Dreams of Another | PS5 Review

November 8, 2025 Alyssa White

As soon as I saw the trailer for Q-Games’ Dreams of Another, I was intrigued. The notion of “no creation without destruction” was captivating to me. What was in store when I finally got my hands on it was outstanding and really made me ponder the themes and messages it was conveying. This feels wholly original and is refreshing to play and cleanse your gaming palate. You can really feel the love poured into this title.

I Can See Clearly Now, the Orbs Are Gone

You start off your journey as the Wandering Soldier. He’s in a combat situation but he finds he just can’t make himself pull the trigger of his gun, even in the face of danger. After he’s captured by the enemy, we jump to the Man in Pajamas. He’s sleeping soundly in his bed, but his dreams are bright and vivid. He finds himself in a dreamscape covered in orbs. How to clear these circular obstacles? Shoot them with a machine gun.

Your gun doesn’t cause any sort of damage at all. Its sole purpose is to open up the world and bring life forth. This was really refreshing and oddly relaxing. Shooting the world around me to uncover the people, buildings, and pathways waiting for me had me transfixed. You discover characters such as a clown at an amusement park, fish in an aquarium, and the Wandering Soldier by clearing the way forward. Wait, why is the soldier in a stranger’s dreams?! He provides ammo refills and new weapons when you give him items you discover along the way, but what is his purpose in the grand scheme of things? It’s a wonderful mystery to unfold.

Real Life or Fantasy?

Dreams of Another is a relatively short experience, clocking in at about five hours long. It leaves a lasting impression, though. I’m still thinking about it days after finishing it. This is a stress free game that doesn’t rush you; heck, it encourages you to take your time and soak everything in. It doesn’t provide you clear-cut answers to all of its questions that it brings forth, but I found this rewarding.

In terms of its gameplay, it plays like a typical third-person shooter. The camera sits on the Man in Pajamas shoulder when you’re aiming, and shooting feels smooth. Even though you gain other weapons such as grenades, I only ever used my gun. It just felt too good to switch to anything else. I’m sure the others feel as great to utilize as the machine gun does.

Bursting Your Bubble

The visuals are stunning in a unique way. The graphical style reminds me of the halcyon days of the PS3/360, and it was pleasing to look at each area and item. Everything is pixelated, but shooting the orbs brings some clarity to the way environments and characters look. The score is also relaxing to listen to.

I do have a couple of niggles, though. First, the game is pretty repetitive. You’ll see the same environments over and over again, inhabited with the same people. You’re also kicked out to the start screen intentionally too many times to count. It serves a narrative purpose, but it did become tiring after a few times. The biggest issue I had, though, was the voice acting. I hate to throw criticism at this aspect, but every character’s voice was devoid of any emotion and came across as monotone. I don’t know if this was meant to convey a message, but it made the wonderful adventure feel a little cold at times.

The Final Verdict

Dreams of Another is a game that sticks with you. Its intriguing story, themes, and messages provoke thought. The graphics and score are top-notch, and the short length makes sure this title doesn’t overstay its welcome. I just wish it was a little less repetitive and that there had been more emotions conveyed in the voice acting. It would have added another layer to this gem.

To hear me talk more about Dreams of Another, be sure to listen to the October 22nd, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:10:09 timestamp.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Dreams of Another provided by PressEngine for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation VR2 and PC via Steam.