Developers | Publishers: Philip F. Thomas | Top Hat Studios
Age Rating: EU 12+ | US M 17+
Price : US $13.99 |UK £10.39 | EU €11.59 Release date
: 4. March 2021
Code review is used, thanks in part to Top Hat Studios!
Message: Due to a major bug, I was unable to play the last 20-30 minutes of this 3 hour game. I have reported the bug, and when the fix is released, I hope to review the final grade. Meanwhile, this review is partially based on watching the video at the end of the game.
Dream
You’re the man in someone else’s dream. Using advanced therapeutic techniques, you have penetrated the psyche of Luke Williams to save him from depression and despair. Good work, isn’t it? No pressure, pal.
And the door is closed!
For most of Into a Dream, you just listen to Luke’s story, interspersed with small interludes of puzzles and platforming. The events recounted in Luke’s memoir are not in chronological order, but are fairly easy to follow.
For a game that I expected to be about depression and thus be dark and gloomy, most of the game was actually quite upbeat, albeit a bit sad. For two hours the game was really relaxing. Simple but expressive backgrounds contribute to this atmosphere.
A story that goes straight to the heart
It is only towards the climax that the story and images take a darker turn. Overall, the plot feels less like an escape from depression and more like evidence of a descent into depression. The end, a glimmer of hope, comes suddenly.
I found the epilogue a bit unsatisfying in that edginess, and also in the writing style, which felt like a transition from the subtle dialogue of the game to something more childish. The epilogue also undermines what could have been a strong theme: there’s no need to fix and save everything that went wrong, let alone fix it all at once.
A stylistically simple but beautiful background.
Nevertheless, I liked the story – it was well executed and supported by effective music and sound effects, as well as well-written dialogue. There are even dialogue resolutions, though I can’t tell if they’re really relevant to the ending. Only a replay of the game will make it clearer, but I doubt I’ll do much with the second loss. The dialogue fails on two counts: F-bombs that are unnecessary and unnatural, and a cartoonish laugh from a sinister character who would have been better off without horns.
One of the problems with the rescue mission is that I didn’t feel like I was helping Luke at the end. Was this intentional, some kind of message that we can only help ourselves? I’m not sure what the game was trying to make clear with this. As the character of John Stevens, I was mostly concerned with uncovering Luke’s memories, not so much with helping him. So I wonder if the game shouldn’t be redesigned a bit to match players’ expectations. In any case, I think the developer was wise enough to limit the scope of this story.
I also like that Luke’s story is as close to planet Earth as many other stories. It’s about a real illness or condition, about very real, everyday people, portrayed realistically rather than surrealistically. Luke or his relatives could be you or me. And the beauty of Into a Dream is that it focuses on one demographic – a working husband/father who needs to keep his spirits up and not show that he is unhappy. The character of Luke shows that people should not only suffer in silence.
… That’s very kind of you, but it doesn’t matter. It really is.
Moments of distress
In Dream, a valiant attempt is made to realistically bring the characters to life, but only through dubbing, as visually they are nothing more than silhouettes that don’t move. The voice acting by John Stevens and Luke Williams is sincere and subtle, although John sometimes exaggerates a bit.
Since dialogue is important here, you can add subtitles. The subtitles are color-coded according to who is speaking, which is helpful for players who can’t hear. I wish the font size was much larger. Also, the yellow subtitles (for Anna, Luke’s daughter) were hard to read, a different color might have worked better.
… he’s not doing so well.
The game only works well in the platforming and puzzle sections – almost not great, not scary. There was an obscure riddle in the second half (related to the phone booth) that got me searching. The last half hour is largely spent in the dark, which may make some players uncomfortable.
During this part of the game, a serious bug appeared, a visual distortion that prevented me from seeing my character and going to the next screen. Parts of the screen were covered and on one screen the view of the camera was blocked. Therefore, I rate this game as Not Sure instead of If.
Note for parent’s handbook
In the UK, PEGI rates the film as 12+ due to sexual innuendo and light language. Rated 17+ in the US for sexual themes and coarse language. That’s what the online store says.
In fact, I didn’t notice any sexual themes or undertones. The strong language is obvious, though – more than a few F-bombs were dropped in the second half of the game. As for the violence, I remember a picture with blood that would have surely scared a small child. The noose (symbol for death or suicide) occurs two or three times in the game, which I mention in case you find it annoying. But overall, I’d say the game is suitable for young teens.
Life can be hard sometimes, can’t it?
Supplement
Into a Dream is a solid effort for a solo developer with a small first game. It’s a promising start in terms of dialogue, visuals and music.
Offenses aside, I would give him a higher rating if I had more experience as a player, in terms of actual impact on Luke Williams. I wouldn’t recommend picking it up for the puzzles, just for the theme, although unfortunately I don’t think the game affected me thematically. But I appreciate the fact that she focused on the working father/husband, a demographic you don’t often hear about their inner struggles.
Final Judgment : I’m not sure.
Dim:
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