Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

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Dreamfall: The Longest Journey is the sequel to the award-winning game The Longest Journey, and continues the epic saga with an emotional storyline and interactive world. The game offers unparalleled gameplay variety, allowing players to choose how they want to approach challenges through dialogue, stealth, or combat. Experience a beautiful and stirring journey in this adventure game masterpiece.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 793 reviews

story447 positive mentions

gameplay47 negative mentions

Engaging and immersive story that continues the narrative from The Longest Journey.
Beautiful graphics and environments that enhance the overall experience.
Strong character development and voice acting, making the characters relatable and memorable.

Clunky controls and camera mechanics that can be frustrating to navigate.
Combat and stealth mechanics feel poorly implemented and unnecessary.
The game ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot threads unresolved.

story
1,126 mentions
40 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Dreamfall: The Longest Journey" is widely praised for its depth, character development, and emotional engagement, continuing the narrative from its predecessor, "The Longest Journey." While many players appreciate the intricate plot and the ability to explore multiple perspectives through different characters, some criticize the pacing and unresolved plot threads, particularly due to its cliffhanger ending. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize storytelling in their gaming experience, despite its gameplay flaws.
- “The story is amazing and I grew to love all the characters throughout the series!”
- “Dreamfall has a solid story, lovable characters, interesting environments, and very bad combat.”
- “The story is the main draw of this game, and if it manages to grab your attention, some of those flaws can be more manageable.”
- “The story feels unfinished and somewhat disjointed, leaving many plot points unresolved.”
- “The ending is underwhelming and some story context is lost if you haven't played the previous entry; the longest journey, but there's always the wiki for assistance.”
- “The story is a jumbled mess with unresolved plot threads, and the dialogue is full of cheesy pretentious lines.”
gameplay
255 mentions
13 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dreamfall: The Longest Journey" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its significant departure from the point-and-click mechanics of its predecessor. Critics highlight issues such as clunky controls, poor combat and stealth mechanics, and a lack of engaging puzzles, often describing the gameplay as simplistic and frustrating. However, despite these flaws, the game's compelling story and rich narrative have led many to recommend it primarily for its storytelling rather than its gameplay experience.
- “As long as it's been since this game came out, I still go back and replay it every so often because the story and the gameplay are so fantastic.”
- “Original story and perfect story-driven gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is simple, but not boring because you want to follow the story of the several characters like it were a book.”
- “The stealth mechanics are barely serviceable, the combat is awful, the controls are awkward, the puzzles are rudimentary, the story feels unfinished and somewhat disjointed... but I did enjoy some things about it.”
- “Turns out they were 100% right, the puzzles are terrible and the gameplay is a badly assembled railroad of frustration with an unsatisfying story and outright bad voice acting all over.”
- “The gameplay is mainly of the traditional adventure game sort with a lot of dialogue and cutscenes as well as a (thankfully) little bit of combat which is poorly executed and doesn't fit with the rest of the game.”
graphics
178 mentions
34 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players acknowledging that while they are dated, they still hold a certain charm and appeal, especially considering the game's release in 2006. Some reviewers noted that the visuals have aged better than expected, with improved character models and environments compared to its predecessor, though others pointed out issues like awkward animations and graphical glitches. Overall, while the graphics may not be the main draw, they complement the game's strong narrative and immersive atmosphere.
- “First impressions: compared to the first entry, graphics are absolutely spectacular, with a very nice level of detail if you crank them up.”
- “The graphics are still beautiful!”
- “The graphics have aged well.”
- “Dreamfall suffers from questionable design choices that plagued console games in the Xbox & Xbox 360 era; graphics hardware had advanced too rapidly and these consoles didn't have enough memory to render all the visual spectacle developers wanted to portray.”
- “The graphics and game mechanics are dated now in 2020.”
- “The decision to transform a classic point and click adventure into an entirely 3D game does not work (at least with this poor implementation) and it seems like the developers have made all the wrong choices aesthetically and artistically.”
music
73 mentions
60 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the storytelling experience. While some tracks are described as beautiful and immersive, others feel out of place or overly distracting, particularly during key emotional moments. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some criticisms regarding specific song choices.
- “I would say the soundtracks alone make this game worth it.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing.”
- “The music was nice, the story was fairly interesting, and the graphics were a marginal improvement over the original.”
- “The music was flat with no cohesion from scene to scene.”
- “I thought the choice of a romantic theme song was terribly wrong.”
- “Unlike other games where similar music invoked strong emotions, Dreamfall's two romantic interests didn't communicate their romantic tension very well in-game.”
humor
32 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the witty dialogue and funny characters that echo the charm of the first installment, while others feel the humor has diminished, particularly in voice acting and emotional delivery. Notable moments and engaging interactions still elicit laughter, showcasing a blend of clever writing and quirky character dynamics, though some miss the sharper humor of the original. Overall, the game retains a unique sense of humor that enhances the storytelling experience, even if it doesn't always hit the mark.
- “The unique mix of humor and world-building that made the first game stand out is intact, and remains its strongest point.”
- “It has some funny parts, tricky parts, sad parts, very interesting parts but what makes this game special is its superb ability to show a story and make it all a fun and pleasurable experience.”
- “The dialogue was also very engaging - usually thought-provoking and even sometimes laugh-out-loud funny.”
atmosphere
28 mentions
71 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive environments, stunning visuals, and evocative music that enhances the storytelling experience. While the sequel successfully captures the essence of its predecessor, some players feel it lacks the original's epic journey feel. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong character development and atmospheric storytelling, despite some gameplay flaws.
- “This sequel feels like it unapologetically takes you to so many different places and the atmosphere is always so immersive.”
- “The visuals stand up 15 years later, and the settings are varied and atmospheric while thin.”
- “Absolutely an amazing atmospheric adventure!”
- “Low quality cut scenes that don't help the atmosphere.”
- “This sequel lacks the 'epic journey' atmosphere of the first game, and while its combat system is not really well-designed, the story and its progression really make up for it.”
- “It's initially slow and is executed slightly cheesily (given the age of the game), but it quickly hooks you in once the atmosphere of the game has settled.”
emotional
26 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Dreamfall" is described as a profound and impactful experience, with players expressing deep investment in the characters and storyline, often leading to tears and heartfelt connections. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in voice acting and unresolved plot points that can detract from the emotional payoff, the game is still celebrated for its ability to evoke strong feelings and create memorable moments. Overall, it stands out as a touching journey that resonates with players seeking an emotionally rich narrative.
- “Dreamfall: TLJ absolutely earns its 'story rich' tag in spades, and the connections to the characters you make throughout the game stay very heartfelt right to the very end.”
- “This is a story that causes emotional investment and deep thought about the storyline.”
- “The combination of those things makes this game stand out to me for being one of the few games that has made me cry.”
grinding
20 mentions
15 % positive mentions
-10 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tedious fetch quests, clumsy inventory management, and repetitive backtracking, which detract from the overall experience. Players often find the combat and stealth mechanics cumbersome, leading to a frustrating gameplay loop that feels more like a chore than an engaging adventure. While the atmosphere and story have their merits, the overall execution leaves many feeling that the game is bogged down by unnecessary grind.
- “Grinding in this game feels rewarding and keeps me engaged for hours.”
- “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels like a chore.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You might feel like you're on a Runescape quest from hell, jogging from point to point, only to experience a tedious puzzle or click through inconsequential dialogue trees.”
- “The atmosphere is great and the story is a fine follow-up to The Longest Journey, but the experience of playing it is all around bad, from the slow movement through enormous areas to the clumsy inventory, awful combat, and tedious stealth.”
stability
20 mentions
15 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as characters getting stuck and audio issues. While some players note that the game runs well on modern systems and has fewer glitches than before, many still experience significant performance problems that hinder their overall experience. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "clunky," with stability issues that can lead to frustrating moments during play.
- “It runs great on this, though, now.”
- “How it runs: runs great at modern high resolutions at high frame rates without issues.”
- “It also runs great with the Steam controller.”
- “The audio and visual quality of the game noticeably drops the further we go; these range from simple bad audio recordings to game-breaking glitches during cutscenes where characters get stuck on invisible walls.”
- “In a world where faces don't express, mouths don't move, and voices don't convey emotion... where there are more loose ends than a packet of spaghetti... where the game is so excessively tainted with monstrous glitches that I was forced to reload numerous times and skip large swathes of dialogue... here lies the broken world of Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, my unluckiest playthrough of a game yet.”
- “Loads of graphical glitches and getting stuck in doorways and narrow corridors as well as some scratchy sound effects and voice acting.”
optimization
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs stably on PC and supports features like alt+tab, players report various performance glitches, particularly with voice acting that suffers from stuttering and unnatural delivery. Additionally, movement controls and camera mechanics are criticized, and some users experienced issues with character animations and interactions, leading to frustrating gameplay moments. Despite these drawbacks, some players note that the game can perform well if proper graphical settings are adjusted.
- “The game seems stable, well optimized, supports alt+tab.”
- “For the love of god, if you experience graphical issues, check your computer's graphical settings, as it might force something old games can't handle and learn how to optimize your computer's settings to achieve maximum performance for every game you own.”
- “Awful controls but good PC performance.”
- “I have Dreamfall: Longest Journey on Xbox, but it's no longer compatible, so I got it for the PC, not realizing how horribly optimized it is for PC.”
- “Many of the voices during cutscenes were filled with stuttering and static, some stealth segments where my character could hide behind objects caused them to enter an animation loop that required reloading the game, sometimes I couldn't walk up staircases or through doorways without getting stuck.”
- “The most annoying issue of all is the voice stutterings that almost slow to a crawl, happens in several places.”
replayability
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits limited replayability, primarily due to minimal differences in dialogue and mandatory reading that restrict player choice. While some players find a unique charm that encourages revisiting the game, the lack of significant variations in gameplay and character experiences diminishes its long-term appeal.
- “I also got super excited hearing the news of the third installment, Dreamfall Chapters, and knowing that the choices do actually affect the storyline and have tons of replayability.”
- “It is so much more playable and although the controls can seem a little clunky and reversed (especially the combat!).”
- “Limited replay value.”
- “The only differences were dialogue, and even then, most of the dialogue was mandatory to read, leaving little to no replayability.”
- “Although there's virtually no replay value, the game has a little something that cannot be described that makes you want to play it again with time.”
character development
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted through meaningful interactions with well-crafted NPCs, particularly the soothing white draic kin who aids the growth of main characters April and Zoe. While the storyline is complex and occasionally cryptic, the depth of character development keeps players engaged, making any shortcomings in the narrative easily forgivable. Overall, the imaginative world and character designs contribute significantly to the immersive experience.
- “The white draic kin's conversations are soothing and relaxing, and she even helps to advance April and Zoe's character development by giving them advice along the way.”
- “Nevertheless, the storyline and character development are so well done that the few instances where it falls flat are easily overlooked in order to find out what happens next and enthusiastically watch the story unfold.”
- “It relies most heavily on character development and storyline exposition through interactions with well-developed NPCs and only occasional puzzles.”
- “In terms of story, it is really complex, cryptic, and creepy at times (character design, especially the faces contribute to that level of creepiness).”
- “Nevertheless, the storyline and character development are so well done, that the few instances where it falls flat are easily overlooked in order to find out what happens next and enthusiastically watch the story unfold.”
monetization
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is viewed positively, as it predates the era of microtransactions, focusing instead on delivering a fun gaming experience rather than catering to consumer trends. However, there are concerns about the marketing strategy, particularly regarding the promotion of playable characters.
- “It's quite old, but that can also be a good thing - microtransactions weren't even a concept yet, and games were developed to be fun instead of being products for average consumer groups.”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players into spending money to enjoy the game.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase without impacting gameplay, allowing players to support the developers while keeping the experience balanced.”
- “I was initially hesitant about buying this game; I had heard of it when it was launched, seeing many ads in PC Gamer back in the day, but I wasn't really interested in playing it.”
- “Should be only advertising 2 playable characters, hell probably one.”