Dreamless Review (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

The stark contrast between modern-day survival-horror compilations and the golden age of Let’s Play videos is becoming increasingly apparent, with the likes of Amnesia, Slender, and Five Nights at Freddy’s no longer serving as the leading torchbearers amidst their respective struggles with maintaining a core audience. And yet, even with fewer followers and drastically lower traffic than in previous years, it seems as if there are still several underlings that have the same level of tenacity to spark growth in their ranks. Take Dreamless, for example; the game acts as a decent reminder of how YouTube culture used to be during its Let’s Play heyday, and it bases its efforts on the idea that, if it contains enough jump scares and commendable content, then it will surely attract to a former generation of niche streamers.

Dreamless isn’t the lengthiest indie horror game in the world; in fact, most users ought to be able to beat it in a couple of hours or so. However, with a chilling narrative, atmospheric setting, and a decent amount of intriguing puzzles to chew through, the longevity is irrelevant in this case; its time on display is short, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad thing, much less a commendable effort for the team’s undying desire to rekindle the flame beneath those old YouTube series. But, perhaps I’m jumping the gun a little here, so allow me to dial it back to the beginning—to the root of Dreamless’ origins.

If you’re on the fence about whether or not to pick up a copy of Dreamless’ latest console port, then be sure to read on as we gradually unpack its inner workings. Care to join us? Then let’s jump straight into the deep end.

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Dreamless depicts the coming-of-age tale of an ill-fated vlogger who, in a last-ditched attempt to attract a sustainable fan base, decides to enter an abandoned home and essentially summon a demonic spirit. The story, while a little predictable and barebones, invites you to explore two locations: an old furnished home with a handful of rooms, and a school, which also includes a selection of puzzles, jump scares, and other contextless activities — like having to locate body parts, for example. To that effect, you simply need to navigate the corridors of each area, alternate between a flashlight and a night vision camera, and solve several puzzles in order to establish the lore and, in turn, banish the childish spirit who conveniently stalks you from the shadows. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary about any of this; it’s more or less a fresh take on a timeless tale. But fine — whatever.

All in all, there’s a rough two-hour campaign to work through here, with each of the five chapters covering a good twenty minutes of gameplay, give or take. As there is no combat to be found, the game essentially relies on its somber tones and well-timed jump scares to keep you on your toes. And, while there are options to lean or crouch, neither of these actions add anything to the experience, weirdly enough. To cut a long story short, there is nothing to hide from, so to speak; it’s more the case of exploring at your own leisure and then gradually connecting the dots to develop the relationship between yourself and the demonic foe that looms in the crags and crevices of either the home or the school.

Learning to Walk

Dreamless comes equipped with a lot of the generic horror tropes that you would naturally expect to find in alternate IPs, such as hollow mannequins, shadow puppets, and the occasional child-like entity, to list just a few of its primary fodder. Thankfully, these elements aren’t splattered across every single juncture of the story; in fact, the jump scares are noticeable and appropriately placed in key moments of the game — and that’s a relief, as it doesn’t settle for wall-to-wall thrills, but rather, a well-balanced experience with plenty of suspense and a foreboding atmosphere.

I can’t quite find it in myself to complain about the story. Sure, it’s forgettable, and yes, the voice acting is somewhat shoddy and even laughable at the best of times — but that doesn’t really compare to the rest of the game. Unfortunately, there is a bunch of technical issues with Dreamless; the fact that it isn’t exactly uncommon to get stuck in a piece of furniture, or to find an impenetrable wall that prevents you from moving on to the next area, is partly the reason why I’m unable to celebrate its each and every component. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t shoddy, but the fact that I did have to force restart the campaign a couple of times was enough to spur me into thinking that it wasn’t worth the headache. But that’s indie horror for you — you never know what you’re going to get.

Reading Between the Lines

Aside from the fact that Dreamless’ story is lackluster and that its voice acting is mediocre at best, the game itself does at least manage to capture some excellent visual effects and memorable scenes. Sure, the foes are a little wishy-washy and unoriginal, but that doesn’t make them any less capable of being able to instill fear in their chosen audience. I can’t say that I leaped out of my seat at any point during the story, but the genuine concern I felt about traipsing around each corner was enough to warrant a response, no matter how expressionless it often seemed.

To say that Dreamless is an ideal candidate for the future of indie horror isn’t an accurate description. No, there are still plenty of alternatives that could quite easily blow Dreamless’ attempts to burn the wick out of the water. Having said that, there is something oddly special about this one, and I can’t figure out whether I’m drawn to it for the reasons it wants me to be drawn to, or if I’m simply trying to relive those golden years of being an overseer of a prestigious YouTube Let’s Play channel.

Verdict

Dreamless might not be the perfect poster child for survival-horror, but it certainly does an admirable job of bringing the best of both worlds into the mix with its inclusion of several intriguing puzzles, atmospheric encounters, and a truly somber plot line that will leave you scratching your head for hours after beating its final chapter. Sadly, it isn’t without its flaws; the game frequently fails to break free from its casket of shoddy design faults and mechanical issues — and that’s a shame, because if you were to remove said flaws from the pot, then you would naturally have a fantastic product with all of the appropriate bells and whistles of a sustainable indie horror IP. But, that’s a small price to pay for an otherwise plausible and thematic love letter to its chosen forefathers’ iconic worlds.

I’m on the fence with Dreamless, if anything. On the one hand, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and sideline the problematic nature of its structural faults, but on the other hand, I’m also teetering around the notion that it might have been a lot more enjoyable should it have spent a little more time in the oven and finessing its formula. It isn’t a broken game by any stretch, though there are one or two noticeable faults in the code that ultimately overshadow a solid portion of the game’s greatest strengths. It’s all hit and miss in that regard; it’s a good horror, but its bones are fickle and somewhat lacking in density.

With all of the above said, Dreamless is, in spite of its one or two errors, a commemorative piece of work that deserves the attention of its respective fan base. It isn’t the second coming of the Let’s Play era — but it’s an admirable representation.