As I Began to Dream

[b]First of all, I [i]need[/i] a Flippy plushie.[/b] [b]Second, I [i]require[/i] a Flippy plushie.[/b] [b]Third, I am on my hands, knees, elbows, and soul begging for a Flippy plushie.[/b] At this point, it is no longer a want. It is a [b]matter of emotional survival[/b]. My emotional well-being hinges entirely on a tiny fictional creature with the energy of something that would either save me from the void or accidentally push me into it. Both acceptable. But aside from my constant and absolutely justified begging for a Flippy plushie, I'm here to report that I have finished the game, and the game has also [i]finished me[/i]. By the time the credits rolled, I was reduced to a soggy, trembling, vaguely person-shaped puddle of crying and screaming, while simultaneously staring proudly at the names on the screen and also plotting to send Strayflux the bill for my emotional repairs. But jokes aside, as an Indonesian, I am deeply, overwhelmingly proud of Strayflux for developing As I Began to Dream, and I'm extending my thanks as well to Soft Source for publishing it. There’s something so heartwarmingly surreal about seeing a local team craft something this polished, this intentional, and this emotionally devastating that I want to gift it to everyone while also warning them to prepare tissues and possibly a support group. [h3] [b] 🎵 Music, Atmosphere, and Emotional Impact [/b] [/h3] First of all, I can definitely feel the passion the developer poured into this game. It is in the art, the ambiance, the music, the tiny details that make you go, "Oh no… they want me to [i]feel[/i] something." And yes. Yes, you will feel many things. [i]Against your will.[/i] For the music, I fell in love with every single track the moment it started playing. Each area’s theme captures exactly what Lily is feeling, almost like the music is quietly narrating her emotions in the background. It fits so well and feels so intentional that I caught myself stopping just to appreciate it (or not, I was just simply stuck on a level). And the art? The art is so beautifully illustrated that every single frame looks like it was crafted specifically to ruin me emotionally in the gentlest and most respectful way possible. I started getting scared whenever a cutscene appeared because the ratio was consistently 10 out of 10 on the "you will feel something" scale. Or worse, cry. And cry, I did. [b]A lot.[/b] [spoiler]And listen, as an Indonesian, that train station ambiance? I swear I could feel the KRL energy. Why did it feel like home? Why did it feel like I suddenly needed to queue properly even though it was just background audio?[/spoiler] [h3] [b] 🕊️ Exploring Loss, Healing, and Meaning [/b] [/h3] The Five Stages of Grief are not just a theme in this game. As someone with a psychology background, I was excited to see that the story is based on the Five Stages of Grief, although also a little afraid of how many tears I was about to shed. But once I started playing, I realized it is not just a theme. It is the [i]spine[/i] of the entire experience. I kept noticing small details that showed how intentionally everything was put together. It is in the pacing, the way each chapter moves, the way the tension shifts, and even in how the puzzles feel. Each chapter has its own emotional temperature, its own colors, and its own message, and everything fits together in a very natural and thoughtful way. You can tell they understood exactly what they wanted to express, and they expressed it well. [h3] [b] 🧩 Learning Curve and Late-Game Challenge [/b] [/h3] Confession: I do not consider myself a puzzle platformer veteran. But I [i]have[/i] died enough in precision platformers to achieve enlightenment via suffering. The early to mid game feels so welcoming that I almost forgot I was playing something capable of hurting me. The mechanics are introduced clearly, the pacing is smooth, and nothing feels overwhelming. It is the kind of learning curve that makes you think, "Okay, I can actually do this." But then the late game arrives, and the game suddenly enters its villain arc. The difficulty decides to level up, and some sections begin to feel closer to precision platforming. The leap is surprising enough that I had to stop for a moment. I feel like the puzzles in this part could use a bit more testing or smoothing, because the gap between early game and late game becomes very obvious. I expected to do a lot of jumping, but I did not expect the difficulty to do the same. [h3] [b] 🏅 Collectibles & Achievements [/b] [/h3] If you’re an achievement hunter, congratulations: your life will be peaceful. Almost everything unlocks through the story, and the only thing that needs real attention is the collectibles. Thankfully, you can replay chapters, so you do not need to restart the entire game and accumulate unnecessary emotional damage over one missed shiny object, or from seeing one scene too many times. [h3] [b] 💬 Storytelling That Leaves an Impression [/b] [/h3] I need to dedicate a whole section to this, because Strayflux really knows how to serve emotional damage in the most beautifully crafted way. Every emotional moment feels carefully built, and the sincerity behind each scene is unmistakable. I really hope they create more story-focused games in the future, because they have a talent for crafting narratives that linger long after the credits roll. [h3] [b] 🐢 Flippy Obsession [/b] [/h3] And finally, Flippy. I am not sure what his purpose was meant to be, but unfortunately for everyone involved, he is now my favorite thing in the game. If they ever release a Flippy plushie, I will purchase it faster than the game can load. [h3] [b] ☕ Final Thoughts [/b] [/h3] This game is not without flaws, but the amount of care behind it more than makes up for them. You can tell the developers poured everything they had into creating something meaningful. It shows in the dialogue, the art, the pacing, and even in the quiet pauses where the game lets you feel something without saying a word. I went into this expecting a nice experience, but it truly surprised me with how emotional it was. I cried more than I planned, felt more than I expected, and occasionally had to remind myself that it is, in fact, okay to be this invested in a fictional journey. But for every emotional attack this game delivered, it also offered a softness that made the heartbreak feel worth it. There are moments that feel very relatable, and recognizing them can be healing in their own way. Even with all the emotional chaos, the game never felt cruel. It feels like it simply wanted me to connect with my own feelings, and that intention stayed with me long after the credits ended. I genuinely believe this game is a gem, and I hope more people get the chance to experience it, even if they also end up crying and running out of tissue at 3 AM in the morning, like I did. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys beautiful stories, emotional pain, or both. ...Preferably both. If Steam allowed me to write a 60-slide presentation about this game, I would. But alas. Word count tyranny exists. So here is my review instead: This game is beautiful. This game made me cry. This game owes me a Flippy plushie. Highly recommended. [quote=author] If you enjoyed reading this review and want to see more, consider following the Steam Curator I run with my friends, [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45170618-Caffeinated-Games/][b]Caffeinated Games![/b][/url] We do not write often, but when we do, we write with care, passion, and a slightly concerning amount of emotional investment 🙂‍↕️[/quote] [quote=author] And if you want proof that I actually finished the game (and cried through it), [url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhtjEerqKD2IFy91pT0kHUMpk-fLcLfcr][b]my full playthrough of As I Began to Dream[/b][/url] is available on YouTube, brewed fresh with tears and coffee ☕ [/quote]

Very wholesome but sad game. Lost my parents recently and now I'm playing this.

Гра не зобов'язана бути видатною, неповторною, чи навіть хорошою, щоб сподобатися, і залишити по собі приємні враження. Але дуже важливо, щоб гра не зраджувала довіру і не міняла коней на переправі, що і було зроблено тут в другій половині гри. Почнемо з хорошого? Дуже красива мальовка, досить проста, але емоційна і яскрава. Приємні мелодії, добре поєднуються з дійством, перегукуються з ним, не відволікають. Сюжет, загалом непоганий, місцями щемливий, і трохи болючий, але до того що переживає головна героїня призвела така легковажна безвідповідальність, ще й непослідовність, що співпереживати історії стає складнувато. Сюжет так і не дає твердого грунту для розгортання сильної драматичної лінії, не дотискає. І це було б нічого, якби темп трьох глав продовжував себе самовідтворювати, змінюючи декорації і складність головоломок, але ні. Раптом гра з затишної неспішної головоломки-платформера перетворюється в екшн-платформер - сюрприз, сюрприз! І замість того щоб тренувати думалку і емпатію вам раптом треба витягати скіли соулзлайк. Тож розробник мав попередити про це в тегах, чи в описі, ну... чи не міняти коней на переправі.

I forgot how awful I am at puzzle platformers so I keep getting stuck </3 Super beautiful game so far, the music and visuals are so gorgeous. Love it. I am going to need a guide however edit after finishing the game: The story, art, world and music were still gorgeous up until the end. Unfortunately the second half felt extremely clunky gameplay wise. The controls feel too clunky for how finicky the mechanics work. The last section in chapter 4 was way too long and overstayed its welcome to me. Some puzzles in chapter 5 felt like they maybe weren't tested enough? I have a hard time rating this because everything EXCEPT the puzzles in the second half was so beautiful. But I did not have a good time anymore with it.

pros - good puzzle, good art, good music, easy to play cons - the control is a little bit clunky, or my joycon pro is just busted which i suspect the latter

The artwork is beautiful, and I love how the game blends puzzle and platforming together. The gameplay feels smooth and is very controller-friendly. If you enjoy colourful, vibrant puzzle games with calming music, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

As a puzzle lover, i really like this game. The puzzle's difficulty is not that hard (for me), using only base mechanic, but still amusing to do. The art is lovely. I really love (almost) every cutscene in the game The background & foreground is really nice to see too. The story is very touching. (SPOILER ALERT) 5 stages of grieves is a very good concept to used for a background story. Every chapter in the game really shows what Lily actually feel and think. Overal Review: 9/10

A genuine gem that is crafted with love. As someone who doesn´t play games of this genre and style very often, its very easy to be enraptured by it. Im still playing it but I can tell its one of those games you know will punch you in the gut emotionally (in a good way). I suck at puzzles so sometimes this game feels ruthless but i fell in love with the pretty artwork and music. This game is an absolute vibe with puzzles. VERY underrated and defo worth it if u wanna experience something that feels genuine and well-thought-of. You just know the people behind this game made it with their utmost care.

As someone who LOVES the topic of grief and dreams, playing As I Began To Dream was truly an exciting experience. I'm still playing (yay!) but this game already owns a soft spot in me! The concept and gameplay are so carefully crafted, wrapped in adorable audio-visual, contrast with the sense of impending doom that keeps me going with the game. I love it. I can't wait to see further how stages of grief are portrayed here since I had a good time deciphering them in the early chapters (★ ω ★)

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