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One Dreamer

One Dreamer offers a unique chance to code someone else's dream, serving as an introspective tale that has you considering your own.
One Dreamer Game Cover
92%Game Brain Score
story, music
stability
95% User Score Based on 532 reviews
Critic Score 83%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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One Dreamer Game Cover

About

One Dreamer is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by GarethDev and was released on May 7, 2020. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"One Dreamer" is a single-player indie game that follows a disillusioned game developer, JR, seeking to create a groundbreaking and meaningful experience. Using unique "Dreamer" abilities, players navigate a surreal game world, combining various coding mechanics with action-adventure elements. The narrative-driven gameplay delves into JR's struggle to find purpose and success while pursuing his dream project.

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One Dreamer screenshot
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One Dreamer screenshot
One Dreamer screenshot
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One Dreamer screenshot
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 532 reviews
story62 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The pixel art style and overall visuals are stunning, creating a beautiful and immersive atmosphere.
  • The story is engaging and emotional, with interesting characters and a unique concept of manipulating the game world through coding.
  • The music and voice acting enhance the experience, adding depth to the narrative and making the gameplay enjoyable.
  • The prologue is quite short, leaving players wanting more and making them anxious for the full release.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, particularly the arcade mini-games, can be frustratingly difficult and may detract from the overall experience.
  • The controls can feel clunky or unintuitive at times, which may hinder the flow of gameplay.
  • story
    121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth, engaging narrative, and unique presentation, with many players expressing excitement for its development in the full release. Reviewers highlighted the beautiful visuals, captivating music, and strong voice acting that enhance the storytelling experience, although some noted that the prologue leaves certain aspects of the plot unclear. Overall, the story is described as heartfelt and intriguing, with potential for a rich exploration of themes related to creativity and personal struggle.

    • “The story is very poetic and will speak to any artist struggling sometimes.”
    • “Genuinely have no words: the visuals were gorgeous and the music complemented the bittersweet story so well.”
    • “The emotional story, pixelized style and interesting, original game mechanics and numerous references to internet culture made me fall in love with it.”
    • “The story isn't anything special and the way it's presented is a bit all over the place; the writing is very unoriginal and corny. I understand the game is media-based, but this can be presented in better ways than 'man of culture' and 'uwu' jokes.”
    • “I have no idea what is happening in this story based on the prologue.”
    • “I focused on the story and primarily made the necessary coding changes to proceed through the game.”
  • music
    91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack is described as beautiful, immersive, and well-complemented by high-quality voice acting, contributing significantly to the game's engaging narrative and pixel art style. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that elevates the gaming experience, leaving players eager for the full release.

    • “The music, story, gameplay, visuals, and voice acting - all honestly beautiful :)”
    • “Genuinely have no words: the visuals were gorgeous and the music complemented the bittersweet story so well.”
    • “The music dude, the music took the game to a whole nother level, the game is incredible on its own but the music just took it farther, it even made me emotional on the part where the voiceover said the game was going to be cancelled.”
    • “The music dude, the music took the game to a whole nother level, the game is incredible on its own but the music just took it farther, it even made me emotional on the part where the voiceover said the game was going to be cancelled, the fact that he was giving up his dream, his lifelong dream and the music over it kinda made me emotional.”
    • “The pretty pixel art is what initially sparked my interest in that game but after playing this prologue, I must say that the music and what we get to glimpse of the story create a bittersweet atmosphere that made me want to learn more about the characters.”
    • “When you're playing the game, the music will make you feel emotion and I can't wait for the full game to come out.”
  • graphics
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, particularly for its beautiful pixel art style and vibrant colors, which many players find captivating and atmospheric. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in the visuals, noting that they enhance the overall experience alongside the game's engaging soundtrack and story. While some mention minor issues with environment design, the consensus is that the graphics significantly contribute to the game's charm and potential.

    • “In my first 300 seconds of gameplay, I was immediately drawn to the pixel art style and the overall look of the game, which I found highly appealing.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, amazing soundtrack, this game has a huge amount of potential.”
    • “The pixel art style looks absolutely beautiful with all the bright colors, the music was amazing, the story had me hooked and the voice acting was really good.”
    • “Graphics are in pixels and I really like it.”
    • “The art style was immaculate.”
    • “Pixel graphics are well done and I forget how much can be done with this art form!”
  • gameplay
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has been widely praised for its unique mechanics, engaging story, and appealing pixel art style. Players appreciate the innovative use of coding as a gameplay element, which adds depth to puzzles and exploration, although some have noted minor control issues and a restrictive nature in the demo version. Overall, the combination of interesting gameplay, beautiful visuals, and a captivating soundtrack creates a compelling experience that leaves players eager for the full release.

    • “A surprisingly fun gameplay mechanic, along with a vibrant art style and a pleasant soundtrack makes for an amazing experience.”
    • “The gameplay is so interesting, the pixel art is pretty and they have great storytelling, plus beautiful background music.”
    • “The gameplay is definitely intriguing, being a developer in the very world that you're interacting with and using the powers of altering code to navigate a buggy game is pretty entertaining.”
    • “I don't think the gameplay is something that can be fixed and is really the whole point of the game.”
    • “Hardly any gameplay elements other than the 'hacking' feature.”
    • “It was a short 2 hours of gameplay (because I struggled so hard to understand and complete mini games).”
  • emotional
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its heartfelt storytelling, beautiful art, and evocative music that resonate deeply with personal experiences. Many reviewers found the prologue to be a touching and memorable introduction, evoking feelings of nostalgia and connection, while some noted its potential to elicit tears. Overall, the game successfully creates an emotional atmosphere that leaves a lasting impact on players.

    • “Thanks for making something memorable and emotionally resonant.”
    • “The emotional story, pixelated style, interesting original game mechanics, and numerous references to internet culture made me fall in love with it.”
    • “The music took the game to a whole new level; it even made me emotional on the part where the voiceover said the game was going to be canceled, the fact that he was giving up his lifelong dream and the music over it kind of made me emotional.”
  • atmosphere
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning pixel art, immersive sound design, and engaging storytelling, creating a captivating experience that keeps players invested. Many reviewers highlight the combination of beautiful graphics and a compelling soundtrack, which together evoke strong emotional responses and enhance the overall gameplay. While some suggest that those seeking similar atmospheric 2D games might find better options elsewhere, the consensus remains that this game excels in creating a breathtaking and memorable atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is breathtaking!”
    • “The world is beautiful, the sounds and the music that are created here bring this game alive along with its great atmosphere.”
    • “The amazing pixel art and the great soundtrack add to the immersive atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The pretty pixel art is what initially sparked my interest in that game, but after playing this prologue, I must say that the music and what we get to glimpse of the story create a bittersweet atmosphere that made me want to learn more about the characters.”
    • “I played the first demo of this game and it feels totally different than this (in a good way). Both the demo and this prologue gave me goosebumps. I really love this game so much; the music, the atmosphere, the dialogue, and the gameplay itself are totally awesome.”
    • “Surprised by the atmosphere because it is the present, with those types of people, dialogues, and voices. Very good characterization of these times (2017-2020?).”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its blend of meme references, witty dialogue, and funny character interactions that enhance the overall experience. While some players desire humor that stands on its own without relying on references, many find the comedic elements endearing and integral to the game's charm. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's personality, making it enjoyable and engaging for players.

    • “Amazing world with a diverse set of NPCs and a lot of funny little interactions; plot-wise, it was very endearing for the little demo we have.”
    • “The game had a cool personality to it and the dialogue was awesome; it made the characters feel more alive along with some funny moments.”
    • “I love the art style, the humor, and especially using coding as a gameplay mechanic; it is my perfect idea of a game.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the intentional glitches and unique color combinations as a creative element, others report experiencing discomfort, such as motion sickness, due to these same features. Overall, the gameplay's intriguing concept of navigating a buggy world through code manipulation is engaging, but it may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those sensitive to visual stimuli.

    • “I thankfully don't have any seizure-related conditions, but I occasionally suffer from motion sickness. I sometimes found that the intentional glitches, color combinations, and transitions—combined with the background music and sound effects—gave me an unpleasant, almost nauseating feeling. I wanted to emphasize this to hopefully help out those who suffer from similar or related conditions.”
    • “The gameplay is definitely intriguing, being a developer in the very world that you're interacting with and using the powers of altering code to navigate a buggy game is pretty entertaining.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the game's ability to provide a refreshing break from grinding in other genres, highlighting its honest and beautiful design that encourages reflection on life, art, and imagination.

    • “It's the exact game I love to play when I'm not grinding away on space sims because it's just an honest and beautiful game that makes you think about life, art, and imagination.”
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83%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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2h Median play time
2h Average play time
6h Main story
11h Completionist
2-2h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

One Dreamer is a puzzle game.

One Dreamer is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

The main story can be completed in around 6 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 11 hours to finish. On average players spend around 2 hours playing One Dreamer.

One Dreamer was released on May 7, 2020.

One Dreamer was developed by GarethDev.

One Dreamer has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

One Dreamer is a single player game.

Similar games include The First Tree, Seen, INMOST, Wandersong, Sheepy: A Short Adventure and others.