Review: Yume Nikki
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:As this is an RPG Maker game, there's no autosave. Instead, you'll need to exit the dream world and interact with Madotsuki's desk in order to access your save slots. If you want to pause the game, bring up your Effects menu by pressing 0. Time needed per session:As this is an exploration based game without fast travel options, give yourself enough time to explore the dream world. Fifteen minutes is generally a good start.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | Some players may have concerns A lot of the unsettling content in this game comes from the strange and unusual things the players encounter, many of which are more weird than disturbing. That said, the player does have the option to harm others for no reason, which is the only real moral issue in this game. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/yume_nikki_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/yume_nikki_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/yume_nikki_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Yume Nikki often appears on lists covering popular scary games, though after playing it myself, I'm not really sure I'd call it a horror game. Sure, players will encounter some unsettling things from time to time, but this is mainly just a game about wandering through increasingly surreal worlds. More specifically, it's about exploring the protagonist's dreams, and as anyone can tell you, dreams rarely make much sense.
In this game players control Madotsuki, a young girl with an active, if somewhat questionable, imagination. The catch here is that there isn't very much to do while she's awake. She refuses to open her bedroom door, so players are limited to having her walk around or interact with her TV, video game system, desk, or bed. Of course, we're not really here for this part of her story, so the waking world acts like a base of operations - it's a safe place we can always come back to if we get lost or need to save the game.
To enter the dream world - and thus enter the game itself - players have go to bed. Once she's comfortable, a countdown begins and the waking world is left behind. When we see her next, she'll be standing on a dream world copy of her balcony. From there players can explore a near-perfect duplicate of her bedroom, or simply head through to the next room.
Beyond the door of the dream bedroom is a place known by fans as the Nexus. This is a key location in the game, as it's the central hub of Madotsuki's dream worlds. From here, players can enter a dozen different worlds. Some of these worlds are teeming with activity, but others are almost completely barren and devoid of life. All of them have something to offer though, so it's important to explore them all as much as you can. Should you ever need to leave the dream world, you can have Madotsuki pinch herself awake by pressing the 9 key. There are a few other things that will also wake her up, but that's the main way.
In particular, you're looking for what are called "Effects". These are special abilities that Madotsuki can use to influence her dreams. A few Effects just amount to equipping an item, but most of them change her appearance. For example, the "Bicycle" Effect just has her mount a bicycle, but the "Lamp" Effect changes her head into a giant light fixture. Both of these are useful: you'll move faster while riding the bike (a must for exploring) and becoming part streetlight provides a way to see in dark areas. Not every Effect actually serves an in game purpose however - many are just there to be collected or provide Madotsuki with a new look.
Each Effect you find adds an entry to your menu. This might make the list unmanageable once you've found a lot of them, so you also have the option of depositing them in the Nexus. To do this, enter the Nexus, equip the Effect you want to discard, and press 5. The Effect will be left behind as a colorful egg. Storing all 24 Effects in the Nexus triggers the game's ending, making this the ultimate goal of the game.
With all of that said, it's time to ask the big question: would I recommend this game?
I don't really know; I'm kind of on the fence about it. There's a lot of strange and surreal things to see, and it's possible that you'll even complete the game without seeing everything. But it's also very slow paced and somewhat dull compared to many other games. At the very least, this is certainly a unique experience, and since it's free, there's no harm in giving it a spin.
In this game players control Madotsuki, a young girl with an active, if somewhat questionable, imagination. The catch here is that there isn't very much to do while she's awake. She refuses to open her bedroom door, so players are limited to having her walk around or interact with her TV, video game system, desk, or bed. Of course, we're not really here for this part of her story, so the waking world acts like a base of operations - it's a safe place we can always come back to if we get lost or need to save the game.
To enter the dream world - and thus enter the game itself - players have go to bed. Once she's comfortable, a countdown begins and the waking world is left behind. When we see her next, she'll be standing on a dream world copy of her balcony. From there players can explore a near-perfect duplicate of her bedroom, or simply head through to the next room.
Beyond the door of the dream bedroom is a place known by fans as the Nexus. This is a key location in the game, as it's the central hub of Madotsuki's dream worlds. From here, players can enter a dozen different worlds. Some of these worlds are teeming with activity, but others are almost completely barren and devoid of life. All of them have something to offer though, so it's important to explore them all as much as you can. Should you ever need to leave the dream world, you can have Madotsuki pinch herself awake by pressing the 9 key. There are a few other things that will also wake her up, but that's the main way.
In particular, you're looking for what are called "Effects". These are special abilities that Madotsuki can use to influence her dreams. A few Effects just amount to equipping an item, but most of them change her appearance. For example, the "Bicycle" Effect just has her mount a bicycle, but the "Lamp" Effect changes her head into a giant light fixture. Both of these are useful: you'll move faster while riding the bike (a must for exploring) and becoming part streetlight provides a way to see in dark areas. Not every Effect actually serves an in game purpose however - many are just there to be collected or provide Madotsuki with a new look.
Each Effect you find adds an entry to your menu. This might make the list unmanageable once you've found a lot of them, so you also have the option of depositing them in the Nexus. To do this, enter the Nexus, equip the Effect you want to discard, and press 5. The Effect will be left behind as a colorful egg. Storing all 24 Effects in the Nexus triggers the game's ending, making this the ultimate goal of the game.
With all of that said, it's time to ask the big question: would I recommend this game?
I don't really know; I'm kind of on the fence about it. There's a lot of strange and surreal things to see, and it's possible that you'll even complete the game without seeing everything. But it's also very slow paced and somewhat dull compared to many other games. At the very least, this is certainly a unique experience, and since it's free, there's no harm in giving it a spin.
Points of Interest
Dozens of places to explore
By itself, the Nexus leads to no fewer than twelve worlds, each of which are themed after something unique. Continuing to explore these worlds will take you deeper into the dream world, giving you access to many other places. And you don't just find new places by walking - some paths are only visible when certain Effects are active.
Expect the unexpected
Aside from the fact that dreams, by their very nature, are going to be weird, there are many events in this game that happen randomly. This means there's a real chance that you'll see something new after passing through the same area dozens of times.
Possibly the most famous example of these random events is a "ghost" character called Uboa, who only has a 1.5% chance of appearing in a specific room.
Possibly the most famous example of these random events is a "ghost" character called Uboa, who only has a 1.5% chance of appearing in a specific room.
Theory fodder
Most of what you'll get out of this game comes from how you interpret it. There's a lot of creative and strange stuff going on, so there's plenty to speculate about. Dreams are, after all, a reflection of a person's subconscious mind, so it's all a puzzle for players to build upon.
The soundtrack is mind-numbing
Instead of an actual soundtrack, this game fills many areas with a distorted or repetitive hum. This can get grating rather quickly, but thankfully, since there are no sound cues in this game, you can safely turn off the sound and play in silence.
Concerns and Issues
Lots of monsters
Many of the areas in the dream world are populated by strange and possibly scary creatures. None of these creatures can actually harm Madotsuki, although there are some who will teleport her into special trap rooms if they can catch her. A popular theory claims that these "mean" creatures are the dream's way of representing people who have bullied Madotsuki in real life.
Disturbing imagry
It's possible, though quite rare, to find blood in small puddles or splashed on a wall. Players will also find the body of a hit and run victim deep inside the dream world. This is also about the only real gore you'll find - there is a world themed around body parts, but they don't appear to be bloody. In fact, many of them are still moving about, as if they were still connected to something or are entities in their own right.
Many of the dream worlds also feature bizarre moving backgrounds, some of which appear to be giant monsters or unexplainable organic things. Note that while these may look threatening, none of them can harm or even interact with Madotsuki.
Many of the dream worlds also feature bizarre moving backgrounds, some of which appear to be giant monsters or unexplainable organic things. Note that while these may look threatening, none of them can harm or even interact with Madotsuki.
Rapidly flashing lights
The Neon world is extremely brightly colored and cycles through the rainbow quite quickly, which may be an issue for some people. A bigger problem for photosensitive people comes in the form of the "aztec rave monkey", which is a cutscene event that can be found in the barren wastelands. This is a close up picture of a monkey-like creature that strobes between palettes very rapidly while fast and loud music plays.
Cruelty potentional
One of the Effects that players will collect is called "Kitchen Knife". When this Effect is active, Madotsuki carries a sharp knife and can stab things with it. Stabbing creatures makes them scream and disappear in a bloody spray. There's no real point to this other than cruelty for cruelty's sake - the player is never required to kill anyone, nor does this advance the game in any way. It's just an option.
Suicide
Once all 24 Effects have been collected and deposited in the Nexus, a new staircase appears on the balcony in the waking world. Interacting with it has Madotsuki climb up and jump off the side of the building, falling to her death. The credits roll over the red splat where she lands.
Oddly, some of the jellyfish monsters from her dreams show up during this segment, prompting fans to speculate that this was just another layer of her dream world rather than reality. Jumping from the building may then have been an attempt at forcing herself to wake up for real.
Oddly, some of the jellyfish monsters from her dreams show up during this segment, prompting fans to speculate that this was just another layer of her dream world rather than reality. Jumping from the building may then have been an attempt at forcing herself to wake up for real.