Dreaming Isles

About

In Dreaming Isles, play as a shipwrecked mariner who discovers an abandoned island filled with farming opportunities and mysterious inhabitants. Immerse yourself in Zelda-inspired exploration, forge relationships, and engage in sword & sorcery combat. Choose between siding with pirates or global trade, and help the islanders restore peace in this enchanting world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

story15 positive mentions

grinding63 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of farming, exploration, and combat, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate diverse gameplay mechanics.
The art style, animations, and music are well-crafted, contributing to a charming and immersive atmosphere.
The developer is responsive to feedback and has a roadmap for future updates, indicating a commitment to improving the game over time.

The game feels incomplete and lacks substantial content, leading many players to feel it should have been released as an early access title.
Combat mechanics are clunky and frustrating, with issues such as buggy hitboxes and a lack of dodge or block options, making encounters feel unbalanced.
There is a lack of tutorials and guidance, which can leave players confused about gameplay mechanics and objectives, detracting from the overall experience.

grinding
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is generally perceived as simplistic and not overly demanding, making it accessible for newcomers to the farming sim genre. While farming is integrated with exploration and combat, many players feel it lacks depth compared to more established titles like Stardew Valley, leading to a sense of boredom with repetitive tasks. However, some appreciate the ease of farming mechanics and the game's focus on adventure elements, suggesting it serves as a light-hearted introduction to the genre rather than a hardcore farming experience.
- “Well, I tried it and right off the bat it seems too simple - perhaps it is geared towards children playing their first 'farming sim' or maybe it is just in too early a state still.”
- “Everything is just too simplified - farming, combat, crafting.”
- “I don't get the thought process behind this besides needlessly dragging out the beginning of the game, since others already mentioned that farming plays only a minor role here, which is fine by me if I could only get to the fun parts faster.”
story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The game's story is currently incomplete, with developers indicating that it is designed to evolve over time, leading to feelings of an early access experience despite being a full release. Players find the narrative simplistic and lacking depth, with minimal backstory provided and NPC interactions that often feel shallow. While there are intriguing elements and potential for future development, many reviewers express disappointment over the unfinished state of the main storyline and the need for more engaging character dialogue and quest variety.
- “Honestly, I completely understand some people's views that this game feels kind of early access, but I do think it is still very enjoyable - you can tell a lot of love went into this game and it is really fun to play with an interesting story.”
- “The main quest is very intriguing and it will take you to some really cool locations where you will meet some awesome characters.”
- “Speaking of NPCs, they are all beautifully crafted characters, and each have their own story to tell.”
- “The main story is not complete, despite the game being in full release.”
- “While the developer has stated that the story not being done was deliberate to allow for long-term additions, games that launch in full typically have the main story complete.”
- “Unfortunately, I cannot give this game a positive review because of the lack of transparency about the unfinished story and content.”
gameplay
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
79%
6%
Gameplay in the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting a steep learning curve, particularly with ship navigation and combat mechanics that feel clunky and underdeveloped. While the farming loop and RPG elements are appreciated, many feel the game lacks essential features and quality of life improvements, leading to a sense of emptiness. Overall, players suggest watching gameplay videos before purchasing, as the experience may not meet expectations based on similar titles like Stardew Valley.
- “I like that the game throws you right into the gameplay without having a lengthy tutorial over several days.”
- “Gameplay consists of farming (obviously), piloting your very own ship, and exploring different areas such as towers, caves, etc. while you are out on your very own adventure doing the main questline.”
- “What I love about the gameplay is that there are lite RPG elements to the gameplay.”
- “Warning: please look up the gameplay on YouTube or something before considering purchase.”
- “As the game currently stands, I can't recommend it; it is in desperate need of many changes, both gameplay and quality of life changes.”
- “The art itself is stunning pixel art work, but the gameplay lacks a lot of things that farming sims should include, such as fast travel - especially because the day/night cycle goes by so quickly and there are no hours for the store whatsoever.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its variety and ability to enhance the gaming experience, with different tracks beautifully representing various locations, from towns to the high seas. Players have praised the developer's work in creating a cozy atmosphere through the soundtrack, highlighting standout pieces like the main farm music and the witch's tower theme. Many users express excitement for the game's upcoming updates and hope for an official soundtrack release.
- “The music changes depending on where you are, from the various towns to being out on the high seas. Each piece of music beautifully represents the location.”
- “The developer has done the music himself and he captures the cozy vibe perfectly!”
- “Some stellar standouts to me are the main farm music, scythe, and the witch's tower.”
- “I have had music from this game stuck in my head countless times.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The graphics of the game are praised for their stunning pixel art and unique art style, with full character animations enhancing the visual experience. However, some users noted inconsistencies, such as a blurry boat that detracts from the overall quality. Overall, the artwork and music are well-received, generating excitement for future updates.
- “The art style is familiar yet unique.”
- “Full character animation in a pixel-graphic game is awesome to see.”
- “Also, I think the artwork is beautiful and the music is lovely, and I'm super excited to see the upcoming updates for this game :)”
- “The boat is blurry and fuzzy, and it doesn't match the graphics of the game.”
- “The art itself is stunning pixel artwork, but the gameplay lacks many features that farming sims should include, such as fast travel, especially since the day/night cycle goes by so quickly and there are no store hours whatsoever.”
- “Comparing this game to Stardew Valley does it a disservice, and frankly, I'm sick of people comparing every game with a similar art style and any planting mechanics.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's stability is criticized for buggy combat mechanics, particularly with enemy hitboxes, which detracts from the overall experience. Players find the combat overly simplistic and frustrating due to these issues.
- “Enemies have buggy hitboxes, but you definitely don't.”