DREAMWILD

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 184 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
DREAMWILD Game Cover
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"DREAMWILD is a single-player Fantasy Shooter game with delightful gameplay, ingenious graphics, and fantastic music. Explore the surreal, multi-layered DreamWilds, surviving an array of bizarre enemies and ancient powers, using a unique arsenal of tools and a fluid movement system to outrun and outwit for a high score."

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 184 reviews
graphics35 positive mentions
grinding8 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a unique 90s-inspired aesthetic that captivates players.
  • The movement mechanics, reminiscent of bunnyhopping in classic FPS games, provide a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
  • The soundtrack is fantastic, enhancing the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with limited enemy variety and procedural generation leading to a sense of sameness.
  • The combat mechanics are frustrating, particularly the reliance on collecting health/currency from defeated enemies, which can disrupt the fast-paced action.
  • The steep learning curve and punishing permadeath system may deter casual players, making it difficult to progress and enjoy the game fully.
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and nostalgic aesthetic, reminiscent of early 90s and PS1-era visuals, which many players find charming and visually stunning. The combination of vibrant art style and a captivating soundtrack enhances the overall experience, although some players note that the gameplay can feel repetitive despite the appealing visuals. Overall, the game's graphics contribute significantly to its atmosphere, making it a standout feature for those who appreciate distinctive artistic styles.

    • “Absolutely incredible, I adore the visuals on this, and having quick movement like this is a lot of fun; feels like I'm back to bunnyhopping in source engine games again.”
    • “The visuals and the music are absolutely stunning, and the movement is very reminiscent of Quake/CS; it feels really good to move once you get the hang of it.”
    • “The combination of visuals, music, and gameplay made for a wonderful experience; I enjoyed every second of it.”
    • “The amazing worlds and art style are dulled, if not killed, by the lack of content.”
    • “Hope you like early pre-rendered graphics and also playing demoknight in TF2.”
    • “Really cheap game too, I'd maybe recommend it just for the aesthetic it has, but as for gameplay, I can't.”
  • gameplay56 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the unique movement mechanics and fast-paced action, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. Many appreciate the aesthetic and sound design, but criticize the reliance on procedural generation and RNG elements, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, while the game offers a satisfying challenge for those who master its mechanics, it may not appeal to everyone due to its steep learning curve and limited variety.

    • “I love the movement mechanics; the bhop/surf combination is interesting. You can feel the same satisfaction of hitting the curve at the perfect angle, although it makes me want the same kind of air control.”
    • “This game combines satisfying movement mechanics, catchy tunes, beautiful graphics, and a seriously addictive gameplay loop all into one neat little package.”
    • “To say the gameplay's unique is an understatement: it is an FPS momentum-based sandbox platformer that expects you to be (or get) familiar with bunny-hopping, and heavily rewards it as well as diagonal strafing and leading attacks.”
    • “But the gameplay is just not there for me.”
    • “But from a gameplay perspective, this game is really lacking in features and variety.”
    • “However, the gameplay just isn't satisfying or very interesting.”
  • music53 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy, nostalgic soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's aesthetic. The combination of stunning visuals and a diverse range of tracks creates an immersive atmosphere, making it a highlight for players despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music is described as a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience and evoking a strong sense of nostalgia.

    • “10/10 for music, 90s vibe (the most accurate depiction of this era's surrealistic games), design and style, environment.”
    • “The music and sound design is great, it gives you that trance dreamlike feel.”
    • “The combination of visuals, music, and gameplay made for a wonderful experience; I enjoyed every second of it.”
    • “As it is now though, I have no desire to play the game despite the music and style very much begging me to.”
    • “Stick to musical attempts and tinkering with 3D, but don't make any more games.”
    • “The graphics and music give a very relaxing mood despite the main gameplay being quite fast-paced, requiring you to bunny-hop to stand a chance.”
  • story12 mentions

    The story in the game is described as charming and nostalgic, with a unique aesthetic and soundtrack that enhance the experience, despite its limited narrative depth. While some players appreciated the cryptic elements and the emotional resonance of the themes, many expressed a desire for more character development and backstory, suggesting that the game could benefit from additional storytelling opportunities and optional quests to enrich the world. Overall, the narrative is seen as a small but intriguing part of the game, leaving players wanting more.

    • “I very much enjoyed this, and I don't know if most people could apply the story themes to their own experiences in life, but I could, and it made it feel that little bit extra special.”
    • “I personally love the unique look of it and the very wild story and characters.”
    • “The game is weird, the story is weird, the art is weird, the sound design is weird, and I wouldn't have it any other way.”
    • “The framing of its atmosphere and top-down RPG style segments led me to expect a focus on the story, though it ended up only being a small part of it; it feels like even the developer thought this would be the way the game would go, as it is written in a way that makes it feel like you should really care about the characters and the world, even though the game never gives itself the time to develop them (I only knew the name of a single character by the end… which I learned from the trading cards).”
    • “I even wish to know more about some of the characters, and I feel like there's room for more storytelling, or just seeing more in general.”
    • “I'd like to find landmarks or secrets that make the maps seem more memorable and reward players with maybe a bit of backstory or mysteries to think about.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging part of the experience. The necessity to grind for upgrades and the loss of progress upon death contribute to a frustrating gameplay loop, with many suggesting that improvements such as automatic experience collection and permanent upgrades could enhance the overall enjoyment. Overall, the grinding mechanics detract from exploration and make the combat feel dull.

    • “The combat is tedious; as a roguelike, it uses randomness in all the wrong ways, and the progression can only be described as nonsensical.”
    • “The game also promotes grinding for upgrades, which makes the start feel like a chore.”
    • “Grinding feels unnecessary, or at least that a death removes all progress is over the top, far too tedious for what it needs to be.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique, captivating, and eerie qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics, art style, and music. However, while the setting shows great potential, some players feel that the narrative and character development are lacking, leaving them wanting more depth in the story. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a strong point, despite some gameplay shortcomings.

    • “This is one of those games that captivate you with their unique and bizarre atmosphere.”
    • “Amazing atmosphere: graphics, art style, and music!”
    • “The movement is fun, the visuals and atmosphere are incredible, and the setting has a ton of potential.”
    • “The framing of its atmosphere and top-down RPG style segments led me to expect a focus on the story, though it ended up only being a small part of it; it feels like even the developer thought that this would be the way the game would go, as it is written in a way that makes it feel like you really should care about the characters and the world, even though the game never gives itself the time to develop them (I only knew the name of a single character by the end… which I learned from the trading cards.)”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability due to its short length and lack of substantial after-game content, though some players found the end-game cutscenes satisfying enough to warrant multiple playthroughs. The aesthetics and soundtrack are highlights, but they do not significantly enhance the game's replay value.

    • “Update: surprisingly replayable ^^”
    • “There isn't much after-game content and replayability either to reward you for beating it, which sucks, but I did like the end-game content and cutscenes, which felt satisfying.”
    • “That would help with replayability or at least make progression feel like it's worth it.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by its charmingly bizarre characters and a delightful, quirky aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s 3D art. Players find the movement mechanics both fun and dizzying, with standout characters like the imp leaving a lasting impression and eliciting laughter. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's unique and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “Massively fun and dizzying movement, delightfully crusty aesthetic, wonderful weird world and characters. I can't get those laughing heads out of my mind; the imp is the cutest character I've seen in months.”
    • “The game is extremely charming with strange, funny characters and this sort of early 2000's 3D art style that I absolutely adore!”
    • “Funny movement FPS.”
  • character development3 mentions

    The character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and trippy character designs, which are described as abstract yet oddly human and endearing. Reviewers express a desire for these intriguing designs to be further explored and fleshed out within the game's narrative.

    • “The character design is a huge plus, and I'd like to see the emptiness this game has filled with their details.”
    • “The character design is a huge plus, but I'd like to see the emptiness this game has filled with more details.”
    • “The character designs are abstract but still oddly human and kind of endearing.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users feel that the emotional impact of the game is lacking, particularly in relation to combat, as defeating enemies does not evoke any meaningful feelings or reflections.

  • stability1 mentions

    The game's stability is characterized by a mix of enjoyable glitches, such as bunny hopping, and mechanics reminiscent of Counter-Strike surf maps, appealing to players who appreciate these features. However, this may not resonate with those seeking a more polished experience.

    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and server issues that ruined the gameplay experience.”
    • “The stability is so poor that I often find myself getting disconnected mid-game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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