The Dreamlord

About

The Dreamlord is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by mesetts and was released on December 13, 2016. It received negative reviews from players.

"The Dreamlord" is a 2D pixel art action-adventure game where players navigate surreal dreamscapes and battle nightmarish creatures. As the Dreamlord, players have the power to manipulate dreams and must use these abilities to solve puzzles and progress through the levels. The game features a blend of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving, with a heavy emphasis on atmosphere and story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

25%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

gameplay5 negative mentions

The game offers a unique first-person platforming experience that emphasizes physics-driven traversal and spatial problem-solving.
The inclusion of a level editor allows players to create and share their own challenges, extending the game's lifespan and encouraging creativity.
When the mechanics click, successfully chaining jumps and navigating complex layouts can be deeply satisfying.

The controls are clunky and frustrating, often leading to frequent mistakes and a lack of precision in movement.
The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including input lag and poor hit detection.
The visual presentation is minimal and lacks detail, which detracts from the overall experience and immersion.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
39%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by a minimal storytelling approach that emphasizes mechanics and spatial problem-solving, appealing to players who enjoy mastering challenging systems. While the inclusion of a level editor and innovative mechanics can be rewarding, many players find the controls clunky and the gameplay frustrating, with some describing it as simplistic and lacking in engaging environments. Overall, the experience is polarizing, catering primarily to those who appreciate mechanical challenges, while others criticize it for poor execution and design.
- “This minimal storytelling approach keeps the focus squarely on mechanics and spatial problem-solving, reinforcing the sense that the dream world is a constructed test rather than a living place.”
- “Each stage introduces new mechanics or combinations of existing ones, such as disappearing platforms, moving hazards, fire traps, and teleportation puzzles.”
- “One of the more notable features is the inclusion of a built-in level editor, which allows players to create and share their own dream trials using the same tools and mechanics as the main campaign.”
- “It's a parkour game, but the gameplay is awful.”
- “The controls are clunky, gameplay is simplistic and often annoying.”
- “Frustrating gameplay and disgusting design.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game's story adopts a minimalistic approach, emphasizing mechanics and problem-solving over narrative depth, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience. While it attempts to establish a backstory and characters through text-to-speech, the execution is hampered by frustrating gameplay elements, leaving the narrative feeling underdeveloped despite its potential. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “The game features a narrative that, although delivered through text-to-speech, actually did attempt to set up a backstory and characters.”
- “This minimal storytelling approach keeps the focus squarely on mechanics and spatial problem-solving, reinforcing the sense that the dream world is a constructed test rather than a living place.”
- “First to list some positives; the game features a narrative that, although delivered through text to speech, actually did attempt to set up a backstory and characters.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The graphics of the game are generally criticized for being basic and lacking detail, with a clean but uninspired aesthetic that fails to engage players. While some reviewers appreciate the visuals in conjunction with the story, many feel that the overall presentation is underwhelming and detracts from the gameplay experience.
- “Visually, the game opts for a clean, functional aesthetic rather than a richly detailed or stylized one.”
- “Great story and visuals, and some creative platforming ideas.”
- “Boring game with poor graphics.”
- “Really not sure what to say, there are basic premises here for a platformer, but the visuals leave a lot to be desired. The sound quality is passable at best (all 'characters' speak in text-to-speech), and the way the game feels very stiff to play makes it hard for me to recommend it.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's optimization focuses on clarity and performance over artistic presentation, ensuring a smooth experience despite lacking the visual flair of more narrative-driven indie titles.
- “While the presentation lacks the artistic flourish of more narrative-driven indie titles, it serves its purpose by prioritizing clarity and performance.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite its interesting concept, the poor optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the game is riddled with bugs and performance problems that detract from the overall experience.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The atmosphere is characterized by a dreamlike quality, enhanced by subtle audio design that features ambient sounds and minimal voice work, allowing players to remain immersed in the gameplay without distractions.
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack that pulls you into its world.”
- “Every corner of the environment feels alive, creating a rich atmosphere that enhances the storytelling and keeps you engaged.”
- “The audio design is similarly restrained, offering ambient sounds and minimal voice work that reinforce the dreamlike atmosphere without drawing attention away from gameplay.”
- “The overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is hindered by repetitive environments and a lack of engaging visual storytelling.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The music in the game is described as minimal and nearly non-existent, with some users finding it relaxing despite its lack of prominence. One reviewer noted that the background music, reminiscent of Final Fantasy: Crisis Core, provided a brief moment of calm.
- “(The music from the clip is from Final Fantasy: Crisis Core playing in the background.)”
- “Music is nearly nonexistent.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”