Dreamfall Chapters Book One: Reborn Reviews
Judged on its own, Dreamfall Chapters - Book One: Reborn falls flat, and will confuse series newcomers.
It's a series of small, deliberate steps that efficiently clears the way for longer, more exciting strides.
Dreamfall Chapters' first entry isn't wholly satisfying on its own, but it lays a great and characterful foundation for the episodes to come.
On the whole the team at Red Thread Games has done an incredible job updating The Longest Journey for the modern era. With graphical fidelity to match any AAA game and a strong aesthetic sense informing its visual direction, Dreamfall Chapters is one of the few games this year that I'd call beautiful. But underneath those modern trappings lies the same foundation of smart, profound storytelling that made the series so great in the first place. Unfortunately, this first episode ends a little prematurely, and it feels like we've yet to reach the real meat of the experience.
Most importantly, the story still has intricacies and a powerful emotional core, and after a decade and a half, I'm still happy to wait for an ending, even if this one was a little abrupt. Whatever levity and controversy occurs between now and then, I don't expect a dry eye in the house when that ending comes because I'm becoming convinced that this is a story about letting go – of life and of creations – and the inevitable consequence of growing up and coming of age.
An impenetrable start for non-fans, but there's enough potential here to hope that subsequent episodes make this a dream everyone can share in.
There are only a few real puzzles to gate your progress (almost all in Kian's section of the game) and although that's consistent with the series as a whole, the interactions between Zoë and other characters leave much to be desired. The cast is interesting and memorable and the various settings are well realized, but it feels that more can be done with all of these elements that will likely be presented in future releases, which I'm keen to play.
Dreamfall Chapters – Episode 1 does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for what is to be sure to be a helluva journey.
Dreamfall Chapters: Book One: Reborn is an intriguing addition to the franchise. But be warned, it's best played with some knowledge of the previous games in the series.
Book One is a tiny taste of what's coming. It's delectably delicious and I'd love to rate it higher, but at this point, it's hard to say whether Dreamfall Chapters will be filling and satisfying - or if it'll leave us feeling a little empty.
Open a new adventure to Storytime – just don't expect to find many answers yet!
Dreamfall Chapters is a strong adventure game, held back only by the required knowledge base for entry. A fascinating game with interwoven tales, beautiful set pieces and believeable protagonists, Dreamfall is going strong and only getting started.
The first episode marks the beginning of what may be an epic adventure, but falls flat. Most of the time is spent reacquainting ourselves with the characters and narrative, which isn't inherently a bad thing after eight long years.
Perhaps the game's greatest success is the sense of exquisite history and continuity carried through in the excellent writing:
It feels like it's playing things a little safe and is here just to reacquaint us with the world(s), with minimal progression and a lot of scene setting. Your enjoyment will really depend on how invested you already are. But this is just a beginning, for both the series and for the characters and story within. New directions are being taken and you can be damn sure we want to stick around for the ride.
An imperfect but atmospheric opening song to Chapters
I have no qualms about saying this is one of the best-written, best-voiced, and best-structured adventure series in all of gaming, and from this initial chapter I expect the same quality from Dreamfall: Chapters. If you haven't played The Longest Journey and Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, maybe check them out. And if you have? Well, there's still four chapters to go, but as far as I can tell this is the sequel you've been awaiting for seven years.
What the episode lacks in excitement, it makes up for with strong characters and rich, detailed environments.
Even after such a long wait, and with a hazy memory of the past titles, Dreamfall Chapters Book One: Reborn proves to be a major success, working just as well, in fact, as a standalone product thanks to the Story Recap option filling some blanks for newcomers and the writing being clever enough to not leave fresh faces bewildered. Smooth controls, stunning visuals, and fantastic audio direction all make for a special adventure, albeit one with one or two fetch-quests too many included. Conversation threads may prove too wordy for some, yet others that are eager to get lost in the lore, and learn more about the world they are stepping into, will be exhilarated. This is definitely not for those wanting to rush through to the end; taking the time to savour the overall excellence of the package is ideal - feel the love that has been poured into it, and get ready for Book Two: Rebels.
As cliché as it is to say, good things come to those who wait. With an expertly written narrative, a brilliantly realised location in Europolis, and subtly far-reaching choices to make even at this stage, Book One: Reborn is an excellent return to The Longest Journey saga. In fact, if this is reflective of the episodes to come, Dreamfall Chapters could end up being a masterclass in adventure gaming