Broken Dreams
- February 18, 2016
- Mihai Morosanu
Get on Steam"Broken Dreams" is a platformer game featuring a dark, melancholy story of unrequited love and hand-drawn gothic artwork. Players control the character Jack and his shadow friends, copies that repeat his previous actions, to overcome obstacles and solve levels. The game offers new levels, professional voice-overs, and a free asset pack in its expansion from the original flash-based version.
Reviews
- The game features a unique shadow mechanic that adds an interesting twist to the puzzle platforming experience.
- The music is calming and well-composed, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Despite its short length, the game provides a satisfying experience for its low price, making it a decent time-killer.
- The story is clichéd and lacks depth, failing to engage players emotionally.
- Voice acting is inconsistent, with some performances feeling off-putting and poorly executed.
- The game is very short, with many players completing it in under an hour, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction.
- story48 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it clichéd and underwhelming, often revolving around themes of unrequited love and lacking character development. While some appreciated the emotional resonance and the potential for deeper interpretation, others criticized the execution, including poor voice acting and a lack of closure. Overall, the narrative is seen as simplistic and derivative, failing to engage players meaningfully.
“Where I come from, when we share a story, it spans eons, echoing the tales of our ancestors.”
“That's what makes this game's story hit home for me...”
“There is a story, though it's simple, which the ending kind of makes you reflect about life when you are in a relationship.”
“The story is flat and flavorless.”
“Too short to get attached to the characters, but no matter how long the game was, storytelling is so bad no character development would ever happen.”
“The graphics are pretty unprofessional-looking, the story is just about the most cliche you can find, and the music is generic 'sad, sentimental' music.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay features an interesting shadow mechanic that allows players to manipulate shadows to solve puzzles, but it suffers from issues like clunky controls and a lack of originality, as similar concepts have been explored in other games. While some players find the levels well-designed and the gameplay enjoyable for a short experience, many criticize the overall execution, including a weak story and minimal challenge. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mixed bag, with potential for fun but ultimately falling short of expectations.
“The core gameplay is always to bring objects to an exit point and rearranging either crates, protagonists, or shadows to get there, getting a nugget of story on the next level as a reward.”
“This game is a short, sweet, little puzzle platformer with well thought out levels and several interesting, unique mechanics.”
“The gameplay is freaking amazing.”
“However, a boring story, really odd voice acting, and short gameplay make this a pass, unless you get it in a bundle or on sale. At that point, you might as well get some other puzzle game, like Braid.”
“The gameplay's gimmicks get wonky at times, with shadows not following your previous actions and not working in level 7 for some unexplained reason.”
“My biggest issue is actually that it reminds me a lot of a free game I played on Kongregate called 'The Company of Myself.' The gameplay and story are almost exactly the same, and the Kongregate game had smoother, tighter controls and a much heavier story/ending.”
- music27 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as beautiful and calming, with a focus on "sad piano" themes that enhance the emotional atmosphere. However, many users note that the soundtrack is repetitive, featuring only one track, which can become annoying over time. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its soothing qualities, it lacks variety and depth.
“Beautiful music.”
“The music is the same selection you've heard in the trailer labeled 'it's hard to let go' (the name alone sets the mood of the entire game's plot) by Michael Ortega, which is more commonly referred to as 'sad piano' by other users.”
“This game is only forty-nine cents and it has great music and a unique art style...for the price alone, get it.”
“The music is the same selection you've heard in the trailer labeled 'It's Hard to Let Go' (the name alone sets the mood of the entire game's plot) by Michael Ortega, which is more commonly referred to as 'sad piano' by other users.”
“The same cliché sad music looping.”
“Music is repetitive and there is only 1 track.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique art style and calming music, while others criticize the visuals as unprofessional and lacking in animation. Many users suggest that the artwork does not meet expectations, describing it as basic and poorly executed, which may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics may appeal to those who prioritize aesthetics, but they are generally considered subpar.
“The art style is pretty nice and the music is calming.”
“This game is only forty-nine cents and it has great music and a unique art style...for the price alone, get it.”
“It's got lovely artwork, beautiful music and a (short) story to tell along with an interesting mechanic.”
“The graphics and story are crappy and basic, so wait for it to go on sale.”
“Slightly better visuals will rip your eyes out due to being written in Flash, so no texture filtering.”
“The graphics are pretty unprofessional-looking, the story is just about the most cliche you can find, and the music is generic 'sad, sentimental' music.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game "Broken Dreams" is polarizing; while some players find its themes of unrequited love and accompanying music to be deeply moving and heartbreaking, others criticize the story as boring and the voice acting as odd, detracting from the overall experience. Despite its potential for emotional impact, the gameplay and narrative execution leave many feeling underwhelmed.
“So, when I encountered 'Broken Dreams', I was hoping for an immersive experience, similar to the heart-wrenching tales of love and loss we share during our long winter nights.”
“This game is so sad, yet so heartbreaking.”
“It's so wonderful with the emotional music and the puzzle quite easy.”
“However, the boring story, really odd voice acting, and short gameplay make this a pass. Unless you get it in a bundle or on sale, you might as well choose another puzzle game, like Braid.”
“Plain boring story.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for clunky controls and numerous bugs, particularly with clone mechanics that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, players report a lack of polish that detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“Clunky controls, buggy clones, poorly made.”
“The shadows that separate from you and repeat your movements can be buggy and frustrating at times.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally considered somber, but the voice acting, particularly that of the female character, has been criticized for feeling mismatched and off-putting, detracting from the overall experience.
“The male voice actor was acceptable, but the female voice sounded like she had just emerged from a cold swim in icy waters; her voice felt off-putting and mismatched to the somber atmosphere.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development is lacking, with players feeling that the game is too short to form attachments to the characters. Additionally, the overall storytelling quality is criticized, suggesting that even a longer game would not improve character development.
“The character development is so shallow that I couldn't form any real attachment to them, regardless of the game's length.”
“The storytelling is so poor that even with more time, I doubt any meaningful character development would occur.”
“Characters feel one-dimensional and lack the depth needed for genuine growth throughout the game.”
