Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

Hi guys, this is my first time commenting on anything at IMDb.com. But I wanted to share my review (I also review at Amazon.com) for those who don't know anything about Dreamfall. I will keep my review spoiler-free.

Six years. Quite a long time to be waiting for a sequel to an adventure game. When TLJ came out, it was heralded by critics as being one of the best adventure games a person could buy. It incorporated a terrific story, wonderful voice work and good graphics that helped bring depth to the genre. Now, Dreamfall: TLJ is out, a direct sequel to the events of the first game. Is it everything we could hope for? Well, that depends on what you're looking for.

A lot of reviews have talked about various aspects, mostly focusing on negative points like the easiness of the gameplay, the bulkiness of the controls and the horrible combat. The positives have been over-whelming the terrific, complex and utterly addictive story and plot. So, depending on what you are looking for, you will either really love this game or really dislike it.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, I tried playing it with a mouse and keyboard but the controls felt wonky to me; however, plugging in a controller, all of my complaints went away. I'd recommend trying a controller if you have any problems, as the game seems better suited to it.

The difficulty has been lessened from The Longest Journey. On one hand, this is a valid complaint. However, my complaint with the first game was that there were times where the puzzles seemed utterly illogical and were very order-specific. I spent a long time trying to get something accomplished simply because I didn't do it exactly how the game wanted me to. In that aspect, Dreamfall lessens any frustrations to allow you to enjoy the story more fully. That said, the puzzles do lack the depth of TLJ. I wish they were a bit more difficult or took a little more brain power to figure out what to do.

The combat is a bit clunky. It is a rock/paper/scissors combat comprised of block, light, and strong hit. However, the controls are wonky as well, making battles unintuitive. Actually, calling it a game might be stretching it a little. And I don't mean this in a bad way. You will move from place to place, work on puzzles, do some stealth and some clunky fighting. But the game play is there to pull you in and create an interactive story. A cinematic story that has you at the center.

Graphically, I think the game is stellar. There've been complaints in this department, but I think the game is pretty stunning. While there's no way it could live up to the powerhouse of, say, Oblivion, what is here is terrific. The colors are vibrant and lush, the settings are absolutely beautiful. Casablanca feels like a mix of futuristic landscapes with a traditional Spanish-style living. Add to this the vibrant color scheme and terrific art direction, and I think the game is stunning. From the beautiful music to the very competent voice staff, no one should find many faults in the audio.

What lies at the heart of this game, much like The Longest Journey, is a story. A story that is exciting, mysterious and emotional all at the same time. TLJ was, at the time, probably one of the best stories I had seen in a video game. Dreamfall has, in my opinion, blown that story out of the water. People will probably argue this with me, but I think Dreamfall's story is definitely a bit better. It seems more urgent this time around. Partly, this is because of the fact its more of an "action adventure" game as opposed to a point and click game. Whereas in TLJ had instances where you were chased, you couldn't die. Here, things seem a bit more dire and urgent. The pacing of Dreamfall is also excellent. Ragnar Tornquist has a much better control of the story and spins a yarn fitting of a novel.

To get the story across, there is a ton of dialogue. Much like the first game, Dreamfall allows its characters to talk about their lives, what's going on in the world and the plot. While playing TLJ isn't necessary per se, characters from it will show up in surprising ways, starting off from the very beginning. A small caveat about the story. Yes, the story doesn't end so much as set up events for a third game. However, if you look back at TLJ, you would also find a game that doesn't end. Here's hoping the game sells well enough to merit a third game.

So here lies the crux. Your enjoyment of the game will come to this: do you want a game that puts gameplay above story or a game that places story above gameplay. If you choose the former, you probably won't like this game as much. However, if you are like me and enjoy the latter, I can't recommend any other game higher than this one right now. I can normally overlook most flaws or gameplay issues in a game, if it keeps me enthralled with a terrific story. I enjoy story-centered games a ton. I compare both TLJ and Dreamfall to novels. Very dense and filled with backstory, characters and plot, Dreamfall isn't a typical video game. You have to really want to get to know everything and everyone in it to get the most out of the game. If you want to really sink your teeth into a story and know everything there is to know about a fantastical world, there's no better place than Dreamfall.

First of all, i, like many others, have been waiting for this game for a very long time. When i finally got my copy, i was totally absorbed by the experience. I don't have a very "fit" computer, but the game ran perfectly with the graphics at maximum, and after inverting the x and y axis of the controller in the game menu, the controls were perfect.

The graphics are both great and impressive, both in Arcadia and Stark. The characters have been nicely worked, especially Kian, Zoe and April (as one would expect). As i said, the game ran and looked perfectly on my geForce 6600GT, with the graphics maxed out and AF+AA at moderate levels. CPU = 3800+ Ahtlon64, 512MB of RAM memory, the rest does not actually matter so much.

The game is very intuitive and pleasant to play. Puzzles are not very complicated but also not simple. They just fit in and some of them you actually get to solve by reflex, as if the character is actually you. Bottom line: puzzles are not annoying and don't make you wanna bang head against keyboard. :) As for the storyline, it's great. It blends in with the original episode, TLJ and also adds a lot of spices to it. Lots of new playable characters, each one with it's own story and abilities.

I was actually impressed by the new approach on the controls part of the game. I believe that it's actually better and more enriching for the overall gaming experience to control your characters' movements by keys rather than by pointing out where they should go with a cursor. The game feels more realistic and gives you more freedom, that way.

Dialogues are great also. The voices were well chosen and are very warm, unlike some other games of the same genre have.

So, what's there left to say? 10 out of 10 for this game.

I held my breath, I feared, I laughed, I cried, and when it was over, I was begging for more.

While maybe not the most conventional computer game - even in its own genre of adventure games - the story and characters simply took me with them. Dreamfall is a worthy, long-awaited sequel to my favorite adventure game ever, The Longest Journey. It is an experience all fans of science fiction, fantasy and mythology should experience.

If you're not into adventure games - or gaming in general- simply take it as an interactive film or book. The story is amazing, and the reality is credible and thoroughly thought through. Ragnar Tørnquist is a true storyteller.

While the graphics are maybe not the best possible, the voice-overs are absolutely awesome, and the dialogue is one of the strengths of the game - awesome voice directing and acting. The characters will comment on objects and things, revealing a lot about the world and themselves, and you'll probably find yourself playing the game through a second or a third time after completing it, just to explore the different dialogue alternatives, and look for details you've missed. Big thumbs up!

Pros: Best story to come out since The Longest Journey itself: emotional, provocative, unforgettable, enlightening; extremely memorable characters; stellar voice acting; beautiful soundtrack; yes, there's going to be a sequel! Cons: Simple combat; not much challenge in puzzles; story leaves you wanting more; oh I'd be tormented having to wait for the sequel! Above all else Dreamfall delivers a story that's like no other, something that's highly uncommon to gaming these days.

Look at all the games currently out there, they're all pushing more polygons and piling up features, like adding more explosions into a movie. Granted, these games are fun to play, but when it all ends, there's this lack of meaning. Wouldn't be nice if not only if games deliver an experience that's eye-opening, virtually life-changing experience and turning the game player's world upside down? That's just what Dreamfall and its predecessor (The Longest Journey) are about. It's a thrilling journey filled with deep and profound sense of meaning.

Dreamfall was extremely anticipated by adventure gamers as it was the sequel to one of the best game in this genre: The Longest Journey. I was one of those who couldn't wait to get my hands on it and in the end, I was not disappointed. The game is actually a bit different from the first one because it's not a "point and click" adventure. It feels very natural because you explore the world in full 3D and still have the depth and content of old adventure games. The core gameplay consists of interacting with the wonderful characters. This can look limiting but it stays interesting through the whole game thanks to the excellent writing and voice acting. All the characters are well developed and contribute very well to the emotional roller coaster that is Dreamfall. There are some very minor stealth and combat gameplay elements but those are not the focus of the game.

While the technical aspect of the game isn't exactly top notch, the art design makes up for it very much. The sound is especially good; voice acting is probably the best ever and music is always very fitting and well composed. The story is amazing and very inspiring; this is number one reason to get into this game. My only grippe is that it's way too easy. There are few puzzles and they are very straightforward. Also, the ending raises a lot of questions which is both good and bad. It's good because it leaves you thinking about it and you feel like you have to go through the game a second time. But at the same time, you don't get the same kind of resolution you would get from your typical movie, which is a little bit less satisfying.

In the end, I would recommend this game to anyone interested in a good story and very well done dialogs coupled with good production values. 9/10 !