Dreamfall:
The Longest Journey
Developer: Funcom Publisher: Aspyr
Lucid dreaming across digital worlds
Reviewed by Whitney Hills on 05/02/06
Article Discussion Forum
First Impressions:
The sequel to
The Longest Journey
, Dreamfall picks up in a city called Casablanca in 2219, ten years after the original story left off. The story itself is too complex and intricately detailed for any amount of summary to do it justice. It spans across two parallel worlds, one of magic, and one of technology, and three protagonists. The foremost of these is Zoë Castillo, a bioengineering student who is broken out of a lethargic rut by a seemingly innocuous request for help-- one that ends up getting her involved in a global conspiracy. Players familiar with the first game may find a bit more depth to some of the characters and events, but not having played
The Longest Journey
is by no means an impediment to full immersion in writer/designer Ragnar Tornquist's incredible story.
Graphics:
Dreamfall's art direction is gorgeous, and the developers really made the most of the graphical prowess available to them on both the PC and Xbox platforms. Those with exceptionally powerful graphics processing capability might find a bit more detail on the PC, but ultimately both versions end up looking crisp and lovely. There is a distinct lack of any blasé environments, and all of the character models are unique, detailed, and full of expression. The environments range from dreamy fantasy landscapes to sharp industrial/urban sprawl, and many scenes end up looking like a captivating hybrid of both of these styles. One very small inconvenience is that at some points, it can be difficult to get a wide vertical or lateral spectrum view with the camera-- the full panoramic glory of the backgrounds is occasionally only viewable in rather specific positions.
Sound/Music:
The musical compositions are another one of the game's many strengths. They are diverse (ranging from soft ambient to darker electronica and even a few vocal ballads) and all are pleasing in some respect, complementing well whatever action or environment they're set to. The voice acting is phenomenal and is of high enough caliber to erase any potential tedium from even the longest dialogue sequences-- of which there are many.
Gameplay:
Dreamfall's driving force is its immersive story and the quality of its script. Comparatively, Dreamfall has considerably fewer (and less challenging) puzzles than
The Longest Journey
or other games in the genre. This may frustrate those who are inclined towards more active play, however, the plot is so engaging that being able to advance it quickly is hardly something worth complaining about. Also unlike its predecessor, Dreamfall breaks away from standard point-and-click adventure gaming conventions and incorporates a combat system and several action sequences. The former is a pretty simplistic affair, and most in-game battles pose very little threat and are defeated with a few well-timed hits of the same button.
Adventure gamers may be surprised to find out that you can die in Dreamfall: although the game's intelligent auto-save feature ensures that no substantial setbacks will result, it's certainly a break away from the genre standard of invincibility and relaxed puzzle solving. The more active puzzle sequences usually involve timed matching of symbols in order to hack through security systems or while using an electronic lockpick. Occasionally, dialogue options will switch from being purely topical decisions to more involved response options-- like reacting to confrontation in either a placating, manipulative, or aggressive manner, for instance. There doesn't seem to be any truly “wrong” option, for all of the choices seem to eventually lead to the same resolution, but it is an interesting, often thought-provoking way of letting the player choose how they want to respond. These kind of choices also up the replay value a little bit by incorporating conversations that can't be heard in a single play-through.
Enjoyment:
The whole experience is like simultaneously reading a great work of science fiction, watching impressive, artistic cinematography, and enjoying typical adventure game conventions-- all in one beautiful, totally immersive package. Actual gameplay can get a bit lost and infrequent within all of the plot/character development, but Dreamfall is so strong in all other respects that it more than makes up for it. The game travels across an emotional and intellectual spectrum that is very difficult to find in other games of any genre. The only unsatisfying thing is its ending-- the plot twists come fast and heavy, and subsequent resolution is scarce. It seems as if there was easily another few hours' worth of material that could have been incorporated were it not for time/development constraints.
Overall Impression:
Dreamfall ends up being much like playing through a lucid dream yourself. The game stands tall both as a sequel to its predecessor and as immersion for new players into its richly detailed universe. The depth of the story, sympathetic characters, and beautiful art make it well worth anyone's while.
Marketing Efforts Towards Women:
Positive gender representation is an area where both
The Longest Journey
and Dreamfall have proven truly outstanding. Zoë Castillo and April Ryan are strong, dynamic female leads devoid of any objectified qualities-- although they're certainly easy on the eyes, the physical character designs are unique and take a backseat to the personalities of both women. Also, within the social structures of both of the twin worlds, women are consistently portrayed in positions of equality or even power over men: one of the main Arcadian cultures, the Azadi, have a Goddess-based religion and matriarchal leadership comprised of six Empresses. Although women are consistently portrayed in positive and dynamic roles, gender is rarely made an explicit issue-- the end effect being understated but resonant imagery of both male and female individual empowerment. It is difficult to imagine a game that could be more successful in the respect of appealing to both genders.
|
