Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
- October 23, 2012
- Black Forest Games
- 15h median play time
While not exactly groundbreaking or in any way particularly memorable, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a charming and extremely enjoyable title.
Get on SteamIn "Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams," players control Giana, a girl who can transform between two different dreams to navigate diverse levels. By switching between her "Cute" and "Punk" personas, players change the environment and solve puzzles while battling enemies. With fast-paced platforming action, impressive graphics, and a compelling soundtrack, this game offers a challenging and entertaining experience.
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Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and a vibrant art style that enhances the overall experience.
- The music, composed by Chris Hülsbeck and Machinae Supremacy, is excellent and changes seamlessly with the character switching mechanic.
- The gameplay mechanics, particularly the ability to switch between two characters with different abilities, add depth and variety to the platforming experience.
- The game can be frustratingly difficult, especially during boss fights, which may require excessive retries and can feel tedious.
- Some players have reported issues with hit detection and controls, leading to unfair deaths and a lack of precision in platforming.
- The level design can become repetitive, with long levels that may feel drawn out and lacking in variety as the game progresses.
- music436 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams" has received widespread acclaim for its dynamic and engaging soundtrack, featuring contributions from renowned composers Chris Hülsbeck and Machinae Supremacy. Players appreciate the seamless transition between different musical styles as they switch between characters, with the soundtrack effectively enhancing the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, some reviews note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness over time, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
“But 'Twisted Dreams' isn't just about platforming; it also features stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack that elevate the experience to new heights.”
“The soundtrack, composed by Chris Hülsbeck and Machinae Supremacy, is equally impressive, with catchy melodies and pulsating rhythms that set the tone for each level.”
“The soundtrack jointly composed by Chris Hülsbeck and Swedish metal band Machinae Supremacy, each playing their own arrangement of the same track, is simply amazing and like everything else switches seamlessly as you swap sisters, creating a very memorable and original sound that is worth the price of admission by itself.”
“The music is incredibly repetitive; I'm not even sure if there's more than two tunes during the gameplay.”
“There are only, I think, 3-4 different level themes for 30+ levels, and each of the levels in a given theme share the same repetitive music.”
“The music is decent but gets old kind of quickly, and the electronic 'dream' music isn't nearly as interesting as the metal-infused half of the soundtrack, which made me actually try to avoid switching and having to listen to it.”
- gameplay362 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams" is characterized by its innovative dual-world mechanic, allowing players to switch between two characters with distinct abilities, which adds depth to the platforming experience. While the game features beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack, some players find the gameplay repetitive and the controls imprecise, leading to frustration. Overall, it offers a mix of engaging mechanics and challenging level design, though opinions vary on its execution and long-term enjoyment.
“Developed by Black Forest Games, this indie gem combines tight controls, clever level design, and a unique twist mechanic to create a thrilling and immersive experience.”
“With its tight controls, innovative twist mechanic, and stunning visuals, it's an experience that will keep you hooked from start to finish.”
“The gameplay revolves around the character's transformation from regular to punk mode, enabling a different skillset as well as morphing the environment.”
“The gameplay is simplistic in multiple ways.”
“The entire switching mechanic is extremely awkward, confusing, and unintuitive.”
“Sadly, the gameplay is some of the most frustrating, rage-inducing I've had the misfortune to experience.”
- graphics336 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams" are widely praised for their stunning, colorful, and detailed art style, which effectively contrasts between the two worlds players can switch between. Many reviewers highlight the vibrant animations and the seamless integration of visuals with gameplay mechanics, although some note that the overall aesthetic can feel cluttered or repetitive across levels. While the graphics are generally considered top-notch for a platformer, a few critiques mention issues with optimization and clarity in certain areas.
“The game's graphics are rich and detailed, with vibrant colors and fluid animations that bring the dream world to life in breathtaking detail.”
“Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is not a remake of the old game; it's a brand new game set in the same setting, with modernized gameplay, gorgeous HD graphics, and an awesome dual soundtrack that features remixed elements from familiar tunes as well as new music.”
“The graphics are stunning, with textures bursting with detail and color, and impressive water and lighting effects complementing the great aesthetic design.”
“Only issue is the game never changes its graphics at all so everything looks the same regardless of what level you are on.”
“The very specific aesthetic and musical approaches given to each character's versions of the levels also means that the game ends up looking and sounding extremely homogenous.”
“The graphics are rather demanding too so you may have to turn them down.”
- story55 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story in this game is largely criticized for being minimal and unengaging, often described as simplistic or almost nonexistent. Players note that while the premise involves a girl chasing a dragon that has taken her sister, the narrative lacks depth and fails to create emotional investment. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over storytelling, resulting in a generic and forgettable plot.
“The story is interesting; it involves one girl who is good, and you have to defeat the nightmares she is dreaming using her alter ego, her punk sister.”
“A simple to-the-point platformer with great looking art, a good soundtrack, and a nice storyline, with well-balanced difficulty and gameplay.”
“Although completely lacking in story and context, this beautiful huge dream world for you to explore is well worth it.”
“Story starts off pretty threadbare and just sorta leaves later on - Giana and her sister (if I remember right, that's meant to be Maria) get pulled into a weird dimension by a gem, the latter gets eaten by a bizarrely sassy dragon before it flip-flaps away, leaving the former to give chase, using either a floating twirl-jump or a flaming dash-attack to explore levels.”
“First, there is virtually no story here at all.”
“The other big problem is the story... or lack thereof.”
- replayability24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers moderate to high replayability, particularly for completionists who enjoy collecting gems and exploring hidden areas. The inclusion of various game modes, difficulty settings, and a large world filled with collectibles enhances its replay value, making it appealing for players seeking challenges and additional content. While some players may find the fun factor limited, many appreciate the depth and detail that encourage repeated playthroughs.
“It has a good replay value especially with the new multiplayer racing mode.”
“The amount of detail and replayability it encourages certainly demonstrates the great care and affection that went into creating this gorgeous game.”
“There are lots of hidden areas you'll need to find if you want to collect every gem in every level, which theoretically means lots of replay value.”
“Nevertheless, the game is still well worth its admission price, not least because of its replay value due to the large number of collectibles and alternate paths in each level.”
“Won't take very long to beat if you're good at platformers, but there's a lot of replay value if you like collecting stuff and the levels are long and increasingly difficult.”
- grinding21 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often detracting from the enjoyment of gameplay. Many reviews highlight the long levels, awkward controls, and the drawn-out nature of boss fights, which contribute to a sense of monotony rather than rewarding challenge. The gem collection is seen as a particularly tedious task that feels more like a chore than an engaging part of the game.
“It is a game that does not feel rewarding to complete unless you are here for an arbitrary challenge, and if you actually go for it, you will be very frustrated by the inconsistent mechanics, hitboxes, and tedious gem collecting.”
“Boring doesn't begin to describe how incredibly tedious this game is.”
“The level grinding clearly intended to make a short game longer.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful graphics, unique world designs, and engaging music, creating distinct environments for each sister that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players feel that the lack of a compelling story detracts from the overall atmosphere, making it less immersive. Overall, the combination of artistic visuals and sound contributes to a captivating yet challenging atmosphere.
“It boasts an incredible atmosphere while delivering a simple yet involved play.”
“The soundtrack, though small, is brilliantly constructed, adding an awesome atmosphere to each of the two graphical styles.”
“The atmosphere changes drastically between sisters; one will be living in a wonderful, charming world, while the other is in a hellish landscape of death.”
“Each sister has a unique 'world' in which some blocks behave differently, and mobs and atmosphere switch.”
“Even with no familiarity with the series, it's a solid modern platformer packed with challenge and atmosphere.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of amusing and quirky elements, with players finding the gameplay both funny and frustrating in a lighthearted way. The contrast between the innocent character's dark world and the punk character's bright environment adds to the comedic effect, while boss battles provide unexpected hilarity. Overall, the game is seen as a nostalgic and entertaining experience, with a call for more humorous animations.
“It is literally hilarious (well, to me anyway) how much harder the boss battles are than the rest of the game, at least on 'normal' difficulty; do a search in the Steam discussions for the final boss character's name ('gurglewocky') if you want a good laugh.”
“I also found it funny that the cute and innocent character has to walk a demonic and ugly plane, while the demonic punk character got a nice and cuddly, beautiful world, where she can destroy stuff.”
“A funny classic 'old school' jump'n run.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is highly inconsistent, with reports of frequent stuttering and technical issues, particularly in DirectX 10/11 modes, while DirectX 9 mode resolves some stuttering but sacrifices true HD quality. Players using high-end machines may experience smoother performance, but those on lower-end systems or using a keyboard often face significant gameplay disruptions. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely depending on hardware and input method.
“The game runs smoothly on my laptop and I have had no performance issues with it whatsoever.”
“Performance-wise, it has absolutely zero problems on the deck.”
“+good graphics and optimization”
“Sadly, there are a few technical issues for which I could only find mere workarounds, but no solutions: playing the game in DX10/11 mode with VSync enabled caused noticeable micro-stuttering (regardless of whether or not the other visual settings were turned up or down), and playing it in DX9 (where the stuttering ceased) made it impossible to play in true HD (instead, the game is always upscaled in DX9 mode).”
“Yet again we have a game that plays like stuttering mediocre crap when using a keyboard yet is a glorious dream with a pad in your hands, which is why you may see a mixed bag when it comes to other reviews for this title.”
“The graphics are very poorly optimized.”
- stability10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, including camera issues, level-ending glitches, and problems with character mechanics that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players have noted improvements and smooth performance on certain platforms, the overall consensus highlights that the game suffers from a buggy engine that detracts from its otherwise enjoyable mechanics and visuals.
“Beautiful art, great music, and a fun platformer; runs great on Linux, too!”
“Camera problems where you won't be able to see secrets or spikes or other stuff; sometimes dashing into an enemy makes you die, and the switching mob to get a higher boost is buggy as well.”
“Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a great gameplay mechanic hampered by a sloppy, buggy engine.”
“I never suspected this little game would make it choke, but I get choppy animations and some pretty game-breaking glitches.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming characters and a mix of beautiful music tracks that create memorable moments, despite some frustrations with controls and gameplay mechanics. Players express a deep connection to the experience, often returning to it for its nostalgic and touching elements, even if they encounter challenges along the way. Overall, the game evokes a blend of joy and frustration, leaving a lasting impression on its audience.
“The music is hit and miss, but there are a couple of beautiful tracks in Giana's regular form that create a heartfelt experience, perfect for a great dance or just a listening moment!”
“Combined with a great soundtrack, heart-warming characters, and lots of great levels, Giana Sisters will have you coming back again and again.”
“It was written after not touching the game for years, then bringing it out to finish the remaining challenges, which made for a nostalgic and emotional experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development in the game is lacking, with minimal narrative depth and unappealing character design, which detracts from the overall experience.
“There's something missing in the narrative and in character design.”
“The game looks pretty good, but the character design is unappealing.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express mixed feelings about the monetization strategy, particularly noting the presence of ads on the launcher. While some are not fond of the ads, they acknowledge the challenges faced by small developers in promoting their games.
“I'm really frustrated with the constant ads in the game; it feels like I'm being bombarded every time I try to play.”
“The in-game purchases are way too expensive and make it hard to enjoy the game without spending a fortune.”
“I understand the need for monetization, but the amount of ads and paywalls ruins the overall experience.”
