Elements of Dreams

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"Elements of Dreams" is positioned as an RPG, it's not really, it's a 2D top down retro pixel shooter game where you wander around walled levels and fight stuff, and it's bad, just so bad. This features really godawful pixelcrap "art" instead of real graphics. It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to do the job of creating 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter. What matters is that this looks much worse than most other games because of that decision, and that's a major deterrent to gamers. Games like Terraria and Stardew Valley succeeded [i]despite[/i] the bad graphics, not because of them. Not every "free" game really is. There's often MTX, or content locked behind DLC, or donations being requested, or any other number of things that could mislead gamers, but in this case I'm glad to say this really does appear to be a fully free game. Nothing demonstrates a developers belief in themselves and their work than giving it away without any remuneration. This is a service to themselves, and the gaming industry, and should be applauded. Of course, just because something is free, doesn't necessarily…

I had to rename the game's executable file to get it to launch because Steam was giving me a missing .exe error. Once in the game itself, I was stunned by how buggy and amateur it felt. Reminded me of something my younger brother would've made when he was 8 years old. That may be harsh but it's the hard truth. Nevertheless, I continued to play through and eventually completed the game. The concept wasn't bad, it just needs to be completely redone from the ground up. Instead, it was pushed out to try to raise (kickstarter?) support for episode 2, 3, 4...which will likely never come out.

Elements of Dreams is a modest retro-inspired action RPG that emphasizes straightforward combat, stage progression, and an accessible approach to old-school adventure design. Developed and published by Cinder Enterprises LLC, the game follows a heroine who must confront nightmares while gradually uncovering her purpose. Rather than attempting to deliver a massive role-playing experience, it focuses on a smaller collection of mechanics that can be understood quickly, making it better suited to players interested in concise indie adventures than those looking for a sprawling RPG. The adventure is divided into more than nine levels, with the challenge increasing as the player progresses. Reaching a stage also makes it available through the level selection system, which is a useful convenience for anyone interested in replaying particular sections. This structure gives the game an arcade-like quality, allowing progress to feel immediate without requiring a lengthy commitment. The increasing difficulty helps compensate for the relatively simple mechanics, although experienced action RPG players may find the early portions fairly uncomplicated. Combat centers on four distinct timed pow…

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[h1]Before I played Elements of Dreams, I had a small pp, no friends, no gf, depression, and no life. These things havent changed, but the game is pretty good[/h1]