Platforming and puzzles seem to go so well together, and Dream Alone is no exception, although it's not quite as difficult as you'd first think, with puzzles revolving around switching realities rather than the mind bending type of puzzles you would imagine.
Full of traps and the need to time jumps and warping between realities makes for a challenge, but also rewarding at the same time. With enough levels to work through, Dream Alone is an enjoyable platformer that harks back to games of yesteryear.
I did find the grainy overlay a bit difficult to deal with at times, as being so dark, it became a strain on my eyes, but the controls are responsive, and the gameplay tight enough that it doesn't become too hard to navigate through the levels.
Being able to manipulate reality, slow time and even spawn clones throughout the game gives the gameplay a new edge rather than just bouncing from platform to platform, with several unique and diverse locations, all the while avoiding the monsters that are lurking in the shadows.
Dream Alone is a game that will remind you of Limbo with it's dark and sinister theme, but still remains it's own game, doing things the way it wants too. I did enjoy my time with it, and this is despite dying frequently from the word go. It will challenge you, and make you work to figure out the way forward. Not easy, but also not hard. You have to ply attention to what is going on and look for potential solutions to puzzles that lie ahead.
The spooky atmosphere the developer has created is a big selling point for myself, as I love games that attempt to creep you out rather than try to outright scare you, as this usually fails due to horror being a tough genre to crack. But Dream Alone keeps the spooky theme going strong all the way through the game. It isn't going to scare you, but it will give your nerves a tingle, before the inevitable deaths that will follow you all the way.
Verdict
Dream Alone isn't a bad game, and aside from a few minor niggles, it holds up really well. You will find a few sections that frustrate due to timing being against you with regards to precision jumping and reality switching being required. But all said and done, it's a decent game that shouldn't go overlooked.
Overall Score 7/10
Developer: Warsaw Games
Publisher: Fatdog Games
Release Date: 28th June 2018
Price: