Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreams

Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreams
N/A
Metacritic
96
Steam
84.24
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$9.99
Release date
29 October 2021
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
96 (415 votes)
Recent
92 (13 votes)

Meet colorful characters, discover mysterious secrets, and reassemble the fractured remains of an ethereal crystal as you explore a series of abstract worlds based on dreams, nightmares, and the places in between.

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Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreams system requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 Version 18362.0 or higher
  • Processor: AMD Athlon X4 | Intel Core i5 4460
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 950 | AMD R7 370
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 500 MB available space
Updated
App type
Steam APP ID
1665500
Platforms
Windows PC
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Saehri
Saehri

A fantastical adventure with drops of reality, words of wisdom and horror. I fun blend with some spooks, I truly enjoyed my time with it.

My biggest setback: The platforming. There's a section where there is a chunk of platforming required to progress, and it wasn't the smoothest of experiences for me. First-person platforming is already kind of middling in the game, and that section was torture. The scene that followed it *almost* made up for that awful section, but it still left a bitter taste in my mouth.

There was even a small bit of platforming in the spooky section that just pulled me out of the atmosphere and whatever spooks I was supposed to get just.. passed by me due to frustration.

My sincere hope is that I was just a terrible gamer and that others won't find the same trouble as I did. Either way, the overall experience was good, and I'd still recommend it. :)

EPIC_G4MYR_ESPORTSSTAR
EPIC_G4MYR_ESP…

What an amazing game. Hypnagogia is the passion project of developer, director, artist, and visionary, Sodaraptor. The controls may be a little loose at times, and the graphics will take some getting used to, but at its core, Hypnagogia is a charming, unique, and wondrous delve into the surreal world of dreams. Catchy music, likable characters, intelligent dialogue, and some of the most imaginative environment design I have ever seen in a game yet. It will grip you from the moment you enter the serene crystal chasms of the beginning, to its emotional end. Not to mention the impressive range the game shows by including some genuinely terrifying horror levels in between.

9/10. Hypnagogia now has a permanent place in my heart. I only wish that the creator will consider adding some more player contribution to felling the "final boss".

Sodaraptor, if you're reading this, hit me up. I'd love to talk to you.

Duck
Duck

What started as an homage to various genres and popular video game franchises, quickly evolved (or devolved) into an unsettling dive into horror and madness. Nods to Zelda, Mario 64, and other blocky action platformers from the fifth and early sixth console generations are all here...and then into Silent Hill inspirations. Each world felt interesting and unique. There were some segments that were difficult to complete due to unclear instructions or unnecessary backtracking. However, this is the perfect weird grab bag of obscure games I am here for.

drinkrust
drinkrust

beautiful game with beautiful art and a confident design philosophy. some of the dreams feel a bit too realized but the longer you play, the more hazy they feel. the secret levels are also cool!

Honeybee Sorceress
Honeybee Sorceress

A fun little game. The story is pretty good, however I much more enjoyed the interactions held with the characters. Many of the worlds and characters are bright and colorful with some tear jerking moments along the way. A short, sweet game.

This game is great if you're looking for
A laid back experience without combat or difficulty.
Game play more focused on exploration and puzzle solving.
A game with a good soundtrack.
Something more on the short side
Scenarios that are lighthearted, sad, and creepy. There are a some horror elements in some parts of the game.

CosmicRefrigerator
CosmicRefrigerator

very good very good. some parts of this game is messed up and then there are the moments where you realize how pretty this game can be.

Jerry Temporary
Jerry Temporary

I bought this game because there was a Vinesauce reference in it and I ended up enjoying every minute of it

Jxrdan
Jxrdan

fun and immersive game. loved all the worlds although some are short.

make sure to find the secrets in the game!

Count
Count

Cool dream game with some cool dream music.

Gnes
Gnes

Totally succeeds at everything it sets out to do, which as far as I can tell is "get you immersed"

DerangedButler
DerangedButler

It is difficult to put into words how incredible I find this game to be. It is certainly a profound work of art. I hate to sound perhaps melodramatic, however it is true when I say that no other video game has caused me to be so emotional. It is a transcendental work of visual poetry. The only analogue I could compare it to would be The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath by H.P Lovecraft, as far as how it affected me is concerned. Great experience, I would highly recommend buying it not just to give it a try yourself, but also to support the developers behind it.

POKIMANE FOOT
POKIMANE FOOT

PSX style game with silent hill references, sick.

Cryo
Cryo

geez i dont even know where to begin but you have to experience this game for yourself. for ten dollars this is an amazing and wonderful time. i streamed it to my friends and god damn was it fun. this is well worth the price tag and i can only hope that sodaraptor makes something like this again. Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreams, is a 10/10 game to me, i loved every second of it.

Zombie
Zombie

This is definitely in my top 10 favorite games.
I love everything about this, the dialogue, the music, the graphics. The art direction in this game is so good, every level has so much to look at and it's so easy to just sit down and stare at a specific piece of scenery while just vibing to the music.
My ONLY complaint is that I can't buy the soundtrack here.

TheRogueWeeaboo
TheRogueWeeaboo

Very good game with many interesting characters, secrets, references, environments, and a very atmospheric soundtrack (very much enjoyed the music) and also dives deeps into the act of hypnagogia. Would highly recommend if you don't know what to play or are in the mood for just a very enjoyable game that lets you get lost in some of the worlds (trying not to spoil anything). The first game is also very enjoyable and can be found using this link https://sodaraptor.itch.io/hypnagogia
I would also highly recommend playing it first, but you do you.

Squimps
Squimps

Very good and fun, i have bats in my car that bite me, 19/8

pinyaps
pinyaps

If you're feeling down or just want something relaxing to go through and play, I recommend playing this one.

While I don't have nostalgia for the PS1, It does a lot of things well and I'd be spoiling the fun if I mentioned what it does well.

Shan
Shan

This game is a truly wonderful experience. I had heard whims of this game for a while now. Occasionally seeing it pop up on steam, and occasionally seeing that a youtuber or streamer I would watch had played it. But for whatever reason I didn't watch anything about this game. I just randomly decided to buy it and dived head first into it blindly, and oh my goodness am I glad I did.
There are moments and atmospheres in certain levels of this game that I don't think have been replicated or produced by any other media I've interacted with. There are some parts that I could tell what was going to happen before it did, but even those were a great time. I thoroughly loved this game and can't wait for more from it's developer sodaraptor.

Big Money KK
Big Money KK

Pretty nice game but a little too much reading i dont like reading but is funny so it makes up for it

Nicknacklemore
Nicknacklemore

There's not much to say, the game is a short and neat little walking simulator. Without spoiling anything, the ending is a bit underwhelming. The journey is definitely what you want to focus on.

Sonnentiger
Sonnentiger

Very charming game that reminds me of Yume Nikki in some way, but has its own flavour.

I love the 90s inspired graphics.

It just feels cozy.

TheGodHimself
TheGodHimself

In this game you can flirt with a door and then marry her. 10/10

dactyl
dactyl

Fantastic game from start to finish. A beautiful atmosphere, a great soundtrack, and some of the best art design in any game I've played. There's enough interactivity to keep the player engaged, but the main focus is on simply obseving and interacting with the world around you, so don't go into this expecting anything resembling a challenge. Secret hunting is fun, and the secrets themselves are always worth it. The only real problem the game has right now is that going back to get any secrets you missed requires starting a new game. SodaRaptor has said that they plan to add in a level select feature in a future update, so even that complaint may be short lived.

Ultimately,
A solid 9/10

P.S.
This game is actually a sequel. You don't have to play the first game to understand this one, but it is a very good game, and you should check it out on SodaRaptor's itch.io page.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Joker341 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Jo…

Just finished it and I have to give it a boost on Steam! If you're as much of a fan as I am of the PS1 aesthetic, then this is immediately a must play. It does the aesthetic properly, even though it still looks a bit "too good" for PS1 in certain locations, but that's certainly not a flaw. Adding to that the gorgeous soundtrack which compliments the weird and trippy dream environments and you got yourself a wonderful experience whose tonal shift in the second half took me completely by surprise and provided a necessary breath of fresh air. It's not a demanding game in terms of puzzles or platforming, but it has just enough of everything so I wouldn't classify it under the "walking simulator" stigma (even though I'm a fan of such games, I know it's not something everyone likes). As for the length of it, I was honestly expecting a shorter game than I got! With the length of just over 4 hours (granted, I missed some hidden levels), it doesn't overstay its welcome, nor is it too short or underdeveloped. Once the achievements are added and the game is updated even more, I will be replaying it. Speaking of which, the developer has so far been cranking out updates every week or so and is responsive on the forums, so that's always nice to see with new titles. Highly recommended! Hope there's more to come! : )

Toasty
Toasty

PS1-styled walking simulator where you explore dreams

Similar to LSD Dream Emulator but less crusty and less weird

Cone
Cone

A stellar game with spectacular environments to explore and a beautiful visual style.

Luddeagle
Luddeagle

Other than initial player camera issues, this was a radical trip.

He's not here
He's not here

Played it twice and have to say: Love the visuals, the sweet 90s console nostalgia and all dream worlds, its like a blend of various games like Silent Hill, NiGHTS into Dreams, and Spyro the Dragon.

A fantastic little experience that deserves a third game! "Hypngogia: Mimic Strikes Back" sound good? Hey, I can dream can't I?

wonsoongi
wonsoongi

i have nightmare disorder and the way some dreams went really reminded me of my own dreams transforming into bad ones. the game truly feels like dreams but it is also straightforward enough so you could expect a great story and pretty smooth gameplay as well as stunning visuals. definitely worth buying just to see the beauty of the game, but you might end up finishing it in one sitting!

Johnzo
Johnzo

I liked the vibes (even the bad ones)

Themme Fatale
Themme Fatale

This game was a wonderfully surreal experience, and I personally think it sets out to do what it intends to very well. The strange and charming environments can evoke feelings of safety, calm, dread, or discomfort. Every dream is filled with characters and abstract scenery that give them so much personality. The penultimate dream and the dream sequence that followed it had some fairly hard hitting dialogue that got me right in the feels, and just gave a wonderful payoff to the trials and tribulations I had gone through in each dream.
If surreal and occasionally unsettling games are something you enjoy, this might be just what you're looking for.

[Razgriz 1] Jack The Ripper
[Razgriz 1] Ja…

Fantastic experience that captured the feeling of PS1 games perfectly. Lots of humor, horror, and charm.

Alice-37
Alice-37

I still have the first demo that I really enjoyed and after all that time I was really happy to see this game on steam.
a beautiful game.

eeliza☭
eeliza☭

beautifully rendered, colorful adventure game with a standout soundtrack and a few very touching moments. love!

meemaw
meemaw

Possibly one of the most beautiful games i have ever played. Do not hesitate on buying this

perfectly hinged
perfectly hinged

very charming lil adventure

still receiving free content updates!

salem
salem

some dreams are beautiful, some dreams are horrifying, and some dreams are just flat-out bewildering.

this game manages to nab the essence of all three of those things and craft it into an absolutely beautiful experience.

TommyGun
TommyGun

enjoyed the overall experience, if you have no idea what to make of this: this game was originally heavily inspired by LSD Dream Emulator, except it was fleshed out as a game, has a coherent story and mini-stories per level, oh yeah the soundtrack is bumpin'
some of the worlds give off a legitimate 'dream feel' if that makes any sense, horror elements are also very well pulled off which is a huge bonus

you can check out the game's demo or the first game as this is actually a sequel to the original Hypnagogia which is free

8/10

FunGhost23
FunGhost23

If you have a love for exploration this is the game for you.

I had an absolute blast delving into every nook and cranny of each dream. The worlds are all super unique and fun to explore, and have some really nice secrets and hidden levels tucked away. The PS1 visuals are lovely, the characters are interesting and often humorous, and I really adored the music/sound design (especially in the horror levels).

If you like to play video games just to enjoy different environments and worlds, this is for sure a must buy.

SaltyTrouble
SaltyTrouble

Very fun to explore and love the vinesauce references, didn't see any bugs what so ever, very polished game! 10/10 lmao

Tha Dank Knight
Tha Dank Knight

Definitely recaptures some of the virtual magic from games during the late 90s/early 2000s, easily the golden era of video games IMHO.

The Prettiest Boy™
The Prettiest Boy™

This is a seriously amazing game with loads of replayability. I don't think I could do it justice by writing about it but I wouldn't call Hypnagogia "surreal" but rather "liminal" wherein all of the worlds you visit make sense but something about them feels dreamy and odd, while the tone of the game at the begining is similar to the Kirby franchise where it's weird but still endearing and adorable; the tone at the end is widely different- again, you got to try it for yourself to know. I reccomend this game greatly, it's a little short but all the secrets it has stretch it out by miles. And the secrets are very much worth it, some even give you entire new levels!

Neonetik
Neonetik

I've got a soft spot for PlayStation era titles, what with their low resolution chunky look, and lack of visual effects that clutter the screen with crappy filters and muted colors, along with the high contrast making colors really *pop* from the screen, so Hypnagogia was an easy buy for me, and I can safely say that it delivers, and it delivers hard.

From the very first moment of launching the game, you realize that you are in for something that has been made with genuine, honest to god passion for a very specific style of PS1 era type game, or rather, a style that feels more akin to the nostalgia we feel for days long past for those earlier consoles and titles, rather than the gameplay itself. For what it's worth, this nostalgia is captured incredibly well, and if that's enough for you, then this'll do you well.

There have been some comparisons made between this game to LSD: Dream Emulator. I can't say I don't get it, being a game with strong colors and PS1 era visuals, along with an apparent focus on exploration, but in reality, they are vastly different games, and if you plan on going into this with the same expectation, you're not going to get it. Hypnagogia is a much more concrete style of game. There's a clear story and clear progression of events, and a clear set of levels to follow. That's not to say exploration is completely non-existent, but I'd feel it'd be incorrect to say it's some huge factor of what is, at it's core, a linear, partially platforming focused experience. That being said, there is an exceptional chunk of hidden optional content, though these extra levels are also linear experiences at their core, somewhat like the hidden worlds in Mario games. Gotta say though, sodaraptor (the dev) must have some pretty big cojones to hide away as much as he did. Honestly I'd say it's a bit too much, as these are great areas of the game being hidden away in ways that the average player would never discover in a playthrough. The game does tell you these exist, but how well some of these are hidden (some being only unlockable AFTER getting to the very end of a normal level, and still easy to miss), feels like a bit much for me. These are areas which add a fair chunk of playtime to the overall length of the game. We're talking Dark Souls Ash Lake/Painted World levels of hiding away areas here. Areas which clearly had a boatload of effort put into em.

That's an important word here. Effort. This isn't some slapdash unity asset flip with a minor visual filter. This is a game that's been handcrafted by someone taking their time, and you can feel it. Going through some of the environments is a true joy, and just when you think you're about to get tired of something, the game pulls a trick, and changes everything within a world seamlessly, without you ever even seeing the strings being pulled. This is used to great effect within Hynagogia, especially when it comes to the (minor spoiler) horror focused areas of the game, as the world twists and morphs around you, into something nearly unrecognizable to what it was before. Horror can be difficult to do well, but my god, did sodaraptor know what he was doing here.

This game took me a bit under 6 hours to almost fully complete. This included me beating the game, and then going back to find several of the secret areas and worlds (with some help from online sources, admittedly). For the price, and considering the quality of each of the levels, this game is more than worth it. Each environment is relatively low on filler content, though obvious backtracking is required at some points in the game. Thankfully, what backtracking there is, is fairly minor, and is often used to highlight changes in the environment in some form. Not always, but usually.

The music of the game fits the theme and tone of each level about as well as you could hope. Again, clear effort was made, and it certainly helps immerse you into the experience. Visuals are gorgeous in terms of art direction, if not graphical fidelity (it's a PS1 inspired game, what the hell were you expecting?), and at some points, the effects used are damn near jaw-dropping (the water in the mist world blew my mind, especially).

They say variety is the spice of life, which this game embodies quite well. Every environment looks different from the other, and there's almost never a dull moment in the game. Almost every new level will have a surprising twist to the gameplay, either becoming a space level with no gravity, or a deep sea level, or a desert level where you run around on an chocobo style bird, there's a lot of cool stuff that you end up doing through a run through.

I can't say replayability is high, as once you've done everything... you've done everything. Repeat playthroughs of levels don't really change up all that much (which I had to do at some points to get to a few secret worlds I missed, bit of a chore to go through everything again just to reach a secret, but that's a very minor flaw all things considered here), so if you're looking for something to invest hundreds of hours into, look elsewhere, but if you're looking for a one and done game that puts its all into that one playthrough, you won't find much better than hypnagogia.

Hypnagogia is a game that keeps you interested, and keeps you going through the use of fun events, cute creatures, adorable interactions, a dive into horror as everything around you crumbles to dust and makes Silent Hill cry with pride for what it has inspired , beautiful environments, and fun. What little negatives I have to say about Hypnagogia are so vastly overshadowed by its positive qualities, and if you're the kind of person who's looking at the screenshots and reading the description for the game and thinking "this looks like something I'd be into!", I can very much assure you, it is.

It kind of saddens me that the game hasn't gotten all that much attention as of yet, with less than 100 reviews after a month of being on steam. I feel it deserves far more attention than what it's gotten so far. That said, titles like these are niche, and are made for a niche audience, and not the AAA crowd that care more for ray tracing than they do a truly beautiful work of art, so I suppose I can't be too surprised. I hope the developer understands just how good his work is, and that it is very, very much loved by those who have the joy of experiencing it.

Thank you sodaraptor, you've made something special. I look forward to your next project, whatever and whenever it may be.

Want to keep updated on games I recommend? I'm a curator! Follow me here!

https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Neonetik/curation

gnarlhoggr
gnarlhoggr

Really enjoyable little experience that absolutely deserves more attention. Joins the ranks of the best walking-sim-LSD-Dream-Emulator-exploration games, along with Tales from Off-Peak City and Broken Reality. I feel in love with these extremely niche types of games when I first played The Norwood Suite, and I think it's a genre that holds a lot of potential. Hypnagogia, similar to these other games I've mentioned, strips down the concept of exploring a game world to its most basic concepts, simplifying gameplay to running, jumping, and pressing E, which enables the atmosphere of the environments to shine even brighter. This is a game about immersion and surreal experiences, with some nice musings on the nature of life mixed in. The music and visuals are spot on, though I struggle to remember any specific music tracks besides the one from the last tower level.

I would recommend this game to anyone who doesn't mind a shorter experience that focuses on immersing the player in thickly atmospheric environments at the cost of extremely rudimentary gameplay. If you enjoy any of the games I mentioned before such as Broken Reality, you will certainly get something from Hypnagogia, and vice versa.

That said, I want to give some feedback to the developer since I had seen a playthrough of his previous game (a free game also called Hypnagogia) going in to this one, and I've played many other games with a similar goal and tone. I think this series has a lot of potential, and while I do understand how gameplay taking a backseat makes the game accessible and allows the player to focus on the environment, I do think the gameplay itself needs a few more advancements- it seemed like the developer wanted to take it further in some parts with the bird you can ride and similar moments, but it never really had the variety it needed to stay interesting. The game needed some more mobility options to let you move around in interesting ways, like the Hyperlink or Bookmark in Broken Reality. Games like Tales from Off Peak City maintain interest through strong writing and a variety of gameplay options that encourage creativity, like making your own pizzas for different dialogue and taking photos with the camera. Hypnagogia, on the other hand, feels a little bland in these areas- the level design never tested my skills, understanding, memory, or problem solving in any way, but also never gave me any opportunities to be particularly creative. For some players that may be fine but I think more complex puzzles and areas would really help draw players into the experience (and lengthen the game, which it would definitely benefit from). Finally, I think the story was just ok- cutscenes never had much going on and often felt dragged out. Characters would speak, but it would just be text on the screen- I think something similar to games like Banjo Kazooie or Undertale where each character has distinct voice blips would really have benefited the game. To summarize, this is a really good core game, with some beautiful and atmospheric worlds- I just think it needed a final push in both character writing and gameplay to make it something truly special.

Anyway, don't mind me too much, I tend to hone in on specific parts of games I think could be improved regardless of the quality of the game, and again, I think this is a game well worth your time. Don't let my nitpicking in the last paragraph convince you that i think this game isn't absolutely worth the price of admission.

fustigator
fustigator

I played the first hypnagogia during an itch.io LSD jam in 2020, so thats what brought me to this sequel now. I will say this game is excellent, and nails what its suppose to be. It is an interactive dream diary experience/horror game; everything is super well put together in regard to: performance (it runs without issue), graphics (distinct ps1 era style), and the pacing (story and even secrets fit together seamlessly).

AuroraWoods
AuroraWoods

An amazing experience! game play was very calming and the story kept me so hooked I couldn't stop playing!

Public Enemy
Public Enemy

i flirted with a door and i liked it. 11/10

切腹君
切腹君

Found this little gem thanks to Steam's Interactive Recommender. It's a funny, thought-provoking, shiver-inducing game capable of conveying emotions beyond words. Beautifully done in all aspects, the PS1 visual and sound aesthetics are very nostalgic, the controls are smooth and responsive. Without spoiling anything, I'd say there's much to surprise in a variety of ways, so definitely worth checking out. Playing through it has been a great experience. Thank you, Sodaraptor!

Nova
Nova

There aren't a lot of games that leave me wanting more by the time I've finished playing them... but this one certainly does the trick. It's a trippy little 3D first person platformer that takes inspiration from lots of things (there's obviously elements of LSD Dream Emulator, but also sort of reminds me of Jumping Flash! along with other things I feel might be too spoilery so I'll refrain!) yet still creates it's own blend of unique story, characters, and worlds. The music is also very funky and relaxing. Give the demo a try, and if you like that, you'll more than likely enjoy the full game as well!

Matt Zion
Matt Zion

I love this game. It's such a nice throwback to the PS1 era. Relaxing and visually interesting. My fav was the snow level. Great stuff.

Clockwork Terminator
Clockwork Terminator

Mix platforming, late 90s 3D game aesthetic, and a dash of Silent Hill vibes and you get this game.

Pink Shades
Pink Shades

Chill, comfy, nostalgic. It's mechanically not much more than a zero-stakes platformer with some back tracking, but for people already intrigued by just looking at its store page, you'd probably not be here for more than that anyway. Easily worth the price for at least a single play through, and there's even a nice hub-world that makes replaying for secrets and full completion a breeze.

picklepuffle
picklepuffle

i got this game on sale after i saw someone on twitter recommend it, and then went to play the first one- i've only just started this one, finished the first dream, but my god, sodaraptor, you've outdone yourself!

everything thus far is an AMAZING improvement from the first one- not that there was anything wrong with the first one, it was amazing, but this one is just even more so.

would absolutely recommend! very good game!

Amaal
Amaal

Hypnagogia: Boundless Dreams is an experience which I can wholeheartedly recommend to any person interested in unique surrealist art. The aesthetic of it all provides for a memorable yet pleasurable experience, one which invests the player into this dream-like world. It is what LSD dream simulator wishes it could be; hypnotic and exciting, and rightfully so. Where this outshines other games is how expertly crafted the dialogue can be. From wholesome moments to moments of deep reflection where I found myself pondering my own existence and decisions, it conveys a story so expertly crafted its almost unfathomable to believe it belongs to an indie game. There is no skill involved really, yet it isn't much of a walking-simulator either. I am happy to see that these types of games are popping up more frequently and getting more coverage online, as they truly deserve it. As for this game, its an amazing experience which I yet again cannot recommend enough; you probably haven't experienced much like it. Do NOT spoil it for yourself, just pick it up and prepare for an enjoyable and immersive experience. Support more games like these!

Plus, I was seduced by a door.
Need I say more?

Incantazium
Incantazium

Don't sleep on this game (no pun intended) Hypnagogia: Boundless Dreams is not only a game, it's an experience, from the old school psone era aesthetics to the vivid colors, it all feels like a fever dream where you're constantly jump between imaginative worlds, some are beautiful, others bizarre to downright nightmare fuel. This game has heart. It's great ride, from start to finish. I want to send out hugs to the developers who made created such a gem, in time it will truly shine

Aggressive Goat
Aggressive Goat

It's a walking simulator but it's one of the good ones. It has nice music to walk around to, and captures a style of aesthetic that I wish was implemented more often in lieu of the 'quirky indie retro gaming graphics that manage to be worse than the style it's imitating.'

everything about this game's environments screams deliberate and thought upon passion. my only regret is knowing that we likely won't receive a third installment to this series for a long time...

Elsie Esuna
Elsie Esuna

An absolutely stunning piece of art, from it's 90's era low poly visuals to the amazing soundtrack, used to create a perfect atmosphere for every situation. The game keeps you in a state of awe and wonder, never knowing what to expect next. Definitely going to be added to my top games and will always receive a glowing review from myself. Can't wait to see more from sodaraptor.

Squid
Squid

I had a lot of fun playing this. Beautiful game.

It does a great job of capturing the surreal nature of dreams, and the music is great.

Despite being retro, I did have some frame-rate issues, though.

Peas
Peas

I only have about an hour in this game, but I've loved every second of it. Fun dialogue, interesting worlds, great music.

Penis Parker
Penis Parker

One of the most creative walking sims I've played in recent memory. Beautiful immersive world with amazing story and characters.

Orange
Orange

Hypnagogia BD is amazing both as a surreal and as an exploration game. It is enjoyable to play and not constrained by technical problems (unlike LSD DE), has cool trippy dialogue, a befitting visual style, and worlds interesting enough to warrant scouring through them. It perfectly captures the experience of dreaming as best the video game medium possibly can, from the good dreams to the nightmares, which is a big W because that's the whole premise! There is a rather bare bones plot tying it all together, a feature that demonstrates a commitment by the dev to both learning from LSD DE's example by taking its strengths on board as well as adding to it to create a new standard for surreal exploration games for the 2020s. Only two complaints stand out: the movement can at times feel slippery, and I found myself falling down holes way more I should've (yes I suck at games but I'm not that bad, sometimes it felt like walking in an ice rink!), and there were too many levels hidden behind secret entrances, which isn't a big deal, but it does mean that a casual player may miss almost all but a few of them in casual play, although finding these secrets is usually a fairly straightforward process if you know where to look, so it's not like you're going to be spending hours backtracking to find them again. Ultimately, this game is amazing and I would love to see more like it, I would heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoys exploration games!

EDIT: The dev has actually promised more free content in future, which is cool! I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone interested in this genre to buy this game and support them.

9/10.

i am going to blow up ohio
i am going to …

That one other guy's review said he flirted with the door. I got rejected. Still 11/10

Gmr Leon
Gmr Leon

Absolutely phenomenal game, exquisite PSX-esque art direction, and slight details throughout make this game a pleasure to play. Most of all, there simply aren't many games like it out there, helping it stand out from the crowd.

Sure, there's other games with PSX-esque art styles with some horror leanings, but many of those are either action-heavy shooters or survival horror. Hypnagogia sets itself apart by being more of a platformer, but it's not, say, twisted/dark mascot platformer as some games go...It's entirely itself, to the point that you briefly switch characters in the game.

I highly, highly encourage anyone that reads this to get the game if you like light platformers & you like this game's art style, it's a truly unique experience with sights you're unlikely to forget!

hexateron
hexateron

a cool game to play at 1 o'clock in the morning.

silverspray
silverspray

Great game with a really sweet story that can make almost anyone feel better. Quite a few achievements to get, with most being hidden too!

In terms of overall feeling, I'd strongly be recommending this game to fans of PS1-era titles such as Kula World and Croc 1+2.

If you're looking to re-live that feeling of inserting a Playstation Magazine demo disc and truly losing yourself for a few hours, this is the game for you.

apothecarrie
apothecarrie

everyone wants to be osamu sato but literally no one else but sato himself can do an LSD or Eastern Mind. this is quite cute when it decides to be the most laid back 3D platformer in some time but the horror elements are literally all referential. yeah ive played silent hill and resident evil, what else have you got? the front half is too strictly linear/logical/coherent for a dreamscape, and the back end is really frustratingly without original ideas. a greatest hits of games to make you soyface. idk. its very impressive visually and if that's enough for you give it a shot but i found myself *really* disenchanted by hour 2 to the point it actively undid my good will towards it.

Natey
Natey

This game absolutely oozes with charm. Please keep developing Sodaraptor. This might be one of my favorite indie game experiences ever. This is gonna stick with me for a very very long time.

bittersweett
bittersweett

im so deeply upset by this game

BoxWithAHat
BoxWithAHat

This game was absolutely incredible. Played in one go from start to finish, and loved every minute of it.

mmm bug
mmm bug

you can pet dogs and flirt with doors.

CheshireCatMoonSmile
CheshireCatMoonSmile

One of my top favorite games! Very colorful and fun to play. I like the puzzles and the characters. Great replay too so many secrets.

slimfim
slimfim

Hypnagogia Boundless Dreams is one of those games that's impossible to forget. each character, NPC, dream, everything is so memorable. not to mention the aesthetic. the PSX aesthetic of it all makes it so much better. the entire personality of this game is so different and I absolutely love it. 10/10, would recommend to anyone.

UnholyRazzberry
UnholyRazzberry

Short and sweet with good art direction. I still have 26 achievements to unlock so it might take more than one playthrough.

SausageMahoney
SausageMahoney

Game costs $10 and I have 4 hours into it, but I still have 24 hidden achievements. On top of that, new update just dropped with a brand new world, and if remembering correctly, dev said it comes with 5 new achievements. I played the demo months ago and decided I absolutely wanted this game. There is platforming in this game, which I know some people might not like, but if you're okay with minor platforming I'd recommend giving it a shot. There is no combat. At most, might require some quick reaction time, but even then I can't think of any specific examples. If you're unsure about $10 price tag, then at least get it on sale. Also, if you have any questions, make a thread in the discussions and the dev himself will respond! It's nice to see a dev actively involved with discussions.

Lionie
Lionie

Man, I can't believe this game is so unknown because it's great. The horror elements of the second half kind of caught me off guard but I really enjoyed the whole thing nonetheless. I seriously recommend this one if you like adventure games, the gameplay and atmosphere are perfect, plus a great story. There's way more to this game than meets the eye as well.

Kayrox
Kayrox

An amazing experience, if you don't mind a walking simulator with some platforming, this game is a surreal trip

Kyle Satwon
Kyle Satwon

This game was really, really good. It was very atmospheric and I genuinely love the artstyle it's going for. Not only that but the uplifting dialogue near the end, as well as throughout the game in general, was very nice. It was one of the more uplifting games I've played, I think. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a nice game with good vibes and atmosphere.

The only thing I don't like too much is the hud, where the player character is displayed on the bottom right corner. It's easy to turn off, of course, but unfortunately the option always resets in each new area. It's never really that big of a deal, however. I'm personally not a fan but it didn't really ruin the game for me. At worst, it just sorta ruined the immersion a little bit.

I rate this game a 9.5/10. Why only 9.5? Idk I kinda wish it was longer lol I really liked what I played! Very wholesome and uplifting game, it made me feel really good playing it.

Dominus Gabe
Dominus Gabe

About the guys talking about flirting with a door. I will proudly say, I did not got rejected, she is a little shy but we are starting to think if I should move in with her. Hope we get far in the relation. Stay strong kings, you'll find a lovely door too eventually!

So, about getting far with her. We married! I'm the happiest man alive right now, I can't believe I managed to get such a lovely wife. We started to build a warden some time soon after marrying. :)

Fiend
Fiend

this game is awesome. i enjoyed it so much that i decided to buy it on steam even though i already had it as part of the itch.io bundle for ukraine. check this out if you like chill(/spooky) walking simulator type games, or actually, check it out even if you don't think you have any particular interest for that kind of game, cause i was part of that category and yet i loved it!

Mr. Goose
Mr. Goose

Amazing Dream Emulator inspired game. Absolute fever dream from start to finish. It was funny, it was strange, it was scary. It was great. Love it!

Crazycukes
Crazycukes

I decided to get this game because I have a soft spot for PS1 styled games, and this looked like it was really well done. Didn't bother doing any research or anything, because sometimes, it's better to go in completely blind.

GAMEPLAY:
The best way to describe the game is that it's a first-person platformer-puzzle game. Honestly, the gameplay is pretty simple, but there's nothing wrong with that. It was fun, despite being simple, and a rewarding experience too. It feels very intuitive to play; not necessarily the smoothest and butteriest by any means, but there wasn't a curve to trying to figure out how to play.
You spend most of the game solving puzzles by exploring the world you happen to be in, and that's about it... but I loved every second of it. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, it doesn't overwhelm you with mechanics that take loads of practice to understand, it doesn't do anything like that, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It delivers an understandable and accessible experience that I think a lot of people would enjoy, regardless of what kinds of games they normally play.
I should also mention that in exploring, you're likely to find a secret entrance to another world. It's an extremely rewarding feeling, like I haven't felt in a game since I was a kid. It was a lot of fun trying to search every nook and cranny of each world I was in, to see if there was an entrance to another place to explore. I'm certain that I missed a number of them, and that's okay, because it gives me a reason to go back and explore further.
I'd give the gameplay an 8/10, overall.

STORY:
As someone who really loves story driven games, I'd say that it's not the selling point for this game, if I'm being honest. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. As I mentioned before, it's a very accessible experience. It's not trying to do anything exceptional or mindblowing here. The story moves you, as the player, forward through the worlds of the game, until you've completed everything, and it all gets wrapped up pretty cleanly. It does start a little slow, and even when it does pick up the pace, it's a little slow-going, but I can't really give it grief for that.
The way it's told is very reminiscent of some the old PS1/ N64 era of games, wherein the story was more of a functional aspect of the game, rather than trying to say anything particularly profound. There are some characters you'll only see for a short time, and there are some you'll see throughout the game, but interestingly enough, the ones you see the most are the hardest ones to understand. In fact, most of the story is hard to understand. But of course, it's about dreams, and similarly to how dreams work, you'll walk away understanding how it all fits together, even if it doesn't make much sense in the immediate moment.
I'd rate the story a 7/10.

MUSIC:
I am a huge stickler for music in games. If I don't care about the music of a game, chances are that I won't care about the game either. Partly because music has to be... well, good, but also because a well-written song will connect you to a moment in the game, mentally, emotionally. I have played many games that may have been excellent in many regards, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about them because the music wasn't interesting to me in the least.
With that out of the way, the music for this game is fantastic. It's... weird. The music fits the scenes really well and connects to the moment or the world you're experiencing, but somehow differently than you'd normally expect. What I mean is that if I were only given the music to listen to, I wouldn't have pictured the worlds of the game for the most part, but when they're actually in the game, they fit very well. It always left me feeling a little bit uncomfortable and on edge while I played, and for the game itself, it's perfect.
It was also used very effectively. There are times when music should play, and there are times when it shouldn't play, or it should be more quiet or something to that effect. This game does that extremely well.
I'd rate the music 9.5/10.

ART:
I don't normally pay attention to art in games. It's not that I don't care, but if the style doesn't stand out to me, then I'm not going to... "notice" it. Most of the time art stands out to me in a game, it's not for a good reason. Normally, I just won't like the artstyle, or I will think something looks weird or even particularly underwhelming.
Not so with this game. It looks incredible. It does a great job of getting that sort of crunchy, grainy visual of the PS1 era while also maintaining a very distinct level of quality to the visual assets. I found myself mesmerized by each of the worlds, feeling fully immersed and exploring just for the sake of wanting to look at everything. Of course, some of that has to do with the secrets as well, but I really did enjoy the art of this game. I loved visiting a new place and having a sense of wonder about the world I was in... I haven't felt that in a pretty long time.
I would rate the art 10/10.

OVERALL:
This is a fantastic game that is definitely worth adding to your collection. You can complete it fairly quickly, but you're likely to miss some secrets, which means you have a reason to go back and play some more. Go in blind, it's more fun that way. I would also recommend playing in the dark, if possible. It really adds to the immersion, and additionally, it made some moments downright horrifying in the best way possible.

Yangstablook
Yangstablook

Adoored this game a lot

(ok but actually this is a fave game ive played this year. i loved everything from the nostalgic looking graphics to the calming ost and atmospheres and even in areas where things were more tense, i was so invested in the small bits and pieces of world building in each dream... really cool stuff!)

The Crystalgia Critic
The Crystalgia…

An enchanting dive into a Haunted PS1-stylee dream-world. Short but sweet, worth spending an evening on.

On top of the 8 worlds accessible in the story-mode, there are several secret worlds accessible through exploration of the main worlds. If you miss them the first time around, don't fret: a free-roam mode is unlocked at the end of the story, allowing you to go back and unearth the secret worlds at your leisure.

KittyGame
KittyGame

the school dream made me so scared I screamed so loud and punched a hole in the drywall out of fear

rftcpt
rftcpt

i just wanna see her again.....

thera made me feel things i've never felt before....

bring her back to me.....

10/10

TSian7
TSian7

Play this if you want to fall in love with a door.

alistaiire
alistaiire

oh my god where do i even start

this game is absolutely gorgeous in both design and story like HOLY DAMN. it nails the playstation aesthetic perfectly and id just find myself staring at some levels- especially the mist world. the story is so well-written and the puzzles throughout each world are very engaging and clever- id find myself stuck on some of them sometimes. as someone who played the original hypnagogia, im absolutely in love with this sequel.

Topaz
Topaz

Hypnagogia: Boundless Dreams is such a beautiful, surreal, awe inspiring and horrifying experience that words simply can't describe it. Absolutely a must play.

My only "complaint", and it's really only a minor issue, is that some music loops for as beautiful and ambient as they are, can be a bit too short. Some of the dreams for as long as you may spend there have such short loops that it can get a bit grating at times.

Thera My Beloved/10

Mistfell
Mistfell

a pretty short game, but it has plenty of secret areas which made my explorer brain happy. the PS1 aesthetic it's got going for it is also a really nice touch.

definitely worth giving it a shot if you like both of those things.

Tweet🍤
Tweet🍤

A magical experience, maybe even spiritual.

[Status Effect]
Playing this game gives a +100 happiness bonus permanently.

punkdogs
punkdogs

worth it if you love the PS1 visuals or eye candy in general, but the themes of surrealism and how dreams shift and change, how they'll meld the real world with fantasy in bizarre ways is what really strikes a chord with me personally. reminds me of the time i had a dream where every time i closed my eyes id find myself in a new locale

Eave
Eave

I love this game. I'd have paid more for it, honestly, though the length / pacing of worlds is certainly inconsistent. There seems to be a lot of content cut due to time constraints, and I can only hope that some is planned to be re-added in the future with updates.

The Vinesauce secret(s) and humor admittedly helped with my experience a bit.

Val
Val

It feels like a much more focused take on games like LSD: Dream Emulator or Yume Nikki. Interesting concept executed spectacularly.

tempurashrimp
tempurashrimp

so grateful to be able to peek into sodaraptor's beautiful soul through this game

PityPit
PityPit

Lovely exploration game with some striking environments, quite impressed with how varied this game's environments is. The music is also so nice I began looking for a place to buy the soundtrack, it's up on youtube for free listening so thats generous as heck. Highly recommend giving his game a go if you enjoy exploring atmospheric virtual spaces and nostalgia indulging

AlexeiKirillov
AlexeiKirillov

I love a good walking simulator

Raydude
Raydude

It's one big, smoochy love letter to PS1 gaming and the amount of passion put into this work is amazing.

By the third dream, I was so impressed with the game that I sat on the edge of a cliff for 10 minutes and stared at the horizon while sipping tea just because the dialogue box entertained the idea. I was thoroughly immersed and invested in the game - it was a very beautiful thing.

Thera / 10

TimbleThimble
TimbleThimble

Dreamlike Elegance Exploration Comfort Food

I think, overall the best way to describe Hypnagognia: Boundless Dreams is comfort food, it is an engaging and warming experience from start to finish. You leave it feeling satisfied with what you've just had, or in the case played and I would recommend it; if there wasn't just a few points to mention.

The game is very similar to another title I played recently: Broken Reality, however, this title feels a lot more consistent in the tone its' going for and I'd say successfully changes tone to horror well, when it wants to. The aforementionedhorror bits being engaging if not kinda predictable for games of this ilk.

Exploration is a blast, I loved exploring each world, taking in the sites, meeting many of the wacky characters and helping them out with their troubles. The game is a mix of walking sim and point and click hybrid but is generally linear, with little room for using different methods for solving problems outside of dialogue opportunities. The game also has a focus on platforming often and it's good, controls and game feel I think are as good as they can be and the game is forgiving during sections that could be tougher for some.

The story isn't anything super new or surprising but is enough of a motivator to push you through the journey, with charming character and outstanding visual and audio bliss to pull you through. The game clearly has a lot of love for a lot of things and I think that's demonstrated in the amount of secrets and references you can uncover, a lot of them owing to the fans with numerous hidden art galleries you can find, alongside owes to content creators' the creator of this game is a fan of.

Going back to Broken Reality comparison I think this game aims to achieve a lot less but ends up finishing feeling more impactful, (even if I personally still prefer the former title.) If you love exploration games and surreal visuals this is an easy recommend.

Puncher D
Puncher D

I generally live for the trippy relaxing dream world types of games, but whoever thought that janky, unpredictable, hair-pulling parkour was relaxing has leaned nothing from the 90s. Nobody has ever enjoyed this mechanic...at best we tolerated it. This game does not have interesting characters other than those that are somewhat cute, and it's mostly pretty childish and predictable in in terms of it's storyline, which mostly serves as a vehicle for the fetch/put this on that type puzzles. The main challenge is not strictly that you have to figure out what to do next, but numerous attempts at getting from one place to another by jumping on platforms that move or can crumble under you. Imagine a game that is just the most annoying parts of a typical 90s FPS. I wish I had returned this game, but decided to stick it out. Basically it gets worse as you go along. The visuals would be creative, but in my opinion the PS2 style, pixelated, polygon graphics don't do it any favours. There are much more artful games that don't subject you to these frustrating game rage aspects.