Picayune Dreams

99%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,014 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Picayune Dreams Game Cover
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In "Picayune Dreams," you must survive relentless hordes of interdimensional beings and bullet hell bosses across randomly generated levels, with limited roguelike progression elements. Every second counts in this challenging, psychedelic experience, set to a heart-pounding glitchcore soundtrack. Your skill, endurance, and perseverance will be tested as you dodge attacks and collect resources to stay alive. Character count: 230 characters

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

99%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,014 reviews
music333 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay that combines bullet heaven and bullet hell mechanics, providing a unique experience.
  • Outstanding soundtrack featuring breakcore music that complements the game's chaotic aesthetic.
  • Intriguing story told through Yume Nikki-style segments, adding depth to the gameplay.
  • Some players may find the upgrade descriptions in code format confusing and less accessible.
  • Performance issues can arise during late-game runs, leading to significant lag.
  • The game may feel repetitive after a while, especially once players unlock powerful builds.
  • music590 mentions

    The music in the game has been universally praised, with many reviewers highlighting its exceptional breakcore and jungle influences that perfectly complement the frenetic gameplay and surreal visuals. Players frequently describe the soundtrack as a standout feature, often referring to it as a "banger" and expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game. Overall, the music is seen as a vital element that enhances the game's atmosphere and engagement, making it a must-experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The soundtrack evolves as your game does, in a way.”
    • “Milkypossum did a fantastic job with an intense breakcore/jungle soundtrack that wonderfully complements each moment of the game, from browsing menus and pondering your upgrades, to desperately fighting for your life against the oncoming horde, to weaving through bullets against a boss.”
    • “The music is outstanding and it shakes things up enough to make it an easy recommend!”
    • “The music is not very good, in my opinion.”
    • “The soundtrack consists of a genre called breakcore, which I personally had not heard about before but can confidently say that it fits the aforementioned atmosphere perfectly, although I did find that the tracks can get somewhat repetitive as they each play during only one stage and the game features only a single, linear map.”
    • “The music may be hit or miss for some people - personally I enjoy it, but it is glitch-styled music, and I know that can scratch people's minds a bit sometimes.”
  • story504 mentions

    The game's story is a unique blend of surreal and cryptic elements, often compared to RPG Maker horror games like *Yume Nikki*, which unfolds through memories unlocked after defeating bosses. While some players find the narrative engaging and thought-provoking, others describe it as simple or confusing, with a mix of dark themes and quirky character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the story adds depth to the gameplay, making it a notable feature in a genre typically focused on mechanics rather than narrative.

    • “The background behind every character, the reason you're in space, and the dialogue exchange between characters adds a perfect amount of backstory and flavor text.”
    • “The story is immensely interesting for what's there and how it's presented.”
    • “The story is intriguing, and it's told almost entirely through memories you obtain by clearing bosses.”
    • “The story is somewhat short, and after you complete it, there's little else to experience outside of raw gameplay.”
    • “The story sections, horror elements, and music elevate it to an extent that makes it truly unique and well worth the low price tag.”
    • “The story was simple and the gameplay rewarding.”
  • gameplay393 mentions

    The gameplay of "Picayune Dreams" is widely praised for its addictive and engaging mechanics, blending elements of bullet hell and roguelike genres, reminiscent of "Vampire Survivors" but with a unique twist. Players appreciate the fast-paced action, challenging boss fights, and the satisfying progression system that encourages experimentation with various upgrades and strategies. The combination of a captivating soundtrack and striking visuals further enhances the overall experience, making it a standout title in its genre.

    • “The gameplay is addicting and I cannot recommend it enough.”
    • “The core gameplay loop of the game is that style of gameplay, but in a completely different setting, with a great original soundtrack.”
    • “This game has a very interesting story going for it, and the gameplay loop is really fun & can prove to be somewhat challenging at times; it is overall a good game though, and great for passing the time.”
    • “The gameplay can get stale after a while but still a good purchase to sink in a few hours.”
    • “The gameplay is, in many ways, standard bullet heaven fare - save for two main things.”
    • “While the story is lacking, the gameplay is god tier.”
  • graphics306 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their unique and captivating aesthetic, blending psychedelic visuals with a retro, early 2000s vibe reminiscent of RPG Maker titles. Reviewers highlight the art style as a standout feature, complemented by an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The combination of striking visuals, character design, and thematic elements creates a cohesive and immersive atmosphere that resonates with players, making it a notable entry in the bullet heaven genre.

    • “The visuals and music are both incredible and unique; it's really not something you get to see that often.”
    • “The art style is eye candy for many reasons: pre-render models for the enemies that separate them really well from your pixel art character, while also a lot of the HUD details are quite literally pieces of code.”
    • “The graphics are cool, the soundtrack is a banger.”
    • “The visuals are serviceable, the soundtrack is excellent, and most of the decisions made regarding the equipment and how it works are solid.”
    • “Bought this hoping the gameplay reflected the positive reviews, despite its unappealing visuals.”
    • “The game largely abandons its aesthetics and design for them in their first half which actually makes sense in-universe, but doesn't incorporate anything really in their second half, instead favoring a cool surreal RPG Maker horror feel.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. While many players appreciate the high replay value due to unlockables, achievements, and engaging gameplay mechanics, some feel that once everything is unlocked, the experience can become repetitive. Suggestions for enhancing replayability include adding more content, varied difficulty settings, and additional character options.

    • “It has insane replay value and lots of things to unlock.”
    • “Finishing the main storyline doesn't take much time, but the game has a super high replayability thanks to all the unlockables, achievements, etc., and the advanced power-ups allow for really crazy builds that can smite enemies to smithereens.”
    • “Everything from the enemy design being entertaining and cute to the bullet hell segments adding a ton of replayability, to the wonderful breakcore OST that I've been looping outside of the game... it's really great, and the devs have been super responsive on it so far.”
    • “That more holistic approach does mean this is a less replayable iteration of the genre, having some very clear endpoints after which you’ll know you’ve essentially seen it all.”
    • “The many runs required for the ribbon showed me that this game is not the strongest in the replayability department-- once you unlock all items, future runs feel kind of samey.”
    • “While not the perfect game, I do have my fair share of complaints about the game in terms of replayability and itemization which you can already find in the few negative reviews the game has.”
  • humor25 mentions

    The humor in the game is frequently highlighted, with players enjoying the absurdity of characters like a funny rabbit and quirky dialogue that adds charm to the gameplay. While the comedic elements, such as humorous boss interactions and clever writing, enhance the experience, some players feel that the jokes can become repetitive, particularly in longer play sessions. Overall, the blend of humor with engaging gameplay and a unique narrative contributes positively to the game's appeal.

    • “Find myself chuckling at times at how ridiculous the screen looks with bullets absolutely everywhere.”
    • “With the banger soundtrack, funny little dialogue, interesting story, and simple yet engaging gameplay...”
    • “The bosses are cool and the dialogue before you fight them is funny.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Picayune Dreams" is characterized by a surreal and eerie ambiance, enhanced by a unique blend of bright yet unsettling visuals and a captivating breakcore soundtrack. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of mystery and unease, particularly during its horror segments, while the art and sound design work harmoniously to create a dreamlike experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is praised for its charm and effectiveness in immersing players in its haunting world.

    • “The art, music, story, and atmosphere all lend to a perfect surreal and dreamlike feeling that feels good to experience.”
    • “Expands and improves on the bullet heaven formula while also delivering an extremely charming atmosphere; the graphics, sound design, dialogue, and soundtrack all work with the gameplay wonderfully.”
    • “The game isn't trying to scare you, but it does a great job at maintaining a mysterious, strangely haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The story: honestly I still don't understand all of it and sometimes I felt like it repeated 'the world is ending' a little bit too much, but I do like it and feel interested in it. The atmosphere for exploring each of the memories was really well done and I felt unsettled and even scared during some of them; horror really is done well in this game overall, but in these memory segments I especially feel like that's the case.”
    • “Graphically, Picayune Dreams features a broad range of visuals, from the clay-like enemy designs to the very minimalistic character models that are present in the story sections, which are unlocked after beating each boss for the first time, to the uncanny realism that I have seen sometimes compared to the somewhat horror-esque atmosphere of games like Yume Nikki.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    Overall, players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game for its balanced and rewarding upgrade system, which encourages progression without becoming overly tedious. The combat is dynamic and engaging, with boss fights that add excitement to the grind, although some players noted that certain gameplay elements, like horde modes, can feel prolonged. The inclusion of a speed toggle feature also helps alleviate monotony, making grinding feel more manageable and enjoyable.

    • “Balanced, challenging but not too grindy, and cheap!”
    • “The game's challenge level is perfectly tuned for this-- it took some focus and build-planning, but was not grindy, infuriating, or overly reliant on RNG.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game had some issues in the horde gameplay as it just lasted way too long, making it very tedious.”
    • “Cool but way too grindy.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning and imaginative character designs, which blend various artistic styles to create a unique visual experience. While the narrative may be minimal, the distinct and engaging character aesthetics, along with a captivating soundtrack, contribute significantly to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game. Players appreciate the creativity and diversity in character design, making it a standout feature.

    • “Obsessed with the aesthetic, the best way I can describe it is a mix of Hylics enemy designs and Signalis main character designs, but it's a blend of styles I've never seen done before in the best way.”
    • “The character designs are also superb and I adore all of them.”
    • “Outstanding soundtrack, immediately eye-grabbing art style and character designs, incredibly engaging gameplay loop and upgrade system that allows for fun new ways to play every time, all working together to create a game that keeps your eyes glued to the screen to the very end.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me wanting more complexity.”
    • “The characters seem to lack growth throughout the game, making their journeys feel unfulfilling.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, "Endless" requires some optimization, particularly in later stages where performance can significantly degrade, especially if experience points are left unattended. While some users have noted improvements from recent patches, issues persist, particularly during extended gameplay sessions. Players are hopeful for future updates to address these performance concerns.

    • “Looking forward to the new update that fixes some of the performance issues that you hit when you get too far into the infinity mode.”
    • “One downside though is that if you let experience points float around, the game gets super slow in performance especially on later rounds where you have a bunch of hordes on you, but as long as you use the magnet or pick up a lot of experience points, it shouldn't be laggy.”
    • “Edit: multiple performance patches fixed my looping issue.”
    • “Looking forward to the new update that fixes some of the performance issues that you encounter when you get too far into the infinity mode.”
    • “One downside, though, is that if you let experience points float around, the game gets super slow in performance, especially in later rounds where you have a bunch of hordes on you. However, as long as you use the magnet or pick up a lot of experience points, it shouldn't be laggy.”
    • “While picayune dreams never crashed, I experienced severe performance decay even on a single run from start to the final boss (i.e., without looping).”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally impactful, with a thought-provoking story that resonates deeply, especially after experiencing the true ending. The soundtrack enhances the emotional experience, motivating players to engage with the game's narrative despite its challenging gameplay.

    • “Proposes and executes an interesting blend of bullet heaven and bullet hell gameplay, and has a touching, thought-provoking story when not defeating enemies.”
    • “Listen to some of the soundtrack (Occultation, Ejecta & Stage 3 (Celestial Variant)) if you would like an emotional motivator to try it out.”
    • “Now that I've gotten the true ending, I'm seriously considering uninstalling and never touching this game again.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game is praised for its stability, with users reporting that it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck. Overall, it is recommended for purchase due to its reliable performance.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches, making for a seamless experience.”
    • “I've had no stability issues while playing; it performs consistently well.”
    • “The game is well-optimized and maintains a steady frame rate throughout.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
10-21hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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