Dreamview Weekly Roundup #19

What do we want? The Dreamview Weekly Roundup! When do we want it? On a Friday afternoon, as is the norm! Alright everybody, settle down: the Roundup has arrived on schedule, and there are plenty of recommendations for things to play in Dreams to go around.

Well, five. There are five. No, please don’t start _hissing _at each other! See - the magical thing about these recommendations is that they’re not a finite resource. Theoretically, every one of us can play each of these creations in Dreams this weekend, as many times as we’d like, and they won’t ever run out. Incredible. Incidentally, if anyone figures out how to do the same thing with money, then do let us know.

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Have You Seen My Pants?#

by DrunkenFist_Lee

Don’t look at us like that. It’s a simple question. Pity the protagonist of DrunkenFist_Lee’s surreal homage to Ghosts ‘n Goblins, whose trousers have become collateral damage in an abduction performed by a mutant butterfly (yep, we weren’t kidding). This unforgettable creation quickly progresses from meme-worthy short to pulpy arcade brawler, as you flying kick zombies in the chest to chase after your stolen kecks. A grainy visual treatment and crunchy audio bump up against clean 2D art, and lighting: the sheer style on display here is undeniable, then, and reeks of the gritty-yet-silly output of industry cool cats Devolver Digital. It might be a brief adventure, all told, but it’s stuffed with cheeky secrets to sniff out - we very much doubt you’ll find all of them on your first run.

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Memory Management B#

by Tapio_X

Tapio_X’s mysterious, shifting dreamscapes evoke feelings in us that we find difficult to put into words (which is a bit of a problem, to be honest, as that’s kind of our whole deal). It feels like it has to be played to be understood. We’re transported to a wide, grassy landscape; the sky overhead shifts with the weather, bruised turquoise to bright grey-blue, as we tramp towards the industrial-looking (perhaps even alien?) structures in the distance. There’s a shiver of the sublime about Memory Management B, helped no doubt by the nostalgic visual effects and enigmatic title - which almost suggests we’ve somehow entered the videotape of a distant memory - and the music, which dips and swells with the confidence of any epic sci-fi soundtrack. Expect to come away with goosebumps.

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Strange Range#

by donut_mutt

Today in ‘Things we didn’t expect to end up Googling while at work’: could an octopus fire a gun? If this solidly-made shooting range game is to be believed, cephalopods are the new sheriffs in town. Become the fastest squid in the west by using (surprisingly smooth) motion controls to aim at targets and knock ‘em down: depending on your speed and accuracy, you’ll earn back some precious seconds for your total time, allowing you to keep pushing for the highest possible score. Still, once we’ve shaken ourselves out of our glory-chasing reverie, it’s the ethical questions that remains. _Ought _we let an octopus fire a gun? To which the only responsible answer is surely, ‘No - he’s already well-armed’.

Better With You Here#

by SaucelessOne

Shoutouts to VerbalCreative’s side-splitting, heartwarming introduction of MeganPenguin (pictured) for reminding us of this gorgeous song, in which SaucelessOne employs their unique falsetto to tell a beautifully ordinary love story. There’s real musical complexity in the moment the charming, occasionally wonky jauntiness of some of the instruments suddenly giving way to a tender, quieter, minor-key breakdown - “I’m so grateful I don’t have to do it by myself” - that gradually builds right back up to a flute-peppered, unabashedly joyful expression of what it feels like to love and support someone as much as they love and support you, simply and unselfconsciously.

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Into The Night#

by SgtHamster

There’s something very special about dreams that are made as gifts. That’s the case with Into The Night, a gently intriguing open-world adventure made by SgtHamster with their two children in mind. Interestingly, for every inclusion that speaks to a younger audience - the adorable fox protagonist, the simple writing, and the generous amount of literal signposting - there are those that knowingly wink at the adults in the room. The puzzles are well-judged, and the world-building is surprisingly absorbing - some of the journal entries of the missing Grandfather Fox, who you’re tasked with rescuing, get wonderfully meta about the trials and tribulations of game creation. With its soft golden lighting and flights of fancy, Into The Night often feels like playing a bedtime story: if you’ve got little ones to enrapture, or even just a few spare quiet moments to yourself, then this really is a gift.

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Want an easy way to view all of these creations in one convenient collection? Check out the playable edition of this week's Dreamview Weekly Roundup right here in Dreams!