We’re still nosing around Dreams because it’s an unusual prospect and we want to make sure we understand it, but in the meantime, we wanted to share some of the things we’ve found.
The Dreamverse is a busy place. Launching in early access roughly a year ago was an inspired move. It means there’s loads of good stuff to play already and it’s curated well, sorted into various categories. The main one you should concern yourself with is the IMPY Award winners, which show off the best things made in year one. You can’t miss them – the IMPYs are flagged with a huge image on the Dreamverse homepage.
But it’s not just old stuff: it’s genuinely staggering to see how much has been made since the game was released last week. There’s real ambition on show and the beginnings of some very big dreams.
Naturally, recreations are a recurring theme. Someone’s remaking Silent Hill, using audio recorded from the original game it sounds like, and someone else has built their own parkour system for a take on Mirror’s Edge. I got particularly excited for an action role-playing game called Heroes of Aldrenor, not only because I like that kind of thing, but because even though it’s barely more than a tech demo, the three character classes – caster, rogue and fighter – are up and running already, and play very well.
I might steal them for my own game. And that’s the thing: the more people make, the more there is for people to make with, because you can remix and evolve anything you play. So when someone comes up with good action RPG characters, or a working Parkour system, other people can pinch them and tweak them further, and the tide rises for all.
Here are a few of the things which have made us smile.
Dreams PS4 – The Best Games We’ve Seen So Far Watch on YouTube
This is technically cheating because Ruckus was created months ago in early access and has been improved since, but it’s so bloody good I have to include it. It’s inspired by the Rampage series. In it, you become a monster like Godzilla and your only task is to wade over to an island nearby and smash it up. Aiding you in your task are a number of abilities, including tail spins, swipes and, best of all, a laser beam. You can even climb up the buildings and grab aeroplanes.