Bygone Dreams

I don’t usually play games like Bygone Dreams, but I was curious to try it out—and I’m glad I did, at least in part. There’s a lot here that I enjoyed: the soundtrack is beautiful, the character designs are striking, and I liked seeing the variety of gear and upgrades available as I played. Those touches made the world feel interesting and alive. That said, I ran into some issues that kept me from finishing. My game crashed in the middle of a cut-scene, and when it reloaded, it sent me back to an earlier point with no way of progressing back to where I was. Because of how the save system works (Unless I missed something), I was essentially stuck. On top of that, I really struggled with the lack of a map or guidance. I often knew what I needed to do next but couldn’t remember where in the world that location was, which left me wandering for long stretches of time without progress. Gameplay-wise, I also found that mana and stamina drained too quickly, which made fights feel more like resource management than fun combat. I’m sure that’s something upgrades could improve later, but early on it felt punishing. Overall, I think Bygone Dreams has a lot of potential with its atmosphere, …

Pretty boring and buggy, combat is... not great. I got stuck on the second quest, I destroyed the 2 generators and then nothing, just running around in circles with no guidance and I can't get the quest guide to pop up any more, sounds like this has been a known issue that the dev has done nothing about.

The game is not up to modern standards for games. Animations are clunky at best. The graphics feel unfinished, even using the excuse of old-school nostalgia isn't enough to cover for the game's faults. After only 15 minutes, I had to go the store page to double check if this was still in very early access, and somehow it isn't. I would say I can't recommend this game in the current version, but this is the final release version, so take from that what you will.

Bygone Dreams is a fantasy action-adventure title that embraces the idea that independent studios can still deliver imaginative worlds without relying on massive budgets or established franchises. Developed by Prime Time and published by Prime Time, GrabTheGames, and CyberStep, Inc., the game places players in the mystical realm of Lume, a land slowly succumbing to an ancient corruption known as the Nightmare. Taking control of Wa, a guardian chosen to preserve what remains of this fractured dreamscape, players embark on a journey filled with forgotten legends, dangerous creatures, and the lingering presence of gods whose influence continues to shape the world. What immediately stands out is the game's dedication to its setting. Bygone Dreams draws heavily from Slavic mythology and Bosnian cultural influences, creating a universe that feels distinct from conventional fantasy adventures. Rather than presenting a generic collection of castles and dragons, the world is populated by mythical beings, sacred landscapes, and dreamlike environments that blur the line between reality and imagination. Every region has its own identity, encouraging exploration through hidden paths, environme…

I’d say I moderately enjoy soulslike games – I sweat my way through all three Dark Souls and Bloodborne until I finally got those platinum trophies on PlayStation, but I’ve often been disappointed by many of their imitators. Bygone Dreams, however, is exactly that type of game. With plants. As usual for the genre, the story doesn’t say much. You play as a… half-plant creature with a not-so-heroic voice and unconvincing behavior, tasked with stopping some kind of evil and gathering mystical guardians – at least that’s what I managed to piece together. Story aside, the game is enjoyable. The world is colorful and vibrant, the levels are pretty (though a bit too restrictive, at least from what I’ve seen so far), and the enemies are all flora-based – think ents, acid-spitting flowers, hostile mushrooms, friendly mushrooms, and, yes, more ents. Combat is fun, if a little clunky, and the first boss (the one I fight at the end of the video) comes with a varied, if somewhat predictable, set of moves and combos. In short – it’s fine. I’d say it’s worth a try if you’re desperate for a new soulslike to play. Otherwise… maybe wait. Video: https://youtu.be/tThmYkvXrS0

I jumped into this game knowing it was a story-rich adventure, but what I didn't expect was how deeply I would connect with each of the characters. They're all so well-crafted, and even the ones who can be a bit annoying at times—you end up loving them, kind of like that lovable, pesky sibling. The ending honestly brought me to tears multiple times, not just from the boss fight frustrations but also because it’s such a beautifully emotional finish.