Challengingly fun
Dreamcutter's Review
Developer: Ten Pennyfingers (Published by Shady Corner Games)
Genre: Platformer
Store: Steam, Itch.io, Kagura Games Store, FAKKU, GOG, Nutaku, ZOOM Platform (Also available for Nintendo Switch)
Reviewed version: 1.02
Censored: No
Patch Needed: No
OS: Windows
Language: English
My experience with Dreamcutter was different from the usual. I initially played its 0.1 version on Itch when it was first released (similar to what I did with Spunkstock), then I played the demo in the Steam Fest back in February, and now I played the full version of the game. Even so, it managed to surprise me in a good way.
It puts the player in the shoes of a girl named Haley that's trapped in a dream with her friend Lucia, and she has to find a way to rescue her friend and find the way back to the real world. You can tell the dev put some care into the plot because it's well-written and has some depth, plus the characters are charming (except for MINDGAMES, screw them with a 10ft pole).
Gameplay-wise is fluid and features a mix of standard and unique game mechanics, such as floating on wind currents, using your scythe as a springboard, sliding on rails as if you were Rodney Mullen, making combos, etc. Moreover, you can spend the coins you get from killing enemies and making combos on upgrades for your character and challenges that unlock extra art in the gallery once they are beaten. That said, the game's difficulty ramps up noticeably after you beat each world, and each miniboss is a challenge of its own because of the hordes of mobs they spawn whenever you get close to them. It's not the Dark Souls of Hentai Platformers, but you'll have to put some effort into beating it.
The art in the game is pleasing to the eye, featuring beautiful hand-drawn CGs and pretty pixel art, but the protagonist's design is inconsistent. For example, she's slim for the totality of the game, but then she's suddenly as THICC as a bowl of oatmeal for no apparent reason in one of the cutscenes. There aren't many sex scenes compared to other NSFW games, but they are neatly integrated into the plot. As for the soundtrack, it's different from what I'd expect for a game about being trapped in a dream, but those EDM beats sure are nice to listen to.
Verdict: Great
I had a lot of fun playing this game even if, for moments, I felt like that gaming journalist who couldn't finish the tutorial level of Cuphead. Any fan of action platformers will enjoy this one, especially if they are looking for one that requires effort to complete.