Dreamscaper

 Switch
Dreamscaper Image
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 13 Ratings

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  • Summary: A surreal, Hack and Slash Roguelite, players battle a nightmarish depression that lives in a young woman’s subconscious. Dreamscaper is an ARPG Roguelite, blending elements from brawlers, top-down shooters, and dungeon crawlers.
    Every slumber is a different random dungeon and you must    A surreal, Hack and Slash Roguelite, players battle a nightmarish depression that lives in a young woman’s subconscious. Dreamscaper is an ARPG Roguelite, blending elements from brawlers, top-down shooters, and dungeon crawlers.
    Every slumber is a different random dungeon and you must unlock the power of your dreams to see a new day.
    Play as Cassidy, a young woman trapped in a deep depression. Dive into her subconscious to take on the surreal nightmares she wrestles with.
    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Digital Chumps
    Sep 28, 2021
    90
    Dreamscaper is an exceptionally heartfelt, engaging roguelike. By offering up a gameplay loop that hopes to fuel a deeper narrative, players may find that the game is one of the rare instances of synergy in the genre. Using a smart upgrade system to fuel its weighty, acrobatic combat, Dreamscaper so frequently punches above its weight. For those who get lost in ever-engaging loops, this one is for you.
  2. God is a Geek
    Aug 4, 2021
    90
    Dreamscaper is a stiff challenge, for sure, but it’s also a beautiful, moving adventure that takes a very familiar genre and does something very different with it.
  3. Pure Nintendo
    Sep 21, 2021
    90
    Dreamscaper is a randomly generated dungeon crawler with fun combat, breath-taking design and a premise that is both moving and expertly woven into the mechanics and structure of the game.
  4. Screen Rant
    Aug 11, 2021
    80
    Dreamscaper is a game of contrasts and not all of the elements are cohesive. It combines the incredible gameplay loops of Hades and Persona 5, but wraps them in a slice-of-life package that doesn't quite fit them in properly. Weak characters and story aside, however, Dreamscaper is a great roguelike and worth checking out for fans of the genre all the same.
  5. Nintendo Life
    Jan 6, 2022
    80
    Dreamscaper really is rather good; this is a game that certainly deserves more attention than it’s received. What it lacks in originality, it makes up for in heart. A surprisingly emotional story, rewarding progression system, snappy combat, and painterly visuals make for an experience that we’d suggest you give a serious look.
  6. PLAY! Zine
    Sep 9, 2021
    80
    If you haven’t played a good roguelite title in a while, here’s a chance for something new and original. While not perfecting the genre in any sense, Dreamscaper manages to be original and fun, yet a slightly repetitive game. An atmospheric roguelite experience that won’t blow your mind but may surely make your day.
  7. Cubed3
    Sep 20, 2021
    70
    For an unknown studio they come out swinging pretty good with Dreamscaper, the core game is fairly engaging and interesting, but the core loop has some serious progression issues, as well as bad difficulty balance. Trying new moves and weapons is the highlight of the experience, but the very slow lack of progress and difficulty walls hold this back from being truly great.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Ekon
    Feb 26, 2022
    9
    Both Dreamscaper and Hades are available on Game Pass and both critics and users seem to believe there are similarities. However,Both Dreamscaper and Hades are available on Game Pass and both critics and users seem to believe there are similarities. However, Dreamscaper has a completely different feel to it that puts it in a class by itself. The game has great beauty and each level is divided into cubes, some of which are friendly and helpful and others which contain nitemarish enemies. You will die many times, especially in the early going when Cassidy's powers are just emerging. When she's awake, Cassidy will develop relationships with about seven people, each of which will bolster various powers at her disposal. These relationships are amazingly deep that involve complex discussions on many things. Alison, Eve and Fernando bolster Lucid, Ranged and Defensive abilities, so I concentrated on them first, but everyone is important. It took me awhile to grasp the deeply layered elements of this game and I never understood everything. There is immense satisfaction every time you defeat a boss for the first time and there are six levels altogether. Be advised that gifts must be given to the right person, so I suggest you look up the chart that will help you with this. Keepsakes are a huge help and one, the 'Firebird' gives you an extra life. I had good success with Telekinesis (a ranged weapon in which you hurl huge rocks at enemies) especially late in the game. Enhance it at the Hammer and Anvil cube as well as your armor, which should be over a hundred to fight the last boss. I hope you enjoy this game as much as I did.… Expand
  2. Terrax
    Aug 14, 2021
    8
    Don't get me wrong, this game isn't bad, but it pales compared to something like Hades. Also as a queer woman with clinical depression I'dDon't get me wrong, this game isn't bad, but it pales compared to something like Hades. Also as a queer woman with clinical depression I'd expect to resonate more with the plot, but the story is relatively shallow and if you play on a hard difficulty you'll probably max out your social bonds relatively quick leaving you nothing else to do with these NPCs for the rest of the duration of the game. It is a really gamified social system that isn't really immersive.

    The saving grace here is that the gameplay is actually rather good, and it has really refined the rouge-lite experience with quality of life features and secret room hints that make your runs feel much more like you're in control.

    The only downside I have with gameplay is that for certain enemies there are sound cues to hint when to parry or dodge, but they feel too little too late. Half the time I feel like I'm being led by a false cue and just getting pounded into the dirt by the same nonunique enemy's normal attacks. It can be very irritating.

    If you come in expecting just a rouge-lite however and eschew any hope for a revelatory narrative about actually living with a serious chemical mental health condition you might sate yourself on the well balanced gameplay and bevy of options that all feel conditionally viable.    … Expand
  4. NindieSpotlight
    Dec 17, 2021
    7
    As a bit of a roguelike action/shooter junkie I’m always fascinated to see new titles come into the fold that are determined to do thingsAs a bit of a roguelike action/shooter junkie I’m always fascinated to see new titles come into the fold that are determined to do things their own unique way. As you may have guessed, Dreamscaper does just that, and it does so on numerous levels which include its dreamy and ethereal look, and its surprising attempts to build more of a world than the norm with some rich character development. This all helps to set it apart, for sure, but unfortunately I’d say not always in positive ways. The visual style of the stages is really cool, no doubt, but too often I found that the sparkly nature of things was confusing. Is that something I’m supposed to pick up, a visual cue for something I should be concerned about, or just random sparkles? Far too often, and even after playing the game for a bit, I found myself wondering that and, wasting time on nothing, being sure to try to check anything sparkling out. While the character interactions provide flavor, and I’d think games like Hades would inspire this approach, getting around feels slower and more cumbersome, the conversations not as engaging, and the fruits for your time spent less rewarding. There are glimpses of greatness here, and if you’re a sucker for a cool visual style you’ll likely have fun with it, but it’s not as easy to recommend as some of its peers, though with some tightening up and patching it could get closer to the mark.

    https://www.nindiespotlight.com/2021/08/mini-reviews-august-5th-edition.html    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best Switch Game of 2021

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