Dreamview Weekly Roundup #109

Searching for the perfect weekend treat, but tired of pounding the virtual pavements? Here at The Impsider, we go dream-shopping for the biggest deals while you stay tucked up in bed.

No need to browse endless aisles of #content, or lug around heavy ‘Play Later’ lists. We’ve curated our usual weekly window display, showcasing five desirable creations you can try in Dreams right now.

The good things always come easy at your nearby Dreamview Weekly Roundup department store - and all for the low, low price of a moment of your time.

Trensition (A Tren Expansion)#

by Elca_Gaming

Estimated playtime: 2 hours

Following the release of our Mm Original game Tren, we’ve seen any number of fantastic community-made additions to the Treniverse. Particular shoutouts from us go to oooDORIENooo’s delightful duck-hooking Cren minigame, and spiktikus’ immaculately designed (and titled) Great Yorkshire Coaster, a breathtakingly-situated challenge of boost management fundamentals.

But extra-special mention must go to Elca_Gaming’s Trensition expansion, which is very much the complete package. The 10-level world map offers a wide range of experiences - from the precise Plen-piloting challenge of ‘Melk Delivery’, to the purely experiential GL/TCH-R level, an Escher-esque track that’s a stunning homage to the creator’s own work.

The really wonderful thing about Trensition is just how much it feels like a true extension of Tren. The ASTROZAP arcade cab from the original game is back, for instance, and Elca’s made it playable. The mechanical twist of a boss fight, meanwhile, reminds us of the sort of creative thought behind Tren’s ‘survival’ level. And this clear intention to build on what’s come before is set early - even Trensition’s opening meaningfully leads on from Tren’s end, and can’t help but bring a tear to the eye. For some, playtime’s never over.

Witch Machinegun#

by ItsMeJuvy

Estimated playtime: 10 minutes

This is a twitch shooter-turned-witch shooter that’s vibrating with style. Every NPC you meet in this strange village seems to have had about seven coffees too many, wired eyes staring into your soul, heads twitching. Alongside the rough edges of the pixelated filter, all this adds to the nervy atmosphere of a place where gangs of neon bats threaten to jump you at any moment, and your a leafy spellcasting branch is your only defence. So, too, does the controller rumble: designed to match your footsteps, it nonetheless has the uncanny effect of making you feel like you’re holding your heartbeat in your hands.

If all this sounds a little too spooky for your blood, then don’t worry: Juvy’s bringing the laughs, too. A little ways into firing magical blasts at a flock of unrelenting enemies, we wonder if there’s a way to be more precise about our shots, then instinctively press the left trigger. And, indeed, end up aiming down sights. Of a stick. We hope, as suggested at the end of this proof-of-concept, there’s more to come: few Dreams creators blend the freaky and the funny like Juvy.

New Frontier#

by IlyasClooz

Estimated playtime: N/A

IlyasClooz has mastered a variety of wildly different art styles in Dreams - and to our mind, it means they have an extra layer of creative direction to call upon. Case in point: New Frontier. This is not just a carefully painted, highly expressive rendition of a snow scene, russet skies blazing in the background, negative space elegantly providing the dramatic shadows of a hilly plain. It’s the artist’s choice to paint this piece in an Impressionist style, over any other, that feels significant: to us, the looseness of the horizon (in contrast to the clearer shapes of the foreground) beautifully captures the idea of walking out of charted lands, towards the as-yet unknown.

Salisbury Jam#

by AyeWilder

Estimated playtime: 4 minutes

More audiovisual splendour from AyeWilder, and this one merrily appeals to our highly specific tastes. We get strong Undertale vibes from this for two reasons. One is the funky bassline that underpins the track, driving it forward, while the composer starts to layer in buzzy synths and wailing melodic solos. The other is the visual presentation: to our mind, this is a kind of meta journey through what we see as a giant kaleidoscopic creature, which blinks its many eyes at us as the music changes the further we fall into its bubbling guts. We briefly end up looking at the back of its teeth - before the music changes again, and we escape the way we came.

Red#

by lillouakola81

Estimated playtime: N/A

Queen of Hearts? Instrument? Monster? Mannequin? Lillouakola81’s arrestingly sculpted bust immediately makes a strong impact, but the more we consider its different angles - sometimes literally, by switching between the creator’s in-built camera setups - the more we’re hypnotised by the possibilities. What sometimes looks like a headdress or ruff can otherwise be seen as an extension of the subject’s actual body. Swirling patterns evoke the F-Holes of a violin, or might be face tattoos for a kind of alien royalty. Are they mounted to a wall, or peering through a portal? What’s admirable about lillouakola81’s work is it tells stories for which we feel we don’t have definite explanations for - it’s detailed, yet inspires endless questions.

Check out the playable edition of this week's Dreamview Weekly Roundup right here in Dreams!

Which creations caught your eye in the Dreamiverse this week, and why? Tell us about your personal picks over on the official Dreams forums!(opens in new tab)