Silicon Dreams
- April 20, 2021
- Clockwork Bird
- 5h median play time
An extremely intelligent sci-fi interrogation sim that’s unpredictable for all the right reasons.
Get on Steam"Silicon Dreams" is a narrative-driven cyberpunk interrogation game where you play as a detective AI. Question a variety of androids, analyze their responses, and make decisions that will impact your understanding of their stories and motives. Immerse yourself in a detailed, atmospheric world and uncover the truth behind human-like AI's actions.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Silicon Dreams features excellent writing and storytelling, immersing players in a morally complex world where they must navigate the emotional lives of androids.
- The game offers significant replay value, with multiple outcomes based on player choices, encouraging exploration of different paths and decisions.
- The interrogation mechanics are engaging, requiring players to carefully consider their questions and the emotional states of the androids they are interviewing.
- The game can feel overly punishing, with players facing severe consequences for decisions that may seem reasonable, leading to frustration.
- There is a lack of visual engagement, as the graphics are basic and may not appeal to players looking for a more visually stimulating experience.
- Some players have reported issues with the dialogue system feeling arbitrary, making it difficult to determine the 'correct' choices during interrogations.
- story77 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a deeply engaging exploration of ethical dilemmas and emotional development among androids, set against a cyberpunk backdrop. While some players find the narrative predictable and lacking in surprises, many appreciate the branching paths and the significant impact of player choices on the overall outcome. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its thought-provoking content and immersive character interactions, despite some critiques regarding its execution and depth.
“The story is deep and thought-provoking, with every mission being interesting and triggering genuine emotions in me.”
“Silicon Dreams is a great game with a really innovative approach to storytelling in a cyberpunk dystopia, holding up a black mirror to society and laying bare the sinister parts of a techy culture.”
“I really liked how well the story is written and how it puts you in front of strange and often difficult decisions to make, making even moment-to-moment choices very substantial.”
“The game's story isn't all too original and is very predictable.”
“But, setting and story-wise, there weren't a whole lot of surprises, twists or fascinating ideas.”
“The brevity of the game could be forgiven if it was a high-quality, great experience... but its quality is, as mentioned, somewhere between average and shoddy, and whilst the general topic of the conversations is interesting, the game fails to provide meaningful gameplay or an actually hooking storyline.”
- gameplay35 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily focused on dialogue and interrogation mechanics, allowing players to uncover secrets and make moral decisions that impact the story. While some find the mechanics engaging and the writing strong, others criticize the gameplay for being repetitive and lacking depth, with many interactions feeling like mere clicks through dialogue trees. Overall, the experience is described as thought-provoking with a unique cyberpunk aesthetic, but opinions vary on its long-term engagement and originality.
“The gameplay is really engaging and fun.”
“The dialogue is top notch and the interrogation mechanic feels so open and choice-based.”
“Mix in a cyberpunk setting and some of its own elements, along with good gameplay, wonderful dialogue and you have one of the biggest surprises for me of the last handful of years.”
“The gameplay doesn't seem incredibly original; however, the fact you can view your subject's emotions and how they change based on questioning is cool.”
“Admittedly, I could technically replay the brief story to hunt for different endings, but with 95% of the gameplay being 'click through every option of the dialogue tree,' it just isn't engaging whatsoever.”
“The brevity of the game could be forgiven if it was a high-quality, great experience, but its quality is, as mentioned, somewhere between average and shoddy, and whilst the general topic of the conversations is interesting, the game fails to provide meaningful gameplay or an actually hooking storyline.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many noting that while they are not particularly stunning or engaging, they effectively contribute to the game's grim atmosphere and narrative. Some players appreciate the unique art style and how it complements the story, while others criticize the visuals as basic or lacking polish. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose in enhancing the thematic elements of the game, but they may not satisfy those seeking a visually impressive experience.
“It's got all the smooth, pretty graphics and sound effects of a nifty cyberpunk story-- but some serious bite and thought-provoking content, too.”
“The art in the game is nice, and I enjoyed the visual aesthetics.”
“The visuals are unique in design, the music is unexpectedly ominous, and the androids we are interacting with are each compelling.”
“Graphics are poor but stylized.”
“Well... the graphics are an eyesore; the first time I killed a robot, I burst out laughing at the animation they chose.”
“If you are looking for a game that is heavy on graphics, this won't be for you. It isn't the best looking game ever, but the other elements more than make up for that.”
- emotional27 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is deeply engaging, as players navigate the complex emotional lives of sentient androids who are treated as mere property. The narrative is praised for its heartfelt storytelling, allowing players to empathize with the androids' struggles and emotional states, which are intricately tied to the dialogue choices made during interactions. Overall, the game is described as an emotional masterpiece that effectively evokes feelings of empathy and moral reflection through its well-crafted mechanics and writing.
“The stories of the androids are well written and can be very emotional.”
“An emotional masterpiece with mechanics that avoid being too complicated and have just enough moving parts to keep things interesting.”
“The dialogue was very well thought out and I believe this game deserves more popularity; it is a very touching game. You feel empathy for the androids that you spent 10 minutes with, and you can gain their trust through dialogue, allowing them to open up to more questions that they previously have not answered.”
- music14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the storytelling, while others find it repetitive or grating. Overall, the soundtrack is described as fitting the game's themes well, contributing to the immersive experience, despite some criticisms of its repetitiveness and lack of excitement.
“The music is great with the ambience, the graphics work for what it is.”
“Music and sound effects are spot on, atmospheric and never intrusive.”
“The soundtrack of the game blends in nicely with the theme.”
“The music is also a bit grating, loud ominous ambience with constant blips.”
“The music is boring and drab but that doesn't matter all too much.”
“The music can only be described as 'fine'.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a grim and gritty tone, effectively complemented by a fitting soundtrack and sound effects that enhance the overall experience. While the graphics may lack polish, they contribute to a dystopian setting that immerses players in a bitter neon world, supported by strong dialogue and engaging choices. Overall, the atmosphere is well-crafted, drawing players into its unique blend of futuristic technology and corporate dystopia.
“The game has a very grim and gritty atmosphere which I like a lot and fits the game's visuals well.”
“I think 'Silicon Dreams' is a brilliant game and well worth the asking price if you’re at all interested in meeting and interrogating these great characters, plunging yourself into the atmosphere of this bitter neon world, or are just curious about new twists on how to tell cool stories with games.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive but still fits the atmosphere very well.”
“They do help convey a gloomy atmosphere, but I feel as if the graphics are missing something.”
“There is a very nice blend of futuristic technology with what is essentially a dystopic corporate atmosphere.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find significant value in exploring different endings and play styles, others rate it poorly, citing limited replay options. Many users appreciate the variety of outcomes and the potential for multiple playthroughs, suggesting that it offers a worthwhile experience for those interested in uncovering all its secrets.
“It was well worth the purchase and has a lot of replay value.”
“A complex, well-written interactive detective-esque game, with room for replayability with the various interesting outcomes.”
“There’s tons of replay value here and I intend to play for either side solely so I can see what ending I get.”
“Replayability: 2/10”
“[u]Replayability, value for money and extra content: 2.0/10[/u]”
“About 5 hours total play time, not counting the replay value.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when it comes to replaying conversations without clear indicators of important choices. While the unique goals of each case help mitigate some repetitiveness, many still feel that the dialogue lacks enough engagement to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“Would love to play again and discover any of the outcomes, but the thought of having to replay all of the conversations without knowing which choices are important is too tedious.”
“Replaying the game can become a bit tedious, going through all of the dialogue to do what you want.”
“It might take some grinding through repeat dialogue to find all of them, and while I enjoyed my experience the first time through, the dialogue is not so good that I would not mind reading through it all once again.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is notably poor, detracting from the overall experience despite its engaging and thought-provoking gameplay. Players feel that with some improvements in optimization, the game could reach its full potential.
“A few optimizations and it'll be really good.”
“The optimization, however, is abysmal.”
“If you've ever had to deal with HR and performance reviews and found them scary in real life... well, the devs here have captured that feeling at times perfectly.”
“It's the exact opposite of a mindless game; however, you will be constantly analyzing both your subjects and yourself. Your performance is reviewed after every analysis, so you have to carefully consider everything you do to stay at the top of your game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by absurd and dark comedic elements, such as a self-torturing robot designed to entertain players. While the graphics may be off-putting, the exaggerated animations during gameplay elicit genuine laughter, particularly during moments of robot destruction.
“The funny robot tortures itself to satisfy people.”
“Well... the graphics are an eyesore, but the first time I killed a robot, I burst out laughing at the animation they chose.”
