Review: YumeNikki Dream Diary

I've been looking forward to the release of YumeNikki Dream Diary and have covered each drip of information as it has come out. Not very much was known and they kept a lot under wraps. We now the game is out, and I have been playing it for a few days.

The game itself is a re-imagining of the original YumeNikki game. The first thing you will notice is that you really are not given much information. The controls are very minimal, left right up down, Jump, wake up, and interact, and that's it. You start off in pretty much pitch black, and have no instructions of what to do or where to go.

Now I had an issue when I started the game, everything was pitch black, I checked an online walkthrough and it was in daytime, so no idea what happened here. This occurs on another level, so I am assuming this is a bug in the game, or an issue with my graphics card, not sure.

Either way I managed to get myself back home in the game.

You find a red splat on the floor and then you wake up. After you get used to the slightly unusual controls you will eventually figure out to go back to sleep, when you do just that, you wake up on a balcony, find your way back into the bedroom, and when you exit the room, that is when you realise there are different levels that you can enter by going through various doors. And that is where the game really starts.

There are 6 dreamworlds to explore. Each one different, as you explore them you will find yourself quickly immersed into the game. I was reminded of couple of  classic Amiga games, Another World and Oddworld.

Now this game is hard, and sometimes I found it frustrating instead of challenging, which can be a problem. Sometimes it is so dark, that it becomes almost impossible to know what to do or where to go. The soundtrack is incredible, and there are moments that will make you jump. It's weird, it's unusual, it's strange, it's surreal.

The object of the game is to collect "Effects", you will see these as having the letter E by them, you interact with them and then you have collected them.

You cant "die" as such in this game, but you can find yourself in inescapable areas that mean the only escape is to wake up and start again.

Overall the game is interesting, and much like the original I suspect that it will soon become a cult classic. Perhaps mainstream gamers will never truly appreciate the game, but I suspect it will find a hardcore following very quick.

I give YumeNikki Dream Diary 7 out of 10.

Review by Jon Donnis

Buy
http://store.steampowered.com/app/774811/YUMENIKKI_DREAM_DIARY/
and
http://playism-games.com/game/335/yumenikki-dream-diary

YumeNikki Dream Diary out now on Playism and Steam!

About YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY
Yume Nikki has been hailed as one of the greatest (and most controversial) games ever created with RPG Maker. The new YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY- is not a remake, but a full reimagining of the original―reconstructed and enhanced using elements and styles of modern indie games.

“YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY- Now, wake up...” is the release trailer, showing the first glimpse of the main character, Madotsuki, wandering around the “dream” in which the game is set. Additionally, this trailer contains the theme song by AQUILA.

Story
The main character, Madotsuki, is able to venture to the world of dreams by sleeping in her bed.

Then, by opening the doors that appear in front of her, she becomes able to explore various dream worlds.

Featuring a collaboration with Ao Oni!
We are proud to bring you an amazing collaboration between YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY and Ao Oni―another beloved RPG Maker masterpiece with a cult following to match Yume Nikki.

Experience the terror of Ao Oni in the world of YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY-.

Introducing Super NASU
Recreated from the popular game-in-game NASU from the original Yume Nikki!

Shoot down the objects appearing on screen to score points! Get the eggplant (“nasu”) to power up! Take a break from wandering through “dreams” with Super NASU.

Bonus Perks
All players purchasing YUMENIKKI –DREAM DIARY- between Feb. 23, 2018 and Mar. 31, 2018 will receive three types of YUMENIKKI –DREAM DIARY- wallpapers for PC for free.

Indie Publisher Playism Releases New Screenshots Providing First Look at Upcoming YUMENIKKI –DREAM DIARY

OSAKA - Feb. 9, 2018 - Acclaimed Japanese indie publisher PLAYISM released today new screens from its upcoming dream exploration adventure title YUMENIKKI –DREAM DIARY- including a variety of “pages” torn straight from the newly reimagined Dream Diary. The screen shots provide the world's first look upcoming title due to release on Feb. 23 for PC on Steam and Playism.  

In its original form, RPG Maker darling Yume Nikki was a divisively controversial work among fans. By contrast, YumeNikki -Dream Diary- is a collaborative show of the utmost respect for auteur Kikiyama’s seminal release.

The RPG Maker team at Kadokawa has paired up with Active Gaming Media’s development team of ardent Yume Nikki fans to bring you this modern indie title in the form of YumeNikki -Dream Diary-. This diverging follow-up combines influences from the original game and other recent indie juggernauts to create something wholly unique.

YumeNikki -Dream Diary- was created under supervision and with the full cooperation from the original creator, Kikiyama themselves. We hope it will help to create a whole new wave of fans, as well as push the envelope in terms of what RPG Maker games can become.

Featuring "all-new old" original character!

A character dormant in Kikiyama’s imagination (and design documents) surfaces 16 years after Yume Nikki’s original release.

New gameplay trailer for YumeNikki - Dream Diary

In its original form, RPG Maker darling Yume Nikki was a divisively controversial work among fans. YumeNikki – Dream Diary – is not a remake of the original game; it has been revived in its new form as a reimaging of the original, drawing influence from a variety of recent indie juggernauts. Following hot on the heels of last week’s reveal the newest round of promotional footage marks the public debut of in-game audio-visual assets.