Now, Dunky (real name Jason Gastrow) wants to parlay his 14-year career as an entertainment critic into a serious business, publishing indie games, something most influencers have tried. That's not the point.
On Thursday, his publisher Bigmode released its first game, Animal Well. In this game, a mysterious blob explores a complex maze, encountering animals that can help or hinder his journey. Billy Basso spent seven years creating this game. The game relies on well-designed puzzles and hidden secrets to increase player motivation, and receives special attention thanks to Dunkey.
A few days before the game was released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Switch, Gustrow posted a YouTube video encouraging players within Counter-Strike and VRChat to put Animal Well on their wishlists.
“He has unique tastes,” said his wife and business partner Leah Gastrow, who answered questions on her husband's behalf and described him as press-shy. “It happened many times that he picked up the game before he had mainstream success.”
(He gave early praise for the 2018 game Celeste, now considered an indie classic.)
Game reviews on YouTube and Twitch are a thriving subculture, with influencers often sponsored by companies to promote titles in exchange for money.
“The problem comes when influencers don't necessarily adhere to journalistic ethics,” said Ash Parrish, a staff writer who covers games at The Verge. “Dunky gets away with it because he's not afraid to say something bad. In fact, people like to hear what he has to say.”
Jason Gastrow said he did not receive any sponsorship to review the game. His ability to criticize without scorching the earth has earned him nearly 7.5 million subscribers on YouTube. His logo is a donkey wearing sunglasses and smoking a large cigar.
He also became a modest celebrity in the gaming industry. In a public vote conducted by the Milwaukee Record, he was named Wisconsin's top celebrity, beating out football coach Curly Lambeau and actor Gene Wilder.
Part of the Metroidvania genre known for its maze-like structure, Animal Well caught the attention of the Gastrows at the 2022 industry event Summer Game Fest. Around that time, the couple was discussing plans for the company. Bigmode also publishes Star of Providence, a retro top-down shooter that reflects the tastes of its founders but doesn't necessarily reflect the dominant trends of large studios. He wants to raise the profile of his game.
For Animal Well, Basso spent nearly 80 hours each week working alone on the design of the game engine, animation, music, and more, relying on savings from working at large studios like NetherRealm, the developer of the Mortal Kombat series. He stated that Bigmode's feedback improved his gameplay experience.
“Every time I update the game, they end up playing from the beginning,” Basso said. “The big beats of the game don't really change that much. Maybe it's the order in which you do things, or the addition of visual cues to let players know that certain things are possible.” .”
Bigmode only had one major request during its development cycle, Leah Gastrow said. It's about putting more animals into the well.
Basso agreed, adding dozens of animals with distinctive animations and interactions. A kangaroo stomps the ground, a seahorse creates useful footholds with foam, and a rabbit seems to guide the player's path.
Marketing for Animal Well began in earnest at last year's Nintendo Showcase for Independent Developers, when Jason Gastrow introduced himself as “Funny Guy Videogamedunkey.” As Basso described his game as “full of puzzles that make you want to come back again and again,” Gastrow deliberately tripped over a pond of ducks quacking in the background.
A thriving Discord channel soon emerged where players attempted to decipher the subliminal content behind each frame of promotional videos. The mystery was part of a promotional strategy by Dan Adelman, head of business development at Animal Well.
“This game is a difficult game to bring to market because you can't tell its secrets,” Adelman said. “I can't convey how good it feels to play.”
The deepest secrets are encrypted. In an interview with Game File, Basso explained that hackers would need a “quantum computer” to access information without playing Animal Well as intended.
“It's very artistically handled from start to finish,” Leah Gastrow said. “And we will continue to produce as much as we can to bring this game to as many people as possible.”