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.
