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Heavy Dreams

38%Game Brain Score
story, atmosphere
graphics, gameplay
38% User Score Based on 89 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
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About

A boy. A laptop. A dream. In this game, you search through a young teenager's laptop, trying to find out his story. Solve hidden puzzles and read between the lines that he wrote in your quest to unravel the mystery of Jay Zhang.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Heavy Dreams screenshot
Heavy Dreams screenshot
Heavy Dreams screenshot
Heavy Dreams screenshot
Heavy Dreams screenshot

38%
Audience ScoreBased on 89 reviews
story10 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • The game has an intriguing story that some players found rewarding to uncover.
  • It is free to play, making it accessible for those interested in trying it out.
  • Some players appreciated the unique concept and the effort put into the game's design.
  • The puzzles are often cryptic and lack clear guidance, making progression frustrating.
  • The user interface and font choices are poorly designed, leading to readability issues.
  • Many players found the gameplay tedious and unengaging, with a lack of meaningful interaction.
  • story
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it intriguing and well-written, particularly praising the impactful ending, while others describe it as lackluster and difficult to engage with due to convoluted puzzles that obscure the narrative. Many reviewers noted that the story's potential is undermined by its presentation, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Ultimately, opinions vary widely, with some recommending it for its narrative while others advise caution due to its execution.

    • “It was a well-written story presented in a unique style that I have only ever seen in 'Emily is Away', and passion was very clearly sunk into the game.”
    • “While I had some trouble with the puzzles, I think that the story was a good enough payoff for getting through them all.”
    • “The story was lackluster for the most part, though, so don't expect a good one.”
    • “But what annoyed me the most is to place the story progression behind puzzles that didn't have much context.”
    • “The game does not have much of a story, so nothing much is causing the player to want to progress through the game.”
  • graphics
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing the use of outdated retro pixel art that hampers readability and user interface functionality. The lack of graphics settings and a forced scanline filter further detracts from the experience, leading to frustration. While some appreciate the consistent aesthetic, overall, the visuals are deemed subpar and contribute to a sluggish gameplay experience.

    • “The game runs well and the aesthetic is consistent and well done.”
    • “The graphical style makes the opening frustrating and harder to read, as well as affecting how well the UI functions.”
    • “They chose to use obsolete retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “The graphical style makes (especially) the opening frustrating and harder to read, as well as affecting how well the UI functions.”
    • “No graphics settings, which is a damned travesty considering there's a forced scanline filter with no means of removing, reducing, or adjusting it.”
  • gameplay
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has been widely criticized for being tedious, unengaging, and poorly optimized for smaller screens, leading to frustrating experiences. Many players find it slow and lacking in aesthetic appeal, with mechanics that detract from enjoyment rather than enhance it. Overall, while the game has potential, its execution leaves much to be desired, making it difficult for players to find enjoyment or progress.

    • “The game has a good idea, but the screen makes gameplay very difficult.”
    • “Story progression and gameplay:”
    • “Having to find things outside the game to play (i.e., screenshots on Steam) is somewhat interesting, if it's a mechanic used throughout the game; otherwise, it's just bloody annoying, particularly at the very beginning of the game before you've done anything else.”
    • “The gameplay is a bit tedious to get used to as well.”
    • “Some mechanics of the game don't work on smaller screen resolutions, making the game unplayable at certain times.”
    • “The gameplay isn't just bad; it looks bad as well, it feels slow, and the lack of background music is overwhelming. It doesn't have a nice aesthetic to distract you from the hour-long scrolling through the in-game journal that you have to read through.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some users appreciate the intro music and see potential in the overall soundtrack, others find it basic and unengaging, with a lack of background music contributing to a dull gameplay experience. Overall, the sound effects and music do not significantly enhance the game's aesthetic or immersion.

    • “I mean the game might have potential, and the music's pretty good!”
    • “The music for the intro is pretty nice.”
    • “The sound effects are basic, and there's some music that I didn't care much about listening to.”
    • “The void of no background music is going to consume you; it doesn't have a nice aesthetic to distract you from the hour-long scrolling through the in-game journal that you have to read through.”
    • “Is there really nothing special to be doing other than playing a game, reading some essays, and listening to music, or is it just me?”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unengaging, particularly criticizing the challenging readability of the text due to poor font choices. This has led some to recommend against investing time or money into the game, especially for those with limited free time.

    • “The gameplay is a bit tedious to get used to as well.”
    • “But when you are an adult like me who has no time for tedious games as uninteresting as this, keep your bucks to yourself.”
    • “The text is tedious and sometimes impossible to read due to the font.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some users find it manageable and enjoyable with a guide, others report severe bugs that render it unplayable. Overall, the experience varies significantly, with stability issues being a major concern for many players.

    • “So buggy and broken it can't be played.”
    • “Sure, it's a bit buggy but it's free and with a guide, it's an easy to beat game.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for enhancing the overall experience, making it intriguing and engaging, even amidst challenging puzzles. Players find that the atmospheric elements contribute significantly to the enjoyment of solving the game's puzzles.

    • “That is not at all necessary, but it serves this game's atmosphere quite well.”
    • “Yes, the puzzles can be hard, but the game is also intriguing in its atmosphere and the puzzles can be a joy to solve.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is completely free, which contrasts with the common criticism of Gamemaker Studio being used for low-effort cash grabs.

    • “Very often, game maker studios are used to create shovelware and lazy cash grabs, although in this case, the game is completely free.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game is widely criticized, with users describing it as poor or "garbage," indicating significant performance issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The optimization is garbage.”
    • “The game runs poorly and needs significant optimization.”
    • “I experienced constant frame drops and lag due to lack of optimization.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by light-hearted, relatable moments, often involving playful warnings and personal anecdotes that resonate with players. This blend of casual advice and comedic storytelling adds a charming touch to the overall experience.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, with clever puns and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
    • “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with hilarious character interactions and absurd situations that always catch me off guard.”
    • “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is perfect, making even the most mundane tasks feel entertaining and enjoyable.”

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