Ahnayro: The Dream World

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 147 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Ahnayro: The Dream World Game Cover
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Ahnayro: The Dream World is a narrative-driven puzzle game that takes place in a haunting dream world filled with mysterious figures. Players explore immersive audio narratives and tackle 50 challenging puzzles, gathering real-world facts and information to guide their way. The game delves deep into historical events, bizarre subjects, and transmedia narratives to provide a unique and unexplored gaming experience.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 147 reviews
story9 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Ahnayro offers a unique and immersive experience that combines puzzle-solving with real-world research, making it engaging for players who enjoy learning and exploring history.
  • The game features a haunting atmosphere and beautiful visuals, enhancing the overall experience and drawing players into its dreamlike narrative.
  • The community surrounding the game is supportive and enriching, providing hints and discussions that enhance the gameplay experience without giving away answers.
  • The game lacks a proper tutorial, which can make it confusing for new players, especially those unfamiliar with American history or the game's mechanics.
  • Some puzzles are overly obscure and can lead to frustration, requiring extensive research that may not be enjoyable for all players, particularly those who prefer traditional puzzle games.
  • The game can feel incomplete or anticlimactic, with some players expressing disappointment in the lack of a satisfying conclusion or resolution to the narrative.
  • story30 mentions

    The game's story, centered around a young woman named Jocelyn suffering from a sleep disorder, is described as intriguing yet poorly executed, with many players finding it mildly interesting or lacking depth. While some appreciate the complex themes and connections to real-world topics, others feel the narrative is overshadowed by the puzzles, leading to a somewhat unsatisfying resolution. Overall, the story is seen as a backdrop that enhances the puzzle-solving experience, particularly for fans of the ARG genre.

    • “The game ties into 'The Black Watchmen' universe, which is an ARG-style game by the same developer, so the story continues there.”
    • “This puzzle-based game surrounds the story of Jocelyn, a young woman who's suffering from a horrific sleep disorder and who is undergoing treatment.”
    • “An ingenious puzzle game, inventive ways to solve, and an intriguing and complex story interwoven throughout, highly recommended for those who want to jumpstart their brains in the ways of abstract thinking.”
    • “There are no characters, action, and story.”
    • “There is no big ending though, just a somber story to reflect on.”
    • “Slightly confusing story but maybe because I haven't played Black Watchmen.”
  • gameplay10 mentions

    The gameplay primarily revolves around solving riddles that require players to conduct out-of-game research, making it akin to a single-player ARG or trivia game rather than a traditional puzzle experience. While some riddles incorporate logical connections that enhance enjoyment, others can feel disconnected and rely heavily on exhaustive research, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, the game offers a unique approach to puzzles by integrating internet searches as a core mechanic, but it lacks clear closure or feedback upon completion.

    • “It's a very unique puzzle game since it not only doesn't discourage looking for answers online - it uses internet search as its main mechanic.”
    • “I have played a few games, and the gameplay consists of multiple puzzles bound together by a good plot, mixed with a deep atmosphere.”
    • “The main gameplay loop consists of the game giving the player a riddle with text and/or images, the player doing out-of-game research on the internet to figure out the riddle, and then inputting their answer in-game.”
    • “Sometimes there's a logic present which makes it more enjoyable; other times it's just like remembering someone's birthday is the same date a certain book was published, with neither subject having anything else in common. This becomes a bit obnoxious when you realize brute forcing the solution through exhaustive research was the only mechanic at play the entire time.”
    • “It's a very unique puzzle game since not only does it not discourage looking for answers online, but it uses internet search as its main mechanic.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, enhanced by exceptional graphics and a dreamlike musical score. Players appreciate the deep narrative interwoven with intriguing puzzles, although some find the gameplay mechanics confusing and repetitive. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the overall experience.

    • “The graphic, the music, the atmosphere... everything is exceptional.”
    • “The music adds to the ambience - haunting and dreamlike - adding to the mysterious atmosphere; as well as the puzzles there's a story weaved through in a dreamlike narrative.”
    • “An interesting puzzle game with a strange and haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The music adds to the ambience - haunting and dreamlike - enhancing the mysterious atmosphere; along with the puzzles, there's a story woven through in a dreamlike narrative.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting and dreamlike quality, enhancing the overall atmosphere and complementing the engaging puzzles and narrative. Reviewers highlight the exceptional soundtrack and vocal work, which contribute significantly to the immersive experience, despite some criticism regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that enriches the game's mysterious and captivating ambiance.

    • “The music, the fantastic puzzles, and the lore pull you in, and the real world and the game world slowly start blending together and suddenly it's three hours later and you have 26 browser tabs open and three notebook pages full of scribblings.”
    • “Special mention to the soundtrack and the female voice that accompany us throughout this dream-like journey.”
    • “The music adds to the ambience - haunting and dreamlike - adding to the mysterious atmosphere; as well as the puzzles there's a story weaved through in a dreamlike narrative.”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The graphics of the game are highly praised for their exceptional quality, featuring a gorgeous steampunk aesthetic complemented by vintage photographs and a well-coordinated color scheme. The visuals effectively enhance the atmosphere, working in harmony with the music and voice recordings to create an immersive experience. Overall, the presentation is described as polished and visually appealing, contributing significantly to the game's narrative.

    • “The graphic, the music, the atmosphere... everything is exceptional.”
    • “The presentation of the game itself is gorgeous; the well-polished steampunk aesthetic is bolstered by vintage photographs and nice color schemes.”
    • “The atmosphere this game creates with music and visuals is absolutely perfect.”
    • “The visuals are kinda pretty.”
    • “The sounds and visuals are very well-done.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players appreciate the emotional depth of the game, noting that the seamless integration of dream and waking world puzzles enhances immersion and creates a detective-like experience. The ability to engage with real-world elements adds a layer of authenticity, contributing to a fulfilling and emotionally resonant gameplay experience.

    • “The concept of a game that made you look up things within the real world just made me feel so deep in the story.”
    • “This further adds to the immersion, and made me feel like I was acting out a detective novel.”
    • “Fortunately, I had a balance of 50-50 at least, and ultimately made me feel good about the game!”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, often feeling like they are forced into lengthy research sessions on topics that do not interest them.

    • “Despite it looking like it would be a fun mystery, what I ended up with was a tedious research session about topics I simply don't care about.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which quickly became boring and frustrating.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game features no in-game purchases, indicating a completely free-to-play experience without additional monetization strategies.

    • “In-game purchases: none”
    • “The game offers a fair monetization model without any pressure to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that there are no paywalls, allowing everyone to enjoy the game equally.”
    • “The game feels like a cash grab with its excessive in-game purchases.”
    • “I was disappointed by the aggressive monetization tactics that ruin the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully; it feels like pay-to-win.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game's replayability is considered low, indicating that players may not find sufficient motivation to revisit it after completing it once.

    • “Replayability is low.”
    • “The game lacks incentives to play through again.”
    • “Once you've completed it, there's little reason to return.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

95% average critic score

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