Dreamcutter Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

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Dreamcutter Review, a mysterious scythe with an ulterior motive, promises alluring rewards and a chance at escape. But what strange dangers and exotic encounters will you find inside your mind? Dreamcutter is an intense side-scrolling action platformer that blends visual novel CG scenes with macabre themes and sassy character dialogue. Along with your friend Lucia, you’ll take the role of Haley as the pair navigate the darkest parts of Haley’s subconscious.

Dreamcutter Review Pros:

  • Pixel art graphics.
  • 1.1GB download size.
  • Four save slots and a fifth autosave.
  • Cutscenes can be skipped, fast-forwarded, or have the text hidden.
  • Anime-style art cutscenes.
  • Save points in the sanctuary and show upgrades and unlocks.
  • Action platformer gameplay.
  • Tutorial pop-ups as you play.
  • Multiple choice interactions.
  • Hack and slash combat.
  • 2D perspective.
  • Your weapon is a scythe and you can hack at people or throw it forward, and press attack again to have it return.
  • Combo counter that rewards coins.
  • Momentum-based jump sequences.
  • Coins are all over a level and can drop from enemies.
  • Beds are used as checkpoints where you respawn.
  • Health bar system with heart pickups to regain health.
  • Good soundtrack.
  • Simple easy-to-learn controls.
  • Your scythe can stick to walls and be used as a platform/springboard.
  • Sanctuary is the main hub where you can use the shop and pick a world door.
  • The shop sells – combo upgrades, views enemy health, learns spin slash, upgrades health, increases coin multiplier, and upgrades damage.
  • You can quit back to Sanctuary whenever you want.
  • World map level selected when entering the world door with a final big boss door at the end.
  • Aerial combat is possible.
  • Big boss battles.
  • The gallery collects all earned artwork.
  • You can replay levels.
  • Coins stay with you on each level and after death.

Dreamcutter Review Cons:

  • No game settings.
  • Cannot remap controls.
  • They don’t always explain the controls well and they only show help icons once.
  • A weird slowdown happens when fighting and it is noticeable.
  • No in-game voices.
  • Spinning on the moons is tricky to time especially the distance jump.
  • Checkpoints are far apart meaning you have to replay large chunks of the level.
  • Gets reflex-heavy with a jump-to-jump but the controls and performance don’t make it easy to pull off.
  • The levels are big or should I say they look big but you can’t explore as you never know when there is a platform.
  • Scantily clad ladies throughout.
  • No way to censor or blur out the more revealing parts.

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Dreamcutter:

Official website.

Developer: Shady Corner Games, Ten Pennyfingers

Publisher: eastasiasoft

Store Links –

Nintendo

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Accessibility - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Fun Factor - 7/10
7/10

Summary

Dreamcutter is a game that stands out with its pixel art graphics and anime-style art cutscenes. The game requires a 1.1GB download and offers four save slots along with a fifth autosave. The cutscenes can be skipped, fast-forwarded, or have the text hidden, providing flexibility to the player.

The game is an action platformer with a 2D perspective. The player wields a scythe as a weapon, which can be used to hack at enemies or thrown forward. The scythe can also stick to walls and be used as a platform or springboard. The game features a combo counter that rewards coins and momentum-based jump sequences. The controls are simple and easy to learn, but they are not always explained well, and help icons only show once.

The Sanctuary serves as the main hub where you can use the shop and pick a world door. The shop sells various upgrades such as combo upgrades, health upgrades, and damage upgrades. You can quit back to the Sanctuary whenever you want. The game also features a world map level selected when entering the world door with a final big boss door at the end.

The game has a health bar system with heart pickups to regain health. Beds are used as checkpoints where you respawn. The game gets reflex-heavy with a jump-to-jump but the controls and performance don’t make it easy to pull off. The levels are large, but exploration is limited as it’s often unclear where there is a platform.

There are some areas for improvement. For instance, there are no game settings and controls cannot be remapped. A noticeable slowdown occurs when fighting. There are no in-game voices, and spinning on the moons is tricky to time, especially the distance jump. Checkpoints are far apart, meaning you have to replay large chunks of the level. Lastly, the game features scantily clad ladies throughout, with no way to censor or blur out the more revealing parts.

Overall, Dreamcutter offers a unique gaming experience with its distinctive art style and gameplay mechanics and how they are integrated into the world. However, it could benefit from some improvements in terms of controls and settings. Despite these issues, the game’s engaging combat system and intriguing world design make it a title worth checking out if you want a different kind of challenge, For me it fell into a Metroidvania but with a heavy implement of a platformer or reflex-based jumping and slashing.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!