Dreamscapes: The Sandman Review

Developer: G5 Entertainment
Price: $6.99 (to unlock full game)
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPad 2

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The story revolves around Laura, a woman who has been plagued by awful nightmares of The Sandman since she was a child. A magic dreamcatcher has kept her safe during that time, but with the dreamcatcher shattered, things don't go very well at all. It's down to the player, aided by Professor Sanders, to collect up the pieces as well as save Laura from some very unpleasant fates.

For instance, early on in the game, the player must rescue Laura from being buried alive in a graveyard. Something that must be many people's worst nightmare! Split between the real world and the nightmare world, many of the landscapes within Dreamscapes: The Sandman are pretty sinister. Nothing is quite what it seems, offering up some great visual flourishes. Most noticeable is how areas improve once cleansed of the nightmarish vision, giving reason to look around a little closer.

Dreamscapes: The Sandman is a little on the easy side, mostly requiring players to combine objects that frequently make logical sense, before partaking in puzzles. These puzzles tend to involve manipulating objects or cracking simple codes, proving no great challenge for the experienced adventure gamer. That contributes to the 3 or so hour length of the game, although the potential for collecting the 109 insect collectibles, gives some reason to search thoroughly.

Dreamscapes: The Sandman might not be the hardest of titles, but it's a pretty fun ride. Dispensing with the Hidden Object genre, frequently favored by games of this ilk, is a refreshing change, and I enjoyed being so wrapped up in the storyline.