Dreamview Weekly Roundup #99

Incredible, really, to think that we’re just one Roundup away from having published one hundred Dreamview Weekly Roundups here on The Impsider. But you know what’s almost as exciting as 100, but not quite? 99.

Perhaps that’s unfair of us. 99, you’re still cool! And kind of famous, actually: from hit songs to ice creams to battle royales, you’ll find 99 popping up in all sorts of hip and happening places. Like, for instance, the below creations we’ve found in Dreams.

If anything, 100 is far too neat of a number. Yeah, 100’s for squares!!! (100, if you’re reading this: we didn’t mean that, we swear. We’re preparing something special for you in the next Roundup. Please answer our calls.)

A Crime On Floor 99#

by Frostadoodle

Estimated playtime: 15 mins

Working in an office environment can be a bit of a mixed bag. The eyes of the Big Boss burning holes in the back of your head, the terrible coffee, the fact that wandering around with no trousers on is considered “unprofessional” - all less than ideal. But you know what’s brilliant about the office? All the juicy office goss. Happily, this Impy Award-nominated comedy detective tale is full of it, tasking you with interrogating various eccentric - and hilariously voice-acted - employees on different bizarre floors of the building to solve the heinous crime of stapler theft.

When prodded, each one will dispense a tasty morsel of information. It’s up to you how you interpret each one, and who to accuse at the end of your playthrough. Frostadoodle has, however, woven some subtle clues into the dialogue as to what might really be going on here; the writing is not only wonderfully funny, but well-judged in terms of how much it's willing to give away to the player. The stakes have never been higher, your co-workers never weirder - they have an uncanny habit of spinning 360 degrees at all times - but most importantly, the tea has never been hotter. With multiple endings to see, you’d best bust out the popcorn to experience all the scandal and intrigue A Crime On Floor 99 has to offer. (And if you're desperate for more Frostadoodle comedy-horror fun afterwards - say, up to 5 hours more - we must sneak in a recommendation here for the even more ambitious and similarly brilliant Friend_Request.)

Cloud 99-Fuel Station#

by ghostfruit64

Estimated runtime: Looping

Why be on cloud nine when you could be refuelling your starship at Cloud 99? The “last station for 13 lightyears”, this sleepy pit stop is a rare moment of calm in a restless galaxy. Stylish light-up signage winks at passing starsailors, advertising jetfuel and sodas (only one of which, we hasten to add, you should be drinking). It’s the cosy atmosphere that makes this deep space scene so special, showing the hugeness of the universe from a more relatable angle: from the isometric view creating a dollhouse effect, to mundane details like the wires and ventilation fans on the roof. Oh, and the one hoverbike left parked up with its lights left on. Now that’s realism.

99#

by MrCaseyJones

Estimated runtime: 10 mins (but it feels longer)

Sure, community mainstay MrCaseyJones makes games. But they also make jokes, endurance tests, and lifelong enemies. 99 is more in the mode of the latter three, a lengthy endeavour that has you listening in helpless, controller-frozen silence to the creator’s rendition of the reverse-counting folk song, “99 Bottles Of Beer” - here titled a PEGI 12-friendly “99 Cans of Yeti Soda Pop”. Yes, it counts all the way down from 99. Yes, Casey appears to have genuinely sung every single line verbatim, rather than simply copy-pasting the repeating parts of the tune. And yes, you will have to keep both your ears and eyes open for the entire runtime if you’re to catch all of the surprising and silly occurrences in store, experience a stomach-churning moment of despair, and earn entry to the hallowed Patience Club. This is a commitment to the bit that demands the very same commitment from the viewer, and we have to respect it - even as it has so little respect for our time.

Highest Balloon Ever 2#

by O_G__KSA

Estimated playtime: Replayable

We couldn’t write this Roundup without paying homage to 1983 new wave banger, 99 Luftballons, which really helped put the number 99 on the cultural map. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent balloon-themed creations in Dreams - Highest Balloon Ever 2 is one of them, taking the motion-controlled gauntlet of its predecessor and layering on a compelling risk-versus-reward system. As in the previous game, you’re using the gyroscope in your controller to guide a mild-mannered balloon as it floats upwards through a sky covered with barbed wire and littered with ever-changing obstacles, weaving through the gaps to score points and avoid popping out of existence for good. What makes things interesting is the ability to periodically spend collected tokens (often found dangerously close to the wire) on powerups that briefly grant you double points or invincibility. Though it sounds simple enough, a combination of shaky hands and indecision at key moments can soon spell disaster for even the most buoyant of balloons, leaving you very deflated indeed.

Maria#

by Spiderguy2122

Estimated playtime: N/A

We’ll admit this link to “99” is much more tenuous. In a fit of nostalgia for the iconic British summertime treat, Flake 99(otworzy się w nowej zakładce), we ended up browsing for ice cream-related creations, and found Spiderguy2122’s Banana Split Cat Girl puppet. From there, we ended up browsing through their other controllable characters - and instantly fell for Maria, a wedding cake-like warrior who wields a longsword, an arsenal of devastating attacks and can even wall jump. Spiderguy2122 has an obvious talent for designing playable characters around playful concepts and diverse body types - special mentions must also go to Ms. Memime and Tarantula Girl. But it’s Maria’s sugar-sweet appearance, yet terrifying Terminator-like dedication to chasing after her prey - that run animation is deadly - that make her absolutely irresistible in our eyes. Alright, so she’s not got a Flake sticking out of her head. But what goes better with ice cream than cake?

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!(otworzy się w nowej zakładce)