Niko: Through The Dream
- July 17, 2015
- Studio Paint
- 2h median play time
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
Get on Steam"Niko: Through the Dream" is a surrealistic puzzle-platformer game where players navigate through abstract dreamscapes as the titular character, Niko. The game features unique hand-painted visuals, physics-based puzzles, and a dreamlike atmosphere that encourages exploration and creativity. Players must manipulate the environment, harness Niko's special abilities, and uncover the mysteries of his subconscious to help him escape his dreams.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful visuals and a unique minimalist art style that enhances the dreamlike atmosphere.
- Puzzles are varied and imaginative, providing satisfying 'A-ha!' moments, and the game encourages exploration.
- The soundtrack complements the gameplay well, creating an immersive experience that enhances the emotional connection to the story.
- Controls can be unresponsive and frustrating, particularly during platforming sections, leading to repeated deaths and a lack of precision.
- There is no chapter select or proper save system, forcing players to replay large sections if they miss achievements or need to take a break.
- The narrative is vague and poorly integrated, leaving players confused about the story and its significance.
- story43 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game is often described as vague and poorly integrated, with many players feeling it lacks coherence and depth. While some appreciate the abstract and thematic elements presented through hand-drawn animations and puzzles, others find the narrative disjointed and optional, leading to a sense of frustration. Overall, the storytelling is seen as an afterthought, with many reviewers suggesting that the game would not suffer if the story were entirely removed.
“It's a varying set of atmospheres, going from serene to stressful to beautiful to horrifying, and yet they all manage to make sense with the story the game wants to tell you.”
“There is a story told throughout the game's playtime, described rather pleasingly through vignettes, sound clips, and hidden images, and often these provide something to search for in each level.”
“The story is told through puzzles and sketches (not a narrator), and is easily open for interpretation.”
“I don't pretend to understand the story, if there is one.”
“The 'story' in Niko feels like something you might have had to have been following the company through devlogs on Discord or something because it is virtually non-existent.”
“One last disappointing point is the 'story' the game tries to somehow build; this is even more obscure than the puzzles.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its lack of cohesive mechanics and frustrating platforming elements. While the variety of levels and puzzle mechanics can be engaging, the inconsistent difficulty and poorly explained interactions detract from the overall experience. Some players appreciate the artistic presentation, but ultimately feel that the gameplay does not live up to expectations, often prioritizing aesthetics over solid mechanics.
“I agree that the puzzle mechanics are relatively simple, but it's only because everything just makes perfect sense - it's so well put together!”
“This game is also a great starting point for anyone who wishes to learn puzzle mechanics or become a better puzzle solver.”
“I'm a staunch believer in gameplay before aesthetics, and this sort of game is why.”
“Instead of having got it for the puzzle gameplay, I found I was initially disappointed as not far into the game it seemed to devolve into a basic platformer, or fall-to-death simulator.”
“Several game mechanics are not well thought out and are just horribly unfun.”
“Unfortunately, instead of walking you through the mechanics one at a time in order to then progress to a more difficult 'puzzle' (platforming element), they are mixed up in difficulty in a nonsensical way.”
- music29 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its soothing and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience and complementing the visuals. While some players noted that the soundtrack is occasionally absent, leading to moments of silence, many found the music to be beautiful and emotionally resonant, contributing significantly to the game's meditative and immersive nature. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, with a variety of pleasant tunes that align well with the game's themes and environments.
“The music is also pretty good, and puts you in a meditative or focused state which is ideal for this kind of game.”
“The environments look beautiful, and the soundtrack has many soothing beautiful tunes that in general match the ethereal feeling of the surroundings.”
“The music is beautiful and matches the emotions that Niko is going through - which also makes you empathize with her story.”
“For a long time, though, the soundtrack is actually absent and you'll play in silence except for certain moments. I'd say it's about 50-50.”
“Not sure if that's intentional or just a lack of time, money, or ability to make more music, but I guess some of the moments here are best played silent, so that's not entirely a bad thing.”
“You can't even mute the music or change controls.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a beautiful minimalist art style that evolves from sterile white environments to vibrant, richly colored landscapes as players progress. While some reviewers found the initial visuals bland, many praised the stunning aesthetics and atmospheric design, which enhance the overall experience despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight, attracting players with their unique and captivating presentation.
“The art style is beautiful, minimalist, oniric, and surreal.”
“The graphics are beautiful.”
“The graphics are run with the Unreal Engine to really make those colors pop out at you like a little kid jacked up on sugar.”
“As an art style, the minimalist white environments could be seen as unique, but I equate that with 'lazy'.”
“The game starts off a bit sterile, with the white and empty look that is so very bland, but the further you get into the game, the more it experiments with its visuals.”
“No 1920x1200 fullscreen graphics option is quite disappointing, and also, while it looks great, there wasn't much in the game mechanics to inspire me.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its impressive visuals, varied emotional tones, and immersive soundtracks, creating a captivating experience that ranges from serene to horrifying. While some players appreciate the unique and beautiful environments, others find the transitions between different atmospheres jarring and feel that the overall experience is marred by frustrating gameplay elements. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game's aesthetic and atmospheric qualities are its strongest points, making it a worthwhile exploration for fans of atmospheric gaming.
“It's a varying set of atmospheres, going from serene to stressful to beautiful to horrifying, and yet they all manage to make sense with the story the game wants to tell you.”
“The atmosphere of the game is astounding.”
“The lighting and skyboxes are really impressive for an indie title, probably my favorite atmosphere in any indie game.”
“Braindead puzzles, frustrating platforming, nightmarishly depressing atmosphere, and the overall pretentiousness of the whole experience reeks of post-modernist frustration with the cruelty of mankind and life itself.”
“The first thing that will grab you about the game is the atmosphere.”
“There's also some nice sparse background music which adds to the atmosphere and the general surreal feel of it all.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the allegorical nature of the ending, suggesting it aims for an emotional impact, others feel it lacks a genuine sense of connection and emotional suspense. Additionally, minor frustrations with gameplay mechanics detract from the overall emotional experience.
“I don't think it was the developers' intent with the ending; in fact, I'm almost positive that it's supposed to be allegorical, an emotional act more so than a physical one.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its solid optimization, as it runs smoothly without overheating systems, even on mid-range hardware like a GTX 970 and i5 4570 at 1440p. Overall, players report a flawless performance experience.
“Apart from that, the game's performance was flawless as expected (1440p, GTX 970, i5 4570).”
“One thing I will note is that it hasn't overheated my computer (unlike some 3D, even a few 2D games), so at least it's optimized reasonably well.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game to be enjoyable and entertaining, enhancing their overall experience. The comedic elements are appreciated, particularly by those who enjoy narrative-driven games. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's appeal.
“Niko's dream is so funny in this game! If you like story-driven games, you should definitely try to buy this one. I have such a great time playing it, and I love how funny it is, just like before!”
