Demo code used with many thanks to Flawberry Studios.
Flawberry Studios provided us with a code for the demo of their upcoming cozy puzzle game, Projected Dreams! The full game doesn’t have a set release date yet, but it does have a Steam page where you can add it to your wish list and check for updates.
Piece Together How You Feel
The lovely simple premise: place and stack objects on a table, to create a silhouette matching the challenge provided. As you advance, you’re rewarded with more things to use in your efforts! A heart icon fills up as you get closer to matching the shadow well enough, but it isn’t too demanding. You don’t have to be pixel-perfect.
The sounds and graphics really suit the thoughtful, nostalgic atmosphere of the experience. I loved seeing objects that reminded me of things I played with as a child and applying my imagination to these almost familiar objects all over again. It’s easy to imagine actually being in the room, safe and cozy. I particularly appreciated the town rug with the play roads! The gentle story, told only through series of still images, also engages the imagination.
Dream Up Your Own Solution
My favourite thing about the whole game was the fact that there’s no one fixed solution to any puzzle. I felt encouraged to play around with whatever inspired me, and I never felt like I would be stuck for too long. The physics kept things interesting; seeing if things would balance how I wanted was always entertaining!
The controls took some getting used to, with no on-screen reminders of which buttons did which spins, but without a time limit that wasn’t cause for frustration. With no punishment as you work on the puzzle, it’s okay to take your time to familiarize yourself with what does what. Feel free to pick up everything you can find & give it a twirl!
Helpful Notes
Once you pick up an item, you can keep manipulating it and dropping it as much as you want. It’ll stay on the table when you go pick up something else. If you decide an object that you’d picked up isn’t meeting your needs, you can drop it to the ground. The game will immediately place it back where it had been stored in the room. No need to worry about cleaning up your own mess! It’s so fun to look around the room for objects instead of them being displayed in a plain inventory menu.
Final Thoughts
If I have a complaint about the Projected Dreams demo, it’s only that it might be too easy. I’d like to see the later levels add more complexity. Not everything needs to be a challenge, though! Even if it’s simple, this game will be relaxing and beautiful. It has my curiosity, and I hope we’ll all get to see the full game soon! Keep an eye out for it.
You can find the Projected Dreams Steam page here if you want to Wishlist it.
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