If you dig strolling through empty, abandoned places, immersing yourself in some backrooms vibes, and enjoying all that’s weird and liminal, then do I have a game to recommend for you. Dreamcore came out in January of this year and it’s a perfectly good time if you love spooky vibes but aren’t too jazzed about screaming monsters and jumpscares.
Developed by Montralulz, Dreamcore is a directionless, HUD-free wandersim that takes you through strange, abandoned levels that almost feel endless. The game intentionally tries to make you feel lost with its lack of clear-cut instructions on what to do. Strange symbols written on walls, seemingly innocuous signs, odd music, and audio cues are the only thing you’re given to figure out where to go and what to do.
The levels are so massive, in fact, that I’m thinking I might need to keep some graph paper nearby to map out these spaces. I’ve only completed one level thus far, “Dreampools” which is a labyrinth of tiled walls, random pools, and the uncanny use of diffused lighting that often makes those wild Cyberpunk 2077 mods or the odd bodycam-footage game look disturbingly close to reality.
And though the game has no jumpscares, it’s still plenty capable of freaking you out–especially with some of the odd objects you’ll come across, like a massive smiley-face ball that, while certainly not intimidating, just feels…wrong. Is it watching me?
With so few things to actually do in these spaces other than walk around, the real challenge here is not losing your mind and staying focused on slowly unraveling where you should go, following what looks interesting in the hope that you’ll find something unique. It reminds me a bit of The Stanley Parable, but with far simpler environments and the narrative elements ripped out. You often have the sense you’re being watched, that maybe someone’s been here before, and that there’s something you should do, but you can’t quite put your finger on it.
There are currently three worlds to explore: the aforementioned “Dreampools,” an endless expanse of empty suburban homes and white picket fences in “Eternal Suburbia,” and “Playrooms,” described as “a sequence of spaces inspired by children’s play areas, recreated with an artificial and silent aesthetic.” More levels are on the way.
So if the spooky season has you in the mood for exploring some creepy spaces without things screaming in your face, and you like a bit of the avant garde, Dreamcore might just be up your alley.