Dreamcore offers a unique and surreal gaming experience that emphasizes atmosphere, exploration, and a sense of unease, while traditional gameplay mechanics take a backseat. This first-person adventure unfolds in a fragmented dream world, where your main goal is to piece together the segments of a creepy world and an enigmatic story. Although Dreamcore excels at creating a disquieting atmosphere and vivid, surreal environments, its unconventional design may not appeal to players looking for a more structured or action-oriented game.
At times, Dreamcore feels more like an immersive, interactive work of art than a classic game. There are no enemies, no tutorials, and no challenges in the usual sense. There is just you, the eerie atmosphere, and your task to find a way out as you wander through disorienting corridors. The game’s pace is intentionally slow, and environmental storytelling takes center stage. The game currently contains two zones: Dreampools and Eternal Suburbia, with additional zones planned for future updates.
Dreampools is a sprawling labyrinth of surreal pools, winding corridors, and confusing spaces. Inspired by the aesthetics of Liminal Space and the Backrooms, this area offers one of the largest maps in the game. To progress, you’ll need to find a flashlight, which becomes essential as you enter pitch-black basement hallways. The lack of clear guidance heightens the sense of unease, leaving you to uncover the secrets of this world at your own pace.
Eternal Suburbia, on the other hand, sharply contrasts with the confined, labyrinthine feel of Dreampools. This area presents an endless and creepy suburban neighborhood. The seemingly infinite rows of identical houses conceal subtle, unsettling details: a flickering TV in an empty room, an abandoned tricycle on a foggy street, or a distant whisper echoing through the night. The map is more open, and the rapid shifts between day and night further contribute to the surreal atmosphere.
Initially, I expected enemies to appear, or at least something to keep me in suspense, but that’s not part of this experience. Running through the same corridors and doors eventually becomes monotonous. Not even classic “jump scare” elements are included to break the monotony. For me, Dreamcore is like a movie you watch blindfolded. It perfectly captures the feeling of anticipation, of something you’re sure is about to happen, but never arrives. You feel unsettled, even scared, yet nothing directly terrifies you.
One of my favorite features in Dreamcore is the ability to customize the world’s visual style. The visuals heavily lean on nostalgic degradation, mimicking the blurry, grainy aesthetic of VHS tapes from the early ’90s. The VHS Tape Mode adds a slightly blurred, vintage effect, while the CRT TV Mode offers a cleaner, yet still retro-inspired, look. Players are free to choose the visual style that best suits their experience.
The sound design in the game is also exceptional. Subtle ambient sounds, like dripping water, distant footsteps, or the faint hum of fluorescent lights, build a sense of unease during quieter moments. Occasionally, orchestral or jazz music breaks the silence, creating a strong contrast that adds a layer of surreal unpredictability to the game’s atmosphere.
A few puzzles can be found, such as locating a key or a statue, but they don’t have a significant impact on the actual gameplay, mostly serving as part of the achievements. Furthermore, Dreamcore’s environments are full of cryptic and unsettling moments. One particularly striking sight is a large yellow ball with a cheerful smiley face, placed in an otherwise empty corridor. Such moments do not pose an actual threat during gameplay, but they leave a strong feeling of discomfort.
At this stage, Dreamcore feels like an unfinished project. The current content offers roughly two to three hours of gameplay, focused on exploration and discovery. While the fragmented story encourages you to piece together its meaning, the lack of depth leaves an impression of incompleteness. Players expecting a more coherent or extensive story might be left unsatisfied.
Future updates promise additional areas and expanded storylines, which could resolve some of the current shortcomings. Players who value replayability or clearly defined objectives might find the absence of traditional gameplay mechanics frustrating.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Creepy atmosphere. | Lack of traditional gameplay. |
| Visually beautiful game. | Limited content. |
| Impressive sound design. | Fragmented narrative. |
| Some puzzles can be found. |
Review copy provided by the publisher
