Jun 17, 2016 - Metacritic Game Reviews, Dreamfall Chapters for PC, Dreamfall Chapters continues and concludes the gripping story of Zoe Castillo, the.
Thank you for your post! I'm sorry you've been going through some rough stuff, too. College (and then the year or so immediately after) were some rough times for me, so I feel you. I've had similar sort of existential crises and yeah. Stories are how I cope and escape, so for me TLJ / Dreamfall are very much part of that time in my life. That's part of why I feel that accurate and diverse portrayals of people from all walks of life in games is so important.
Games can be so healing. We're straying a little off topic, but if you ever need to talk my inbox is open.hugs. You're going to get through all of this. But if you need to talk or vent or bounce ideas off of someone I'm here. I have to say that I played TLJ for the first time something like 2 years ago, so probably this influences my choice: I couldn't enjoy this game to the max because having windows 7 ( 64 bit version) the game was crashing all the time and the graphic didn't give justice to this amazing storyline that, anyway, kept me stuck in front of the screen till the end of the game! But my choice is Dreamfall, not only because it is newer but also because I feel more involved in Zoe's story.Maybe because I see her closer to me than April. Ps: luckly I played recently to these games, I really don't know how I could handle to wait all these years to see a sequel as soon as I am dying already waiting for November!!
TLJ being my BGE (just before BGE from M. Ancel ), the answer is pretty simple. Dreamfall had story but you could put your brain in the closet to clear it. TLJ required more mindblowing and dedication to be finished. The 'requirement', I think, is central to the immersion. You can finish Dreamfall without really paying attention to what's happening on screen and in the story.
You can't really do that in TLJ. This game doesn't just give you an 'opportunity' to experience your surroundings and tie it in with the story.
It actively ASKS you to do that. I'm going to say Dreamfall, mainly because I love the fact that it was more of an interactive story with choices rather than a straight adventure game. Don't get me wrong, I love both, and TLJ is by far the best adventure game I've ever played. But Dreamfall seemed more, I don't know, 'adult' and 'me.'
It made me feel as though I was a 'Dreamer' in Zoe's world, watching her and guiding her actions and seeing those results. The thing I like the most about it though had to be the ending. TLJ had the 'stop the bad guy, save the world' kind of feeling. Dreamfall leaves you with that 'the world is still going to rupture anyway' kind of feeling.
The ending makes you ask about the coma, April's fate, the fate of Kian, the fate of Reza, the identity of the Prophet, and where on Earth is Brian Westhouse? These questions, and countless others, make Dreamfall have that edge that separates itself from other games.
It gives the player just as much knowledge as Zoe. We are all Dreamers, and although it was just a game, the development of Dreamfall Chapters (from its announcement to its creation) has been more of a journey than a game.
It has been a journey of people of different cultures, different locations around the world, and of different personalities coming together to share and talk about this amazing adventure. This whole process is The Longest Journey, and we all belong to the Storytime now. 'I am at the crossroads between waking and dream. One path leads back to the world I left behind. The other path the other path leads to a place of shadows. Between the familiar and the unknown, between certainty and doubt, my choice would seem obvious.
Any sane man would turn around, return to the world he knows, forget what he has learned, and live his life in blissful ignorance. But in truth, it is too late. My choice was made many years ago, when I first embarked on this journey. I cannot turn back. I am at a crossroads, but for me there is only one path. I leave behind these words in the hope that, someday, they will serve as a map for someone else. To whomever reads this, Godspeed on your journey.
![Journey Journey](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125617574/364079159.jpg)
If you ever decide to follow in my footsteps, look me up.' -Brian Westhouse, Dreamfall 'The hardest part of the day isn't falling asleep realizing you are going to awaken in a new world. It's trying to wake up knowing you will have to fall asleep and abandon that world at some point, abandoning everything that you've fallen in love with in that world.' Ok, I'm going to break this down a bit. I like April in TLJ over Zoe in Dreamfall. But Dreamfall had more than one significant character that we got to know a bit. However, I like the overall story in Dreamfall over the story in TLJ.
Gameplay-wise, there are things about both that bug me, so it's a tie. In the end, I'd have to go with Dreamfall. I think we got much bigger glimpses into the world of Stark and Arcadia. Plus, the interaction between April and Kian, who I think have somewhat similar story-lines (both were very naive when they started and had their eyes opened) is very nice. I have loved adventure games since back when I was playing text adventures on a ZX Spectrum 48K. I remember being blown away by TLJ.
I don't think I knew much about it before playing it, so it came as a total surprise and quickly became one of my favourite PC adventure games (to this day). In 2006, I was working in London for two months. One day, at lunch time, I happened to pass by a PC Games store and just walked in to check it out. That was when I found out about Dreamfall. I didn't even know it existed and I was really surprised that there was a sequel. I bought it immediately and was again very surprised with how different it was.
It's a flawed game in some ways (pointless action scenes, constant load screens, too many puzzles involving just walking and walking and walking and walking - that first Marcuria puzzle where we need to get the mulled wine spices. How many times do we need to go back and forth between the Journeyman Inn and the market?), but I loved the story, the 3D and the new characters.
And I loved going back to all those familiar places and see how changed they were. It's a tough call. TLJ was the first one and it still holds a very special place in my heart. But I like Dreamfall's darker story. If I had to chose one, it would be TLJ, but Dreamfall wouldn't be far behind. As much as I love TLJ, it has to be Dreamfall.
Story and characters are big for me, and in my opinion Dreamfall wins out in both those areas. While I loved how much of Arcadia you get to explore and how many of it's inhabitants you get to interact with in TLJ, the story of Dreamfall was much deeper, more layered and had more parallels to our world that made me think. While TLJ was a grand adventure to save the world, Dreamfall was a much more intimate journey of discovery. It felt more adult. It resonated with me on a much more emotional level.While this might not be the most popular opinion, I found Zoe to be much more relatable than April. I felt her background was more fleshed out and believable. Of course that could also have a lot to do with my own life experiences.
Also: Hot Barrels! I'm going to go with TLJ. Dreamfall is complicated for me to rate, partly because of its hanging ending, and partly because I'm of two minds. I really loved the story of Zoe looking for Reza and uncovering the conspiracy within WATICorp, even though I found Zoe herself a bit offputting at first. But I was never as engaged by Kian & April in Arcadia, and that whole side of the story seemed like a sideline.
I expect that we'll understand more about the connections between what's happening in Arcadia and Stark as the Chapters progresses but within Dreamfall, the links felt weak. TLJ was a tighter and more straightforward narrative. The Longest Journey.
![Journey Journey](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125617574/934923671.jpg)
I love how this story breaks up with 'holy don't do this in storytelling basics' and still is a good story. It is the proof that small and efficient is not always beautiful and non-relevant details can create feelings in the reader if handled properly. It is the antithesis of 'you don't need that, cut it out'. For me this story tells me that in storytelling there are orders of importance of rules and if the important ones are fulfilled then the minor ones can be handled as you wish. TLJ is a masterpiece, unmatchable by following parts ot the story.
Dreamfall has it's moments (Memorable: the character switch Kian/April after their encounter.) but it is does not introduce big NEW things. (Big like 'the concept of Arcadia and Stark') I do not expect such things from Dreamfall chapters so TLJ will stay on top. Definitely TLJ! Personally, for me it has better design, better music, more interesting characters, richer story, richer gameplay (a lot of objects to collect and interact with), more humour, more.sense) As someone said, I'd replay TLJ with pleasure (which I did recently btw) and I don't want to replay Dreamfall.
Best moments in Dreamfall for me were still connected to TLJ: April, meeting old friends, exploring Venice etc. Also, I think it makes a big impact on people's opinion WHEN they played the game and what game was the FIRST. I think most of 1999 TLJ players will prefer TLJ.
ABOUT First Released May 24, 2007 Platforms pc Genre Compilation Rating for Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Summary Packing all of the adventure gaming of this adventure series into one package, this 2007 Game of the Year Edition includes the original The Longest Journey, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey and the MTV award-nominated original soundtrack for Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. Both games included in the Game of the Year Edition feature exotic worlds to explore and powerful stories that capture both the mind and heart. With gripping characters, intriguing puzzles, beautiful art direction, diverse gameplay and soaring music, Dreamfall Game of the Year Edition sets the standard for modern adventure games.