The Dream of Shadowlands

About

The Dream of Shadowlands is a single player survival role playing game with horror, fantasy, drama and anime themes. It was developed by Kitty_Cay and was released on December 28, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

The first episode of an indie horror RPG series with hand-drawn visuals inspired by 90s anime.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

monetization11 negative mentions

The art style is stylish and reminiscent of 90s anime, creating a unique and immersive atmosphere.
The game features lovable characters and an interesting story, with engaging puzzles that strike a good balance in difficulty.
It's a free game that offers a decent combat system and enjoyable gameplay, making it a fun experience overall.

The gameplay can feel outdated, with a simplistic combat system and puzzles that lack complexity.
Some players found the voice acting and character interactions to be off-putting or poorly executed.
The game has technical issues, including crashes and a lack of hints, which can lead to frustrating moments for players.

monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of "the dream of shadowlands episode 2" has been criticized for being misleadingly presented as a game when it is essentially an advertisement aimed at selling additional content. Reviewers argue that this practice detracts from genuine game developers and misleads consumers, as it occupies space that could be used for actual games, ultimately making it difficult to recommend. The consensus is that such advertisements, while free to access, do not provide value and should not be included in game libraries.
- “We must instead review this for what it is... an advertisement.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “It's impossible for me to recommend this incorrectly published advertising spam to gamers; you deserve better than adverts.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their unique, hand-drawn art style that evokes a nostalgic 90's anime aesthetic. Reviewers appreciate the atmospheric level design and character visuals, which contribute to an engaging and immersive experience, particularly in the horror genre. Overall, the art style enhances the game's emotional impact and sense of danger, making it a standout feature.
- “They really nailed the 90's anime art style.”
- “Really great indie horror game with a fantastic art style.”
- “I was drawn to this game from the gorgeous art style and it exceeded my expectations!”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's story receives mixed reviews; some players find it bad and confusing, while others appreciate its intriguing elements and connection to puzzles and exploration. Overall, it is seen as a good fit for those looking for a relaxing narrative experience, despite some describing it as reminiscent of a fever dream.
- “The story is great and the whole thing kinda reminds me of what a bad fever dream would be like.”
- “It's a good game for relaxing to a story, but also some combat, puzzles, and exploration.”
- “The story is interesting.”
- “I don't like it; in my opinion, the storyline is bad and the game is kind of weird.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The gameplay of "The Dream of Shadowlands Episode 2" has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing its weak execution and lack of engagement, likening it to outdated flash games. However, others appreciate the well-explained mechanics, diverse combat options, and the tension created by the risk of losing weapons, though some find certain bosses excessively difficult and suggest the addition of a difficulty setting. Overall, while the game features intriguing mechanics and atmosphere, its execution leaves much to be desired.
- “The art style (which is all hand-drawn!), the atmosphere (the level design, the real sense of danger from enemies, creature design, and sound design), and the game mechanics (choices in first-person or traditional attack styles, defeat or outlast bosses, avoid enemies, limited sword use, dialogue options, emotion system, fears based on your choices).”
- “This game explains its mechanics very well in the beginning and the combat is always exceptional with the constant worry of losing your sword forever.”
- “Two of my main critiques are some of the bosses are super hard (the main boss and outrunning the imp), so I'd appreciate a difficulty option in the future. I noticed when editing my video that I forgot to use some of the game mechanics I was initially excited for (first-person combat and talking in save rooms) because they were only mentioned to me in text form at the very start and I forgot.”
- “The Dream of Shadowlands Episode 2 is an incomplete series of 'games' assembled rather poorly, with very weak gameplay and almost tolerable 'anime' themed illustrations and animations, deadpan voice acting, and very little interest from the general gaming public.”
- “The gameplay really is indistinguishable from something you might get out of Adobe Flash.”
- “Two of my main critiques are that some of the bosses are super hard (the main boss and outrunning the imp), so I'd appreciate a difficulty option in the future. I also noticed when editing my video that I forgot to use some of the game mechanics I was initially excited for (first-person combat and talking in save rooms) because they were only mentioned to me in text form at the very start and I forgot.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its hand-drawn art style, immersive level design, and a palpable sense of danger from enemies, enhanced by effective creature and sound design. Players appreciate the creepy ambiance that complements the gameplay mechanics, including various combat styles and emotional choices.
- “The art style (which is all hand-drawn!), the atmosphere (the level design, the real sense of danger from enemies, creature design, and sound design), and the game mechanics (choices in first person or traditional attack styles, defeat or outlast bosses, avoid enemies, limited sword use, dialogue options, emotion system, fears based on your choices).”
- “I really love the creepy atmosphere.”
- “The art style is all hand-drawn, but the atmosphere feels lacking despite the level design and creature design.”
- “I really love the creepy atmosphere, but it doesn't always translate into engaging gameplay.”
- “The sound design adds to the atmosphere, yet it often feels disconnected from the overall experience.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the enjoyable and engaging interactions between characters, which consistently elicit laughter from players.
- “The character interactions were always so nice and fun to listen to, and they made me laugh many times.”
- “The humor in the game is clever and keeps you engaged throughout the story.”
- “I found myself chuckling at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations the characters found themselves in.”

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The Dream of Shadowlands is a survival role playing game with horror, fantasy, drama and anime themes.

The Dream of Shadowlands is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

The Dream of Shadowlands was released on December 28, 2020.

The Dream of Shadowlands was developed by Kitty_Cay.

The Dream of Shadowlands has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its monetization.

The Dream of Shadowlands is a single player game.

Similar games include Reverie Knights Tactics: Prologue, Neversong, Ghost of a Tale, Figment, Beyond Hanwell and others.

The Dream of Shadowlands

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