In The Night You Had Bad Dreams

About

In the Night You Had Bad Dreams is a first-person horror game. A strange house within your dreams seems to twist and change, waiting for you to solve unconventional puzzles. You simply need to find the key and open the door. If you find enough keys and open enough doors, maybe the nightmare will end. "Ever since I moved into this house, I've had weird dreams. For the first few months, I thou…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

In The Night You Had Bad Dreams screenshot

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

atmosphere8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features unconventional puzzles and changing environments that keep the experience engaging.
It successfully builds tension through its unsettling atmosphere and cryptic storytelling, making it a memorable horror experience.
For a first-time game by a solo developer, it shows a lot of promise and has received praise for its unique concept and enjoyable gameplay.

Players have reported frustrating glitches, such as getting stuck in walls or falling through the floor, which can break immersion.
The game suffers from backtracking and nonsensical mazes that can lead to boredom and loss of engagement.
Some players found the plot to be mediocre and felt that the game lacked guidance, making it difficult to navigate.

atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unsettling tension and immersive design, effectively avoiding cheap jump scares in favor of a more cryptic storytelling approach. Players appreciate the smooth controls and minimalist aesthetics that enhance the focus on atmosphere, making it a memorable experience for fans of atmospheric horror. While the game is relatively short, its engaging setting and unconventional puzzles contribute to a rewarding experience that keeps players on edge.
- “Its atmospheric setting, unconventional puzzles, and engaging story make it a memorable and rewarding experience for fans of the genre.”
- “The shifting house and dark atmosphere keep you on edge, making each moment unpredictable.”
- “It doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares but instead builds tension through its unsettling atmosphere and cryptic storytelling.”
- “The controls are smooth, and the minimalist design ensures that the focus remains on the story and atmosphere.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's story is characterized by its unsettling atmosphere and cryptic storytelling, focusing on themes of guilt, fear, and loss through fragmented memories and symbolic imagery. While some players found the narrative difficult to grasp, they still enjoyed the engaging gameplay and unique puzzles, making it a memorable experience for fans of the genre. Overall, the minimalist design and smooth controls enhance the storytelling without relying on cheap jump scares.
- “It doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares but instead builds tension through its unsettling atmosphere and cryptic storytelling.”
- “Told through fragmented memories and symbolic imagery, the story explores themes of guilt, fear, and loss.”
- “Its atmospheric setting, unconventional puzzles, and engaging story make it a memorable and rewarding experience for fans of the genre.”
- “The story is told through fragmented memories and symbolic imagery, exploring themes of guilt, fear, and loss.”
- “The narrative lacks depth and fails to engage the player emotionally.”
- “The plot twists are predictable and do not add any real intrigue to the overall experience.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for creating a captivating and slightly eerie atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. Players found it to be perfectly suited to key moments, contributing to their emotional engagement and enjoyment.
- “I really enjoyed this moment and the music was perfect... I may have screamed a little ;) nice work!”
- “Nice music, a little freaky, good atmosphere.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics are characterized by a stunning hand-drawn art style that enhances the game's surreal tone, appealing particularly to fans of early 2010s indie-horror aesthetics. However, some players noted that excessive backtracking detracted from the overall visual experience.
- “The hand-drawn art style is stunning, perfectly complementing the surreal tone of the game.”
- “I'm a sucker for those early 2010's style indie-horror graphics, but there was a lot of backtracking, probably too much for as little as there was to entertain me on my journey back and forth.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and effectiveness, blending exploration, puzzle-solving, and light horror elements to create an engaging experience.
- “The gameplay is simple yet effective, combining exploration, puzzle-solving, and light horror elements.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, making it feel tedious after a short while.”
- “The controls are unresponsive, which makes navigating the game frustrating.”
- “The combat mechanics are poorly designed, leading to a lack of engagement during battles.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The sound design significantly enhances the emotional experience of the game, combining ambient noises with a hauntingly beautiful score that amplifies the impact of each scene.
- “The sound design is equally impressive, featuring a mix of ambient noises and a hauntingly beautiful score that heightens the emotional impact of every scene.”