You know I have been dreaming about this game (literally) for many years now, mainly because the emotional subtext of the first game made a big impact on me. Overall very enjoyable 6 to 8 hour exploration game where you navigate your subconscious landscapes. One of the earlier Yume tributes that I played, and despite the relative success of the first game it seems very few people know about this one, which is a shame because I think this game is about as creative as they get, at least in the later parts.

Usually the items work as a "metroidvania style" upgrade that allows you to access more locations, but the game partially allows you to explore and get lost in the world as well. Probably my favorite part of the game was how interactive it was with the mechanics, the items are not just for progression, but they can often have various funny applications with the environment or the characters, sometimes hidden achievements as well. For example you can change the color of just about any character or relevant object in the game, change the color of your jacket, or play various mini games like fishing or retro console games. The dog was amazing by the way, I love how she follows you too ;).

There are some horror elements to it, but they are not a huge part of the experience, from what I recall the first game was actually a bit more intense, for the most part the game is very chill and heartwarming, although there are still things like blood and implied gore. The puzzles can be a little cryptic but generally I beat the game without much help, eventually things tend to fall into place. Relatively limited narrative, it seems the dev focused a bit more on the puzzle/mechanical variety of the game, even though you still get some fun interactions with various characters that you meet.


+ A lot of creative mechanics that can be used for navigation, puzzles, or interacting with characters and the environment, a little cryptic at times, but not too difficult

+ Good gameplay variety, there are various 2D and 3D elements, optional mini-games, transformation into other characters and different movement modifiers

+ Enjoyable escapism vibes, lots of fun cerebral moments, many interesting locations that can be thought-provoking

+ Good Fox! I mean.. Dog


- I did not enjoy the slippery mechanics in the rat challenge, often feeling like you were just wasting my time, in the game that otherwise was never frustrating

- For most of the game I was having difficulty selecting items for some reason, I never understood why, like the item would be selected but I would have to re-select it to use it

- It might help if you perhaps wanted to add more shortcuts inside the piano hub, maybe after certain points more doors could appear around the area

- At times the game was a bit random, like using scissors to break the crystals, or finding certain items in places you would not care to look

- Overall I liked the visuals, although sometimes I felt certain locations were put together without much care or anything that would stimulate your interest

Overall Thoughts: 8/10

One of the better games that I played in this 'dream exploration' genre, at times maybe I felt certain levels were indulging too much into using the same tiles, but the mechanical variety and the creative application of items ultimately made it a very fun playthrough, I pretty much played nothing except this game from start to finish and had a blast overall. The items were really fun to use, the jokes were generally great, the locations had a certain level of mystery to them, and it was just really fun to figure out the game and what to do.

This is a sequel to Dreaming Sarah, a charming platformer inspired by Yume Nikki that released 10 years ago, and the developer has expanded her dream world in Awakening Sarah.

It plays pretty much the same way as the previous game but we have more items/effects and worlds to explore, many of which require you to dive deep as there are only 4 doors available in the dream nexus. There are many hidden interactions and references to be found, so be sure to try every single item (my favorite is the camera!).

The soundtrack is brilliant! Very reminiscent of Silent Hill 2 in the best way - kudos to Anthony Septim!

Oh, and also, YOU CAN PET THE DOG!

Full Walkthrough:
https://youtu.be/PrUCb00CI6k

★★★★☆
Gameplay: Good, but i had many crashes and freezes during the game
Story: Very interesting story, the dream world is attractive and strange at the same time
Graphics: Good
PC Requirements: Low
Game Time: 3 - 8 Hours, you can explore as much as you want

Here I will leave the cat, friends who pass by can pet it and give it a thumbs up
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