10 Games Where It Was All A Dream

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for unraveling the mysteries hidden within the digital worlds we traverse, I find myself particularly drawn to games that challenge the very fabric of reality. The immersive narratives and intricate storylines found in these titles offer a unique perspective on the human condition, and they often serve as a reflection of our own lives, albeit in a fantastical setting.

In many types of narrative, be it books, movies, or video games, there’s a common plot twist where it turns out that the whole story was just a dream someone was having.

Sometimes, it’s a convenient way for authors to revert back to the original situation, effectively dismissing or undermining the narrative. It’s likely that you’ve felt frustrated by at least one tale that has done so.

Games can occasionally incorporate seemingly straightforward “it was all a dream” instances, but certain ones creatively expand upon this idea.

Some make it clear that it’s a dream throughout, whereas others effectively convey the story’s power even though it unfolds inside a dream.

10. The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse

Quite The Dreamy Adventure

Mickey Mouse is often found in strange, interdimensional escapades. It might be part of his role as a prominent iconic figure.

In The Enchanted Pursuit, Mickey is searching for Pluto within the forest, but ends up slipping and falling from a precipice, landing in a mystical domain instead.

After completing one exciting platformer game, Mickey manages to locate Pluto and saves him from the clutches of Emperor Pete. However, upon awakening, he finds himself back in his own bed.

Mickey’s entire experience turned out to be a dream, and he nonchalantly dismisses it, opting instead to join his buddies for a game of catch. Such an unfazed fellow, Mickey Mouse truly is.

9. Five Nights At Freddy’s 4

Nightmares Of Past Traumas

Instead of a grungy pizza place, Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 depicts a young boy experiencing terror from nightmare-inducing robots within his very residence.

As the game unfolds, the brief interlude games and some rapid aspects subtly portray a more intricate and nuanced storyline.

In simpler terms, this whole scenario seems like a horrific dream that the young survivor from ’83 is enduring, a reference not to be mixed up with the incident of ’87.

Following Fredbear’s powerful jaws closing on him, he finds himself pursued by grotesque manifestations of the animatronics that once terrified him, all while lying close to death.

8. The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

All Dreams Must End Eventually

Initially in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, we find Link stranded at sea following a disastrous shipwreck. Subsequently, he appears to have reached the shores of Koholint Island, marking the start of his adventures.

In fact, halfway through the tale, it comes to light that Koholint Island and its inhabitants are mere manifestations born from the dreams of the Wind Fish.

After Link successfully fulfills his mission to revive the Wind Fish, both the island and its inhabitants vanish, leaving Link drifting aimlessly on the ocean.

In the air, the Wind Fish was seen, making that part seem genuine; however, determining if it was the Wind Fish’s dream or Link’s dream requires a bit more speculation.

7. Yakuza: Dead Souls

Retroactively Declared A Dream

Initially, in the early stages of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, some side stories not part of the main narrative emerged. These tales often delved into unusual hypothetical situations or recreated historical events.

Among these offshoots, one of the most peculiar was Yakuza: Dead Souls, where the characters, led by Kiryu, defended Kamurocho from an invasion of the undead.

Initially, the standalone sequel didn’t tie into the primary storyline, but it made a humorous connection in Yakuza: Like a Dragon Ishin!

In the heart of Kamurocho, I stumbled upon a poster for a zombie flick, triggering a wave of nostalgia. It brought me back to a wild dream where I fought off hordes of zombies – a memory that, in the whimsical style only Yakuza: Like a Dragon can pull off, has now been recognized as a dream in the series’ universe.

6. Prey (2017)

A Test Of Humanity

In the tale of Prey, there are strange occurrences peppering Morgan’s quest to eradicate the Typhon from Talos I that appear somewhat out of place.

Characters interrogate Morgan through probing queries, and certain incidents appear to challenge their ethical and empathetic judgement.

In the game’s wrap-up, I found myself stirring to consciousness in a lab, under the watchful gaze of Alex. A mind-bending revelation struck me: it wasn’t Morgan Yu who was living this story, but an implant carrying Typhon memories, nestled within a dreamscape simulation.

Based on your responses to the tests, “Morgan” will either uncover his own humanity, deciding to collaborate with Alex, or else revert back to a mindless Typon state and attempt to harm him.

5. Rule Of Rose

Working Through Your Issues

In Rule of Rose’s environment, there is a surreal, almost dream-like atmosphere that prevails throughout. However, it subtly refrains from revealing its true nature until the climax.

Jennifer frequently encounters bizarre, otherworldly predicaments involving monstrous entities, as well as harsh treatment from the aristocratic Red Rose faction. However, despite her maturity, she struggles to handle the unkindness of these seemingly grown-up tormentors who are actually just children.

In this tale, Jennifer is reliving her own childhood memories as if they were happening in the present. The creatures might not be real, but the pain and anguish she experienced during her time at the orphanage are very much authentic, having occurred when she was a young girl.

Her travel aims to help her heal from the distressing experiences she went through, notably the horror of the massacre instigated by “Stray Dog” and the loss of her beloved pet, Brown.

4. Super Mario Bros. 2

The Land Was Called “Subcon” After All

As a dedicated gamer, let me tell you that when I booted up the second Super Mario Bros. back in the US, it felt like stepping into an entirely new world compared to the first one.

Instead of the Mushroom Kingdom, the story unfolded in the realm of Subcon, a place under threat from the malevolent King Wart.

In case the name doesn’t immediately hint at it, Subcon is situated entirely within dreamscapes. At the conclusion of the game, Mario finds himself back in his physical bed.

It is puzzling to consider that if Subcon is found within dreams, how did the Shy Guys and Ninjis multiply in the Mushroom Kingdom. The original sentence can be made more natural and easier to read by adjusting the structure slightly and using a more common phrase like “it’s puzzling” instead of “that’s a thinker.

3. Eternal Sonata

On Chopin’s Deathbed

At the beginning of Eternal Sonata, it’s suggested that the game’s setting is a dream that the historical figure, Frederic Francois Chopin, was having as he lay dying. In other words, the character and the real-life composer share the same name.

The tale subtly withholds this detail until the climax, where Frederick starts to disintegrate, doubting the authenticity of his dream. Consequently, he departs from the celebration, ultimately emerging as the game’s concluding antagonist.

If you manage to win, it’s as if he peacefully perishes in his sleep within the confines of truth. But should he emerge victorious over you, he regains consciousness in reality. Yet, moments later, his eyes lose their sparkle and close once more, suggesting that he meets his end regardless.

2. Superliminal

A Dream Of A Dream

At the start of Superliminal, Dr. Glenn Pierce tells you that you’re actually immersed within a dream.

In this virtual gaming realm, it was supposed to serve as a therapeutic haven, yet somehow, the narrative took an unexpected turn. As I delved deeper, I found myself being cornered by the AI guide, pushing me to see things through fresh lenses just to break free from this illusion.

At the finale, Dr. Pierce admitted that the entire predicament had been orchestrated. He engineered this “perilous” circumstance to encourage your personal growth and expansion of perspective, and you were never truly in any harm’s way. It was a dream, yet it was also something more profound than that.

1. American McGee’s Alice

It’s A Metaphor

In American McGee’s Alice, the main character, Alice Liddell, has fallen into a comatose state after being confined to an asylum, following a tragic house fire that claimed her family’s lives.

In this condition, she finds herself once more plunged into the twisted version of Wonderland, mirroring her own disturbed thoughts and feelings.

It’s clear that Wonderland and its inhabitants symbolize Alice’s troubled mind, and as she gradually restores order in this imaginary realm, she simultaneously works towards healing her own sanity.

Following her triumph over the Queen of Hearts, Alice ultimately escapes back into reality, now mastering her mental state and freeing herself from the confines of the institution.

2024-12-19 00:09