Puzzler meets roguelike meets RPG meets board-game: there’s a lot of blending going on here, but the end result is a fine one.
Price: $1.99 (£1.49)
Version: 1.0
Size: 88.4 MB
Platform: iPhone & iPad
Developer: Firefly Games
I Keep Having This Dream is a recent App Store release that blends together multiple genres. There’s a hint of roguelike, a dash of RPG, a pinch of puzzler, and a general board-game feel. But the game itself isn’t a blur, it’s not confused, and it doesn’t feel wrong – far from it.
Let’s start at the beginning. In I Keep Having This Dream, gamers choose a difficulty level and a character. Then you’re guided through a series of hints which explain how the game works.
Essentially, you need to build a path to the end of each level through placing tiles on an empty board. You need to form this path in the direction of an on-screen compass in order to proceed to the next level, or “world.” To do this, gamers will have to connect parts of the path together with each tile, placing them in the right position and rotating them in the right way. This is quite effective: it really does feel like you’re searching along a strange, unknown route through a dark underground (or overground) world.
Additional tiles, when placed, let gamers either accrue boosts and shields, or challenge monsters. You really are creating the labyrinth as you go, choosing the direction your path takes and deciding exactly when you face your foes. It’s a novel experience.
However, because tiles are generated randomly and refill from the left after each placement, you’ll need to be smart in order to choose when you use certain tiles, and how you save others. Monsters vary in terms of their difficulty and skills, too, so it’s important to gain the right number of boosts and shields before taking on more challenging foes. In some cases, you’ll need to save a particular monster for later while refilling your attack and defense stats. Annoyingly, to do this might mean choosing tiles which take you in the wrong direction.
When your path reaches a dead end, or if you’re defeated in battle, things get serious. Your “nemesis” will begin to devour your tiles –and you, too, depending on the antagonist’s level. So beware, think logically, and make sure you choose the right tile for the right place.
All in all, I Keep Having This Dream is a novel and hugely enjoyable game. If you’re a fan of any of the genres mashed-up here, this application will surely be a real treat.