![]() Admittedly the first Episode is a bit of a snooze fest, much like a TV pilot trying to cram in as many characters and plot devices within it’s opening 60 minutes, however if you give the game time, all will flourish into a greatly captivating mystery that will really test your wits and your morals. Luckily for me, and indeed you, Dreamfall Chapters features a very good voice cast reading a very intriguing, witty and all-round impressive script, which made for a delightful change to what is typically (and ironically) expected for a narrative focused adventure. ![]() If that is the case then in all honesty it’s a tremendous shame as within this dialogue overhaul you’ll discover a well written, dark story that is difficult to turn away from once it gets going. This trend of doing nothing and listening to hundreds of lines of dialogue unfortunately doesn’t change as you progress, so if the story doesn’t have you hooked right from the off then you could find your eyes and ears wondering around the room. Right from the off Dreamfall Chapters is a very dialogue heavy game, with very little player involvement other than highlighting objects in a room and deciding how to respond to another character. It didn’t occur to me until 15 minutes in that this was a continuing story, so boo to my research! I then spent the next 15 minutes reading up on the previous plot lines, but quickly became ferociously lost within the universe’s many named characters and events, however suffice to say that Dreamfall Chapters is equipped with plenty of characters obsessed with expositional dialogue to get you up to speed, oh and these really handy character descriptions that unlock and update throughout, meaning without playing the previous 2 releases you’ll soon feel acquainted with everything and everyone. Billed as a narrative driven puzzle adventure game, I’m particularly interested in how much of this game is made up of doing stuff rather than simply listening, and as a narrative guy I certainly think I’m the best bloke to fairly critique this interactive graphic novel let’s see how long my attention span withstands the perils that await me. Having been captured and imprisoned for a year, he is struggling to walk his own path, but thankfully for everyone involved he is roped into saving the world and killing some baddies, hooray! Both Zoe and Kian’s adventures will play how you see fit and every decision you make, talk topic you bring up and character you converse with will have a significant impact on your story, ensuing no 2 playthroughs will unfold exactly the same. ![]() Awaking from a coma, Zoe is determined to get her life back in order and save those she loves with her unique magical abilities … if only she could remember … dang! Also, making a return in the threequel is Kian Alvane, a holy assassin who refused to kill previous protagonist April Ryan and has since began to question his peers and faith. Zoe has the ability to travel between 2 coexisting worlds, Stark the one she physically lives in, and Arcadia, a magical twin-world built up of dreams and dreamers. Continuing from the events in its predecessor “Dreamfall: The Journey”, Chapters has players once again stepping into the shoes of courageous activist Zoe Castillo, who last time we saw had uncovered a conspiracy involving technology capable of stealing and manipulating dreams, a technological breakthrough that was more addictive than drugs and killed just as many users. The latest title from a marginally forgettable franchise with an unforgettable experience and story to tell, where ‘playing’ is minimum, and decision making is everything.ĭreamfall Chapters is the 3 rd entry into ‘The Longest Journey’ franchise, a series which debuted on PC in 1999 from the chaps at Red Thread Studios, releasing their latest venture as a complete package on PS4, XboxOne and again for PC. We live in a time where only the games with the most explosive, expensive and endorsed trailers get the spotlight, which is a grave shame seeing that more often than not, the complete opposite can make for a better game. ![]() Or perhaps that’s a new trend setting name to give to my first-born child? To me what makes a successful game is the ability to not only present an invigorating and completely immersive story, but to carry you through it from beginning to end, whether that be on tender hooks or on the edge of your seat. Considering how much I go on about it in my articles, I’ve considering changing my name to Phil “Narrative” Dean.
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