Journey through your dreams

hypnagogia is a free adventure video game wherein you must travel between dream realms to return to reality. Developed by sodaraptor, this 3D indie game was made for the “LSDJAM 2020” contest and revolves around deep dreams and the strangeness that our minds can conjure. Inspired by real dreams, take note that this game contains flashing lights and unsettling imagery—which the introduction helpfully cautions all players who would like to try the game out.

Makes the classic better

Made for the LSDJAM 2020—which celebrates the 22nd anniversary of the cult-classic PS1 game, LSD: Dream Emulator—hypnagogia is about exploring strange interactive 3D dream worlds. Your goal is to collect all 8 of the bright red gems in each dream world called “dream crystals.” The dream worlds vary in theme and puzzles, so it’s best to explore as much as you can and talk to every NPC available. Fortunately, you’re aided by a bunny named Gogi.

This game is all about nostalgia for the games of the first PlayStation console. With 3D low-poly but detailed and handcrafted graphics, each location truly feels alive and something that you may actually dream about. You’ll often see strange sights on your journeys, such as giant cats and underwater sea creatures. Eventually, the environments will turn surreal—and you may encounter some horror elements that will remind you that sleep paralysis demons and nightmares occur, too.

The entire game perfectly captures the look and feel of PS1 games. However, it has some major issues that can detract from all the fun. For one, your mouse or controller sensitivity won’t save between areas and will reset after every load. Another problem is that there’s actually no way to save your progress so you’ll have to finish it all in one sitting. Fortunately, the game isn’t too long and will usually take just an hour.

Worth playing in one go

All in all, hypnagogia is a wonderful indie game that really brings back the nostalgia for retro polygonal games. It’s a great rendition of what LSD: Dream Emulator could have been if it was polished some more. While it suffers from some issues with the game’s functions, it’s still an enjoyable experience for anyone who loves surreal world exploration in games. This is a highly recommended title from this particular game jam.