Dreamcore is a game based on ‘backrooms’, and the use of ‘liminal spaces’, which is an area, or areas, between two spaces, and oh boy does it make good use of them in the levels it has on offer. It’s a unique game that admittedly may not be for everyone, but it does offer an experience unlike any other you could find in the video game industry right now, but is it good?
Dreamcore is an Utterly Agitating Experience (In Every Way)
If you’re unaware, Dreamcore is the work of Montraluz, a developer who wanted to see what could be created using nothing but liminal spaces, and a walking simulator. What has been made from that desire is certainly a one-of-a-kind video game. When first booting up Dreamcore, you’re presented with two levels (for the moment), Dreampools and Eternal Suburbia.
Dreampools is the seemingly never-ending, room-after-room experience of being inside a commercial bathhouse, splattered with white tile, too-blue swimming pools, and gigantic yellow balls that smile in a way that they really shouldn’t.
Eternal Suburbia on the other hand, instantly put me in mind of Ari Aster’s Midsommar with beautiful green hills rolling into the horizon, and ominous house after ominous house, another never-ending puzzle that you’ll need to figure out to escape the too-good-to-be-true, uncanny valley-like environment. With the VHS filter on, you’ll be forgiven if you don’t straight away feel like you’re in one of the many V/H/S anthology shorts, and you absolutely should not turn it off. Trust us.
It needs to be said now, that this is just a walking simulator, and all of the gameplay is walking. No attacking, no enemies, no real puzzles, just walking. However, the real charm of the adventure is the atmosphere, the environments, and how they’re presented. They both seem… off. You won’t be able to put your finger on it, and it’ll stick in your mind, you’ll even be checking over your shoulder on countless occasions despite knowing nothing and no one is there, but you’ll always be feeling like someone or something ‘could’ be there. It is the definition of an unnerving experience, and both levels absolutely nail their respective atmospheres.
Your only aim in both levels is to escape, but you’re not told how, where to go, or what to do. All of that is for you to figure out and for the environment to indicate. There are rules and rhythm to each level, which can be figured out and will make the mazelike levels far easier to navigate, but understanding them is half the fun, so don’t expect any help there.
Built on Unreal Engine 5, it’s no surprise that graphically, Dreamcore is a constant pleasure on the eyes. It’s by far the biggest plus, alongside the graphics, to the whole experience. The two very contrasting experiences also point to a variety that’ll come in handy once Montraluz releases their ‘Coming Soon’ levels, with three more levels scheduled to be released over the next year and into 2026, and it’s exciting to wonder what they’ll be coming up with.
It Can’t All Be Good

On that note, the mazes are the only source of some real frustration. If you can’t figure out little cues, little environment tells, then your time in Dreamcore will be spent aimlessly walking, with no idea what to do or where to go, and all-too-easily walking in circles. There’s a reason each level opens with a ‘Patience is key’ message.
The biggest offender to this was at the end of Eternal Suburbia, which will frustrate a large amount of people with its easily missed exit. Hopefully, this’ll be patched or changed prior to full release or soon after. During my time with Dreamcore, the majority of my time was spent in this final area, really showcasing just how easily missed the exit is, and almost counter-productive to the experience it felt. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is frustrating.
As far as the whole experience goes, the atmosphere and graphics heavily carry a relatively sparse video game, where there’s not a great deal to do, beyond walking of course. You’ll spend your time wondering what’s going on, where you are, where you’re going, and why, but that’s the entire point, and it’s great fun. Its slight psychological horror touch will make you feel uneasy to boot, and you won’t know why.
Dreamcore

Dreamcore is a psychological horror game that’ll immerse players in unnerving ‘liminal spaces’, allowing them to freely explore huge ‘backrooms’ that’ll give the feeling of being just a little off. released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Summary
Dreamcore may not be the longest game, nor one full of features, but what it aims to do, it does incredibly well. Spend your time walking through seemingly never-ending mazes of desperate environments you never feel safe in, and do your best to escape. And then play the level again.
HOURS PLAYED: 6
- A beautiful experience, expertly using Unreal Engine 5 to immerse you in an 'off' environement.
- The atmosphere feels like the moment right before a jump scare.
- Worth replaying both levels multiple times to experience the procedurally generated, multiple layout maps.
- Gameplay is beyond non-existent, even for a walking simulator.
- It can prove frustrating if you're unable to understand the madness.
- Environmental storytelling aside, a better help/tips system should be included.
Dreamcore was released on 23rd January 2025 and is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Microsoft Windows.
For more Thumb Wars reviews, check out our impressions of the Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered, or how about the Gacha surprise that is Infinity Nikki? This and every Thumb Wars review is featured on OpenCritic.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!