So, the screenshots in this review don’t reflect how the game probably looks with a proper graphics card and/or using the default widescreen resolutions. However, I should probably point out that because my computer’s Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics were just below the minimum system requirements, I not only had to turn the graphics settings to minimum but also had to tweak the game’s registry entries to lower the resolution to 800 x 600 in order to get a playable framerate (which worked a bit like a resolution scaling does). And, when a DRM-free version of the 2017 “Final Cut” edition of “Dreamfall Chapters” was on special offer on GOG a few weeks later, the decision to get it was an absolute no-brainer. Then, a couple of months before preparing this review, I ended up getting a vaguely modern refurbished computer. The vintage mid-2000s computer I had back then couldn’t run “Dreamfall Chapters”. So, you can imagine my delight when I heard that this series would become a trilogy thanks to an episodic, crowdfunded third game called “Dreamfall Chapters” starting in 2014. These intelligent, profound, story-driven sci-fi/fantasy adventure games absolutely astonished me at the time. It is a shame this game was made before the rise of narrative games: it probably would have profited by cutting the bad gameplay and focusing on better storytelling instead.Well, since I’m still reading the next book I plan to review ( “The Damnation Game” by Clive Barker), I thought that I’d take the chance to review a game that I’ve wanted to play for literally years □īack in the early 2010s, I discovered both “The Longest Journey” (1999) and “Dreamfall: The Longest Journey” (2006). But a closer evaluation shows it has the same strengths and weaknesses: the characters and the world are good, the plot is decent, and the gameplay sucks. ![]() The Bottom LineOn first glance, Dreamfall is a completely different game than The Longest Journey: different protagonist, different game mechanics, different perspective. ![]() While open endings or even sequel hooks are fine, a game has to wrap up at least the main story in a satisfying way. The game opens up way too many story threads which lead to nothing or cliffhangers. It cuts off right in the middle of the story: there is nothing gained and almost nothing resolved. While my last point is a bit moot since the release of Dreamfall Chapters, I also have to address the non-ending. Dreamfall manages to build its areas both too small and linear (there is mostly only one way to go and nothing interesting to find which isn't part of the plot) and too vast (some areas are bigger, but almost completely empty, and there is too much backtracking). Especially the outside areas look very pretty, but they also feel cold and sterile and are frequently interrupted by loading screens. All those gameplay mechanics add absolutely nothing to the game or the narrative and could have been cut without losing anything substantial. It tries to be varied and introduces four gameplay pillars which all fail: puzzles (most of them don't deserve the name and the few which do are badly implemented), mini-games (both the too easy lockpicking and the too hectic hacking mini-games are only used a few times), fighting (the controls are clunky and the enemies brain-dead) and stealth (clunky, but at least easy). ![]() The BadUnfortunately Dreamfall also inherits the gameplay weakness of TLJ. I also liked the switching between protagonists which allowed Funcom to show different perspectives on Arcadia and was used for a few clever sequences. It is a delight to learn more about them, especially because the dialogue is mostly more condensed than in TLJ. The GoodThe biggest (and arguably the only) strength of Dreamfall is the same as in The Longest Journey: the worlds of Stark and Arcade are absolutely fascinating and the characters are likeable and occasionally funny. SummaryToo much bad gameplay ruins a decent story 0 out of 2 people found this review helpful write a review of this game
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