BAD DREAMS
- July 24, 2023
- CREATIVE VR3D
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"BAD DREAMS" is a surreal, first-person exploration game set in a series of unsettling dreamscapes. Players must navigate through a series of twisted environments, uncovering hidden objects and solving puzzles to unravel the mystery behind their nightmares. With a focus on atmospheric storytelling and immersive environments, "BAD DREAMS" invites players to explore their darkest fears and confront their own subconscious.
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game offers total immersion with an awesome atmosphere and terrifying environments, making it a thrilling VR horror experience.
- Despite some bugs, many players appreciate the unique gameplay mechanics and the engaging puzzles that enhance the horror experience.
- The developers are responsive and have released updates to improve gameplay, showing commitment to enhancing the game over time.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including issues with controls, physics, and progression, making it frustrating for players.
- Many players have reported that the game feels unfinished and lacks polish, with inconsistent VR interactions and confusing mechanics.
- Some users experienced significant performance issues and glitches that detracted from the overall experience, leading to refunds.
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its surreal and immersive qualities, effectively combining oppressive music, well-designed locations, and engaging visuals to create a constant sense of suspense and horror. Players appreciate the thoughtful integration of sound and lighting, which enhances the overall experience and contributes to memorable scares beyond typical jump scares. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that elevates the gameplay.
“It's a real shame because the atmosphere in the game up to this point is great and really surreal in places.”
“Everything about this game is well thought out and put together - lighting, sound, atmosphere, story and so much more.”
“The game, along with the atmosphere and oppressive music, constantly keeps you in suspense and does not allow you to relax.”
“And not standard default screamers, but music and atmosphere.”
“Game has a mix of atmosphere, story, combat, platforming (mostly climbing), and puzzles.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are well-received, with many praising the graphical fidelity and the effective use of AI artwork, contributing to an immersive atmosphere. While some users noted minor bugs and inconsistencies, the visuals are considered strong for a VR title, with good performance on high settings. Comparisons to other VR games like "Half-Life: Alyx" suggest that while it may not reach the same visual heights, it still delivers a commendable experience.
“The graphics, environment, enemies, and scary elements and events made this an enjoyable ride.”
“I also really liked the AI artwork you had in the game; it's refreshing to see the technology used this way.”
“The game looks pretty decent; the graphics are very good for VR games, the puzzles are interesting and fascinating, and it turned out perfectly to create an atmosphere of horror.”
“Noped out after half an hour because of odd tutorial, buggy mechanics, and standalone level graphics.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the cohesive ending and the overall thoughtfulness of the narrative, others find it confusing and disjointed. Developers are reportedly working on expanding the story with additional levels, indicating a commitment to enhancing the narrative experience. Overall, the story is seen as a blend of atmosphere and gameplay elements, contributing to the game's immersive quality.
“The story was not bad and the ending really ties it all together, although the devs have stated they are working on more levels and expanding the adventure/story.”
“Game has a mix of atmosphere, story, combat, platforming (mostly climbing), and puzzles.”
“Everything about this game is well thought out and put together - lighting, sound, atmosphere, story, and so much more.”
“The story is also confusing and disjointed.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of experiences, with some players finding the tutorial confusing and mechanics buggy, leading to early exits. However, others appreciate unique features that enhance the horror experience, such as the lighter extinguishing when running and the need to shield oneself from frightening visuals. Overall, the gameplay offers intriguing mechanics but suffers from execution issues.
“Interesting gameplay features will allow us to feel all this horror more deeply.”
“It also has some very interesting game mechanics, such as the lighter going out if you run or when you see something very scary having to put your arms to your face and pulling the trigger to counter the insanity brewing.”
“Noped out after half an hour because of odd tutorial, buggy mechanics, and standalone level graphics.”
“It was a bit short of 3 hours of gameplay (18/20 achievements on first playthrough).”
“Anyways, here’s the gameplay along with my initial impressions…”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its ability to create a tense and immersive atmosphere, effectively enhancing the horror experience with well-chosen tracks and creepy ambient sounds. However, some users feel that the music is excessively loud compared to other audio elements, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it is praised for its contribution to suspense and ambiance.
“Cool horror game, great atmosphere, locations and monsters, well-chosen music.”
“Good spatial audio, with very creepy ambient sounds and a good musical soundtrack.”
“The music is way too loud compared to the other sounds.”
“The game, along with the atmosphere and oppressive music, constantly keeps you in suspense and does not allow you to relax.”
“Cool horror game, great atmosphere, locations, and monsters, but the music could be better.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs that hinder gameplay, including problematic tutorials and rough mechanics. Many players found the experience frustrating enough to abandon the game shortly after starting. Overall, it is described as a "buggy mess" that detracts significantly from the enjoyment.
“Unfortunately, this game is a buggy mess.”
“Too buggy to play.”
“This game is buggy, and a lot of the VR interactions are just rough around the edges.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has faced criticism due to performance issues such as stutters, frame drops, and crashes, particularly in chapter 1.3, alongside problematic controls and a fixed vignette that doesn't accommodate high FOV headsets. However, recent updates have improved gameplay and addressed some of these issues.
“They have already released some good updates that have optimized gameplay and fixed some problems.”
“Bad performance (stutters, heavy frame drops, and a crash in chapter 1.3), wonky controls, a vignette you can't disable that does not adjust to headsets with high FOV, and a menu that's floating 30m in the distance somewhere with no way to get closer.”
“The optimization is terrible; I experienced constant frame drops and stuttering, making the game nearly unplayable.”
“The controls feel unresponsive and laggy, which severely impacts the overall gameplay experience.”
