DreamBreak
- July 20, 2016
- Aist
An adventure that will only appeal to people who really miss the old ways
"DreamBreak is a single-player Horror Action game with exceptional music and good visuals in a distinctive Cyrillic pixel art style. As everyman Eugene, you'll navigate a cyberpunk city filled with propaganda, brutal police, and lethal robots, unraveling a baffling conspiracy in a tangled world of unexpected quirks. Help Eugene survive, learn who to trust, and collect loot in this unique mix of gameplay."
Reviews
- The pixel graphics and animation are lovely, creating an immersive and nostalgic atmosphere.
- The music is well-composed and enhances the overall experience of the game.
- The game offers a unique artistic adventure experience with clever puzzles and engaging combat.
- The controls are unintuitive, slow, and buggy, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The game is very short with limited storytelling and exploration options.
- There are numerous bugs that detract from the overall enjoyment and immersion of the game.
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it feels minimal and unremarkable, lacking significant narrative elements or cinematic storytelling. However, the pixel art and animation encourage players to use their imagination, potentially offering a more personal storytelling experience. Overall, while the visuals and style are praised, the story itself is seen as a weak point, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative.
“The story seems interesting, the graphics/style is fantastic, the music/sound pretty good.”
“It's a short game with a weak story and easy puzzles, but it has a cool style to it and it was enjoyable to play through for me.”
“Graphics, music, story and everything is amazing but the massive deal breaker are the controls.”
“Sadly, there is not much storytelling, not much to do, and gameplay is very limited. However, the different minigames I encountered during the gameplay helped me to forget this lack of limits in the game. You can explore different places with point-and-click commands using the mouse cursor: click left/right to walk/run, click up near the character's head to jump, and click up near obstacles to climb, etc.”
“This game feels to me like an old Amiga game (Mission Impossible, Another World, Flashback, etc.), but you should not think this game has the same longevity or storytelling, or you will be deluded into buying it.”
“So if you accept the fact that this is a little short game, with not much to do and not much storytelling, but you want to enjoy it for 1 or 2 hours because you feel nostalgic about the old games and you have never played this, I'm sure you will enjoy this wonderful visual experience. Otherwise, it’s better to just watch my video gameplay remix.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic quality, effectively enhancing the atmosphere with catchy and well-composed tracks. Reviewers appreciate the retro-styled soundtrack that complements the pixel graphics and overall visual style, contributing to a captivating experience.
“The environments' atmosphere is very immersive and nostalgic, and the pixel graphics and animation are lovely. The music is very good too.”
“Fine art piece with pixel graphics and retro-styled music.”
“The music does a good job of setting the mood as it changes from screen to screen with a number of enjoyable catchy tracks.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their immersive and nostalgic pixel art style, complemented by charming animations and a retro soundtrack. Reviewers appreciate the beautiful visuals that enhance the overall experience, although some note that the controls may detract from the enjoyment. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, creating a captivating atmosphere.
“The environments' atmosphere is very immersive and nostalgic, and the pixel graphics and animation are lovely. The music is very good too.”
“Fine art piece with pixel graphics and retro-styled music.”
“I enjoyed it mostly due to the visuals and charming old school vibe.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, making the game visually unappealing.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by limited storytelling and a lack of diverse activities, primarily relying on point-and-click mechanics for exploration. While it features various minigames, such as shooting and puzzle-solving, the overall experience is described as basic and occasionally frustrating due to poor controls. Despite its shortcomings, nostalgic players may find some enjoyment in the visual aspects and brief gameplay sessions.
“The different minigames I encounter during the gameplay help me to forget the limitations in the game. You can explore different places with point-and-click commands using the mouse cursor: click left/right to walk/run, click above the character's head to jump, and click near obstacles to climb.”
“There is also a little experience of minigames gameplay where you must avoid objects, use a shield, and shoot. There are various mini-games like a horse betting race, a Far West cabinet game, a space motorcycle session, and a turret-robot level reminiscent of Galaga. Sometimes you must solve electric circuit puzzles or water tube puzzles, which involve flipping pieces to change the flow.”
“So if you accept the fact that this is a short game with not much to do and little storytelling, but you want to enjoy it for 1 or 2 hours because you feel nostalgic about old games, I'm sure you will enjoy this wonderful visual experience.”
“Sadly, there is not much storytelling, not much to do, and gameplay is very limited. However, the different minigames I encounter during the gameplay help me to forget this lack of content. You can explore different places with point-and-click commands using the mouse cursor: click left/right to walk/run, click on the character's head to jump, and click near obstacles to climb.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's not much besides some very basic shooting games and a bit of puzzle solving.”
“Sure, the controls are bad for the most part, but that's made up for by some enjoyable, yet again, mostly boring gameplay.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and nostalgic quality, enhanced by charming pixel graphics and animation, as well as a well-composed soundtrack.
“The environment's atmosphere is very immersive and has a nostalgic feeling. The pixel graphics and animation are lovely, and the music is very good too.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and poorly designed controls that hinder gameplay.
“The game is buggy and the controls are very frustrating.”
“The stability issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches ruin the overall experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be nostalgic, particularly enjoying the comedic moments during vehicle sections that evoke fond memories.
“Some of the vehicle sections had me chuckling a bit, because it felt so nostalgic.”
“The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout the game.”
“I loved the absurd situations the characters found themselves in; it was pure comedic gold.”
Critic Reviews
A nostalgic throwback to eighties adventure games: DreamBreak review
DreamBreak is a short, relatively easy trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up playing point-and-click adventure games. While it has plenty of rough edges and won’t hold your attention for much longer than the end credits, it’s a good game to play through in an afternoon, with well-designed puzzles and surprisingly engaging combat. Just be warned that there are a lot of bugs near the end.
70%Dream Break Review
An adventure that will only appeal to people who really miss the old ways
45%DreamBreak (PS4) REVIEW – Wake Me Up (Wake Me Up Inside)
Terrible controls, non-existent world-building, and all-round sloppy execution makes DreamBreak a game that even the most ardent of retro gamers would find difficult to love.
30%