Fountains, a soulslike action-RPG with a Metroidvania structure, is out now on Xbox. The game was created by solo developer John Pywell over approximately five years and is published by Crunching Koalas at a price of $14.99. The Xbox launch was marked by an interview with Pywell on Xbox Wire, published September 17, 2026, in which he discussed the long development process and the inspirations behind the game.
A five year solo project
Pywell, a computer science graduate from Canada who works full time in the programming field, built Fountains in the Godot engine, which he calls the best all-around free engine for 2D games. The game is entirely 2D sprites with no 3D modelling, though the original prototype was a top-down 3D game. The music was composed by Travis Moberg. Pywell said the hardest part was learning pixel art; his early art was rudimentary and improved over the five years. He expected only his friends to play it and was surprised by its international success, including players in Japan.
What Fountains plays like
Fountains is inspired by Dark Souls 1 for its twisting, interlocking, mysterious world design and by Hollow Knight for its Metroidvania exploration and the combat mechanic of hitting enemies to regain the player’s magic resource. Pywell described that mechanic as “shamelessly stolen from Hollow Knight.” The game is also influenced by the 1986 film “Labyrinth,” with a strange world, characters speaking in riddles, and a sense of mystery. Players take the role of a hooded stranger imprisoned by a tyrannical regime, seeking the Fountain of Youth. The game features a single seamless interconnected world described as one giant dungeon, adjustable difficulty settings, an online message system where players leave hints, secret bosses, and dark fantasy lore told through environmental storytelling. The exploration loop is Metroidvania style: the whole world is technically open from the start, but players must acquire tools and skills to push past barriers, returning later with the right item. Pywell described this as rewarding curiosity with “aha” moments. He wanted to include more truly hidden secret bosses, but the final boss was added only a few months before release. Fountains also arrives during a busy stretch for indie games on Xbox, joining this week’s other releases such as Kernel Hearts.
