The Dream Machine

I’ve always had a soft spot for Adventure games, ever since the original Myst. I much prefer this genre of game over the first-person shooter type, which, frankly, I find appalling.

After Myst, and its various sequels, there were a series of rather sub-standard knock-offs of the same idea. It wasn’t until Benoit Sokal’s Syberia arrived that I thought that the same standard had been achieved. That was followed by Syberia II that managed to reduce me to tears at a climatic moment in the game (for all the right reasons!). Although a Syberia III has been talked of, there’s still no sign of it appearing on the market.

In the meantime, there’s the Dream Machine, an online game using clay and cardboard models (I recall The Neverhood with fond memories!) that is surprisingly involving and immersive. You can play the first chapter for free, the subsequent chapters can be unlocked for less than €5 each.

The puzzles are not as mind-bending as in Myst, but it has a charm that I really liked. It’s the product of two Swedish nerds,  Erik Zaring and Anders Gustafsson, with help from others. It has the potential to become a classic. Try it.