Monday, October 26, 2015

Point and Click Adventure Review: Dream Machine Chapter 4


The fourth chapter of the episodic handmade point-and-click adventure, Dream Machine, is the most ambitious yet.

In this chapter, the dream machine is finally used on one of Victor's neighbors. She is an elderly woman named Edie who is enjoying tea, so the object is to get her asleep so that Victor can put the dream machine helmet on her head. Once inside, things get really interesting as Edie's dream is related to her past.

The music has a suitably eerie vibe. It is memorably haunting and fits the creepy storyline and aesthetic for which the game is aiming.

The puzzles continue to be challenging yet logical. The beginning puzzle that involves getting Edie to sleep is really interesting. It involves several adventure game tropes, such as reading books for recipes and using the environment to come up with a solution to a number puzzle. Luckily, these puzzles are interesting and the rewards are great because the most interesting areas and the most beautiful art are yet to come.

Speaking of art, the backgrounds in this episode are fantastic. It continues to amaze me that this game is handmade. Many of the various rooms in Edie's dreams are beautiful. The high quality of the handmade art is one of the major selling points of the game. I can't imagine how long it took to build the backgrounds and implement them in the game.

The Dream Machine: Chapter 4 is the best episode yet. The interesting storyline, haunting music, and beautiful artwork work together to create a wholly unique experience. It absolutely sets a high bar for the episodes yet to come.

Final Verdict:
4½ out of 5

Chapter 3 ReviewChapter 5 Review Coming Soon

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