Review code provided with many thanks to The IndiEXP
Dream of the Star Haven: a New Dream Begins
Dream of the Star Haven is a first-person platformer that features exploration, puzzles, and a little light combat. This comes from developer Orchid of Redemption, who worked on Joon Shining, a 2D experience where you figured out puzzling levels with the power of golf. Joon Shining has a serene tone to its presentation, and I felt similar vibes when playing through the first few levels of Dream of the Star Haven. This new title is coming to Early Access, and I was able to play through the first few levels before airing my impressions. If you like your platformers with a relaxing feel, then this may be one to add to your wishlist.
Explore the Floating Islands
The main objective of Dream of the Star Haven is to explore the levels, seeking out a set number of stars in order to unlock the exit and proceed onward. Levels are set across these floating islands in the sky. You’ll need to traverse them using moving platforms or your handy triple jump. Yes, you heard that right this is a game that takes things to the next level and does away with the predictable double jump and lets you jump thrice.
There’s a satisfying rhythmic feeling to using the triple jump like you’re hopping through the sky, and it can be used to move vast distances both vertically and horizontally. In the last levels available, the game starts to play around with gravity. Where you can stand on a switch and change the level layouts and your character’s own centre of gravity. I found these brief moments a bit jarring when you flip from one surface to another. I rarely feel motion sickness in first-person games, but this transition makes me feel a little queasy. Though not fully realized in the Early Access build, I can see this mechanic opening up much more of the puzzle and exploration element of the game.
Dream of the Star Haven has no obvious plot to speak of at this stage. From my perspective, you’re a spiritual entity jumping around these floating islands seeking purpose or possibly a world beyond. Who knows!
Scan for Gems and Locations
To help you get a bearing of your objectives you have a scanner which is powered by other gems you find hidden across the levels. With this activated, it will highlight the main objective and additional gems and enemy locations. Not all objectives are highlighted. To get the most out of the levels, you are encouraged to explore every area, seeking out all the objectives. This may include defeating all enemies or finding a hidden e-key.
Completing these extra missions will reward you with starburst gems (no, not the British sweet). Collecting these will unlock a special challenge level. Two difficulty options are available: a standard mode where if you fall off the edge or get defeated, you restart the level, losing all your experience. Easy mode allows you to keep any progress made in the level and feels a lot more preferable to people who are new platformers or are looking for a calm experience. Dream of the Star Haven feels like a game designed for those wanting to take their time and take in the experience at their own pace.
Combat and Graphics
Combat is a thing in the game. In most levels, you will find a sword somewhere on one of the islands. At this stage, in Early Access, it feels half-baked. The enemies are these creepy skulls which will attack you if provoked by swinging their own sword or dropping bombs from the sky. When you hit the enemy, it will temporarily defend itself with a shield. But all this means is you just have to step back for a bit, wait for the shield to disperse and hit again until it’s finally defeated. It’s quite boring and feels like it needs some adjustment.
The graphics are pretty good. The general tone of Dream of the Star Haven feels relaxing with its piano soundtrack and these floating islands covered in greenery and vegetation. After playing Joon Shining, it does appear some of those game assets have been recycled here. It would be nice to see the game branch out with a little variation from the forest-like greenery. But maybe that’s already in the pipework.
Final Impression: Zen-Like
The current Early Access build is only a few levels with an extra bonus level you can unlock by completing bonus objectives. It feels more like a demo at this stage, and it’s hard to really get a feel for where this game is going. Combat certainly needs some work, but I did like exploring the levels and seeking out all of the objectives. I think if the game leans more into this and builds on it with the addition of the puzzle elements, this is looking to be something to add to the Zen game list. Maybe we should start calling these games Zen-likes.
Dream of Star Haven is heading to Early Access on the 25th of January, 2024. If you want to support a game in development, be sure to check it out. If not, consider Wishlisting it, as this also helps out the developers.