Picayune Dreams

99%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,603 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

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Reviews

99%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,603 reviews
music253 positive mentions
grinding8 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of bullet heaven and bullet hell gameplay, providing a refreshing experience in the genre.
  • The soundtrack is outstanding, with breakcore music that perfectly complements the game's chaotic aesthetic.
  • The story is intriguing and well-integrated into the gameplay, with character interactions and memories that add depth to the experience.
  • The game can suffer from performance issues, particularly during late-game runs with many enemies on screen, leading to significant lag.
  • Some upgrades and weapons feel underwhelming or less impactful compared to others, leading to a lack of variety in builds.
  • The final boss can feel overly long and tedious, which may detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • music458 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its energetic breakcore and jungle soundtrack, which many players describe as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack complements the game's visuals and gameplay, creating an engaging atmosphere that keeps players hooked. Overall, the music is considered a major draw, with many recommending purchasing the soundtrack separately due to its quality and impact on the gameplay experience.

    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the story is actually really interesting, the game has a lot of replayability and most importantly you can keep the bosses as your friends after you defeat them.”
    • “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.”
    • “Had depression, came for jungle music, depression got worse over Japanese girl.”
    • “This game can be overwhelming in visuals, music, and general sensory.”
    • “The music is not very good, in my opinion.”
  • story403 mentions

    The game's story is a standout feature, described as intriguing and engaging, with a unique delivery that unfolds through memories obtained from defeating bosses. While some players found the narrative to be short and straightforward, many appreciated its dark themes and the way it complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. The combination of compelling storytelling, beautiful visuals, and an exceptional soundtrack contributes to a memorable and immersive journey, making it a notable entry in the roguelike genre.

    • “The story is an amazing ride from start to finish, the dialogue is one of my favorite parts.”
    • “The story is intriguing, and it's told almost entirely through memories you obtain by clearing bosses.”
    • “The game succeeds in evolving upon the bullet heaven formula while emphasizing story and greater player engagement.”
    • “But after the story, you don't feel like playing anymore because there's nothing driving you, and the gameplay isn't as deep as its contemporaries.”
    • “The story is somewhat short, and after you complete it, there's little else to experience outside of raw gameplay.”
    • “The story, well... to say it'd have your brain in knots is putting it mildly.”
  • gameplay307 mentions

    The gameplay of "Picayune Dreams" is widely praised for its addictive and engaging mechanics, blending bullet hell and roguelike elements effectively. Players appreciate the unique art style and stellar soundtrack, which enhance the overall experience, while the game offers a satisfying progression system and a variety of upgrades. However, some reviewers note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, particularly after completing the story, and that certain mechanics may feel unbalanced or obscure.

    • “The gameplay is addictive, as expected with this type of game, but it adds a twist with the bosses, which are bullet hell challenges.”
    • “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 gameplay, narrative, music, and visuals are all dizzying, colorful, dark, and overwhelming in the best way possible.”
    • “But after the story, you don't feel like playing anymore because there's nothing driving you, and the gameplay isn't as deep as its contemporaries.”
    • “The gameplay can get stale after a while but still a good purchase to sink in a few hours.”
    • “The game had some issues in the horde gameplay as it just lasted way too long, making it very tedious.”
  • graphics254 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and captivating aesthetic, blending surreal pixel art with a psychedelic vibe that enhances the gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the seamless integration of visuals and music, creating an engaging atmosphere that complements the game's themes and mechanics. While some find the visuals overwhelming at times, the overall consensus is that the art style is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The bullet-hell roguelike multi-upgrade gameplay is extremely fun, and the beautiful surreal pixel graphics along with the borderline psychological horror storyline are highly engaging.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic and the visuals feel like staring into a music visualizer, it ramps up as you grab more upgrades which add more visual effects to the screen which is extremely satisfying.”
    • “The visuals are insane and surreal, verging on psychedelic.”
    • “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.”
    • “While not a bad thing, the vibes and aesthetic (which alone are worth more than double the game's price in my opinion) of the game are certainly its strongest aspect and main appeal.”
  • replayability26 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the variety of unlockables, achievements, and different gameplay mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some reviews note limitations in content and build variety, the engaging soundtrack, art style, and combat keep players coming back for more. Despite a few calls for additional content to enhance longevity, the consensus is that the game offers a fun and satisfying experience that invites repeated play.

    • “The soundtrack is amazing, the story is actually really interesting, the game has a lot of replayability and most importantly you can keep the bosses as your friends after you defeat them.”
    • “Despite the relatively small amount of content there is in this game, it is extremely replayable and genuinely really fun.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “I really pray the wonderful devs add in some stuff to draw the longevity of this game out like more difficult boss patterns on higher difficulty settings, some synergies between weapons, more enemy variety with more variety to their attacks, some more things to explore in the unfortunately linear Yume Nikki-inspired memory sequences, some sort of randomizer mode for the perks or upgrades, win streaks, playable boss characters or just more playable characters in general, more variety in backgrounds, and whatever else may come.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky dialogue, particularly featuring a comical rabbit character, and a blend of absurdity and wit that resonates throughout the gameplay. Players appreciate the funny interactions and surreal elements, although some feel that the humor can be stretched thin during longer play sessions. Overall, the humor adds a refreshing layer to the engaging gameplay and interesting story, making it a memorable experience.

    • “With the banger soundtrack, funny little dialogue, interesting story and simple yet engaging gameplay...”
    • “Trippy but interesting lore that unfolds bit by bit on every boss fight along with some funny dialogues.”
    • “The bosses are cool and the dialogue before you fight them is funny.”
  • atmosphere13 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Picayune Dreams" is widely praised for its eerie, surreal quality, enhanced by a unique blend of art, music, and storytelling that evokes a dreamlike experience. Reviewers highlight the game's grim style and cosmic vibe, with a soundtrack that complements its unsettling yet charming aesthetic. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound design, and narrative elements creates a captivating and immersive environment that resonates well with players.

    • “Picayune Dreams is an addicting roguelike shoot 'em up oozing a grim style and atmosphere.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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) and well-written story segments reminiscent of games like Yume Nikki.”
    • “Genres include breakcore and ambient with a cosmic atmosphere and vibe.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be balanced and rewarding, with many appreciating the challenge it presents and the meaningful progression towards unlocks and the true ending. However, some users feel that certain gameplay elements, like horde mode, can become tedious due to their length, while others note that the option to toggle 2x speed helps alleviate monotony. Despite mixed feelings, the grinding is generally seen as engaging rather than mindless.

    • “Balanced, challenging but not too grindy, and cheap!”
    • “The game had some issues in the horde gameplay as it just lasted way too long, making it very tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Cool but way too grindy.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is primarily conveyed through imaginative and unique character designs that blend various artistic styles, creating a visually striking experience. While the narrative may be minimal, the distinct aesthetics and engaging gameplay loop enhance the overall atmosphere, making the characters memorable. The standout feature remains the art and music, which together elevate the game's appeal despite the lack of a deep story.

    • “It's a good time with imaginative character designs.”
    • “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 bosses fall under the same category as the regular enemies too; they all have very unique and distinct character designs.”
    • “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.”
    • “Ideal fusion of two genres with an art style and character design to back it up.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for shaky performance and technical issues, particularly during extended play sessions. However, recent patches have improved performance, especially regarding looping gameplay.

    • “Edit: multiple performance patches fixed my looping issue.”
    • “Performance is a bit shaky.”
    • “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).”
    • “Multiple performance patches fixed my looping issue.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players find the game's emotional impact significant, with some expressing a desire to uninstall after experiencing the true ending, indicating a profound connection to the narrative. The soundtrack is highlighted as an emotional motivator, complementing the game's blend of challenging gameplay and a touching, thought-provoking story.

    • “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.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game is praised for its stability, running smoothly even on low-end hardware, with only minor issues noted during the final boss encounter. Players report a solid performance on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Worth every cent, the game runs great on a potato. The only exception is the final boss, but that's okay; you can't ask much from integrated graphics. Replayability is really nice, and while it's not a long game, you can complete the story in about 5 hours or less if you're really good at bullet hell games. The lore feels so great once you get it.”
    • “The game is good and runs great on the Steam Deck. Definitely worth buying.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
7-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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