the various paths and interactions.
The running conversation between Alice and the Mad Hatter is also engaging and changes a bit as you continue to explore the dreaming.

Opening the safe using the keypad was....Well, I'm not sure what I was expecting! However, the concluding exchange you have with Mad Hatter is deliciously unsettling.

A very strange dream :-)

Jul 4, 2022·5h·Verified

Steam User 7438STEAMRecommended

I love everything about this game! What is there to say without spoiling anything, the story is solid, and there are so many variables and sequences that you have hours and hours of gameplay.

Jun 30, 2022·3h·Verified

Steam User 7599STEAMRecommended

Go down the rabbit hole in this choose your own apocalypse story. It's pretty decent with a character you can customize to try different ways to play through the game. You play Alice who tells her tale to the Mad Hatter. There is a guide for this game from the Community that will help you easily obtain any Steam Achievements you may have missed.

Jun 28, 2022·1h·3·Verified

Steam User 9150STEAMNot recommended

Знаете, что помогает мне сохранять оптимизм? Осознание того, что всегда может быть намного хуже. Казалось бы, что может быть страшнее, чем находиться в крупном городе во время ядерной бомбардировки, но главная героиня игры The Bottom of the Well знает ответ — переживать эту бомбардировку раз за разом в своих снах, ощущающихся столь реальными. Стоит ли говорить о том, что эта игра является очередной интерпретацией сказки «Алиса в Стране чудес»?

Игровой процесс в данной визуальной новелле (Вы правильно прочитали — у этой визуальной новеллы есть игровой процесс) заключается в том, что игрок в роли Алисы переписывается со своим другом Безумным Шляпником, рассказывая о странных снах, начавшихся после того, как героиня поймала загадочный радиосигнал. Суть в том, что на этот рассказ оказывают влияние не только выборы сделанные во время прохождения, что для визуальных новелл не в новинку (хотя количество важных выборов здесь намного выше, чем в среднестатистической вн), но и распределение навыков в начале каждого круга. Например, если у Алисы будет прокачен навык Dating!?!, то с ней на момент начала рассказа будет её парень. Необычно, да?

May 6, 2022·3h·Verified

Steam User 2795STEAMRecommended

Great visual novel about how to survive in post-apocalyptic world.

Mar 22, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 6319STEAMRecommended

Jogo bom, gratuito e fácil de platinar! VAI JOGAR!!

Feb 24, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 8299STEAMRecommended

A really cool little visual novel! I like the visual style, and I love the...I don't know what to call this. The Zero Escape games have the same mechanic. But I love that stuff. Short, but that's a good thing when you're trying to figure out how to get the information and endings you need. I liked it!

Feb 16, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 0034STEAMRecommended

Highly recommended for all post-apocalyptic fiction fans.

I'm not usually a big visual novel type, but this is a great example of storytelling in a choose-your-own adventure style. The graphics are minimal, audio is one sound looping over and over and a play through only lasts about 20 minutes. However, the writing is really good, there are a bunch of branching story paths, even character customization which impacts the ability to reach different endings and a really well thought out twist to get the true ending. It's free and totally worth the time if you have even the slightest interest.

Feb 12, 2022·2h·Verified

Steam User 5624STEAMRecommended

Show de pelotas

Jan 16, 2022·1h·Verified

Steam User 9834STEAMRecommended

♥♥♥♥♥ не понятно.

Jan 15, 2022·Verified

Steam User 3059STEAMRecommended

A wonderful game with many different endings, twists, and turns. I truly enjoyed finding a way to get all of the achievements! If you like Choose Your Own Adventure books and games, you'll love this!

Nov 20, 2021·95h·Verified

Steam User 7611STEAMRecommended

The Bottom of the Well is a visual novel where choices matter. The story is good and I was left wanting to play again. The game is fairly short which is perfect for me. The colors and art of the game really works. I like that there are different character builds for runs.
It's a game that allows you to make a choice and have different consequences ...and your choice really does matter.
This is a free to play game. If you like visual novels, why not give it a try?

Nov 8, 2021·1h·Verified

Steam User 8026STEAMRecommended

A very interesting story with multiple endings. Just be prepared though...there is a LOT of reading! Definitely recommend if you are in to choose your own adventure sort of stories as this is sorta like one of those.

Oct 17, 2021·4h·2·Verified

Steam User 8033STEAMRecommended

Interesting pick-a-path game. I would have enjoyed a little more art to go with the game, but that is my only gripe. 7/10

Oct 2, 2021·1h·Verified