Developer: Interactive Dreams
Publisher: Interactive Dreams
Platform: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
A Dream About Parking Lots – Review
With a title like A Dream About Parking Lots, a potential buyer will probably immediately wonder what a dream about a parking lot would actually be about and what type of game it could potentially be. Our interest was also piqued by the console release of this peculiar game, as we missed the original PC release back in March. After some digging and before our review copy came in, we found out that this is a bite-sized walking simulator that might just help you reflect on some of your life’s choices. As this is a really short experience, we will be straying from our regular review format to present you with our findings of the game.
It’s hard to properly describe A Dream About Parking Lots without almost fully spoiling the experience. It’s a game that’s basically about the protagonist’s recurring dreams of trying to find their car in a parking lot. The beginning of the game does feel like a fairly straightforward dream experience, but it does get increasingly eerie with every dream you play through. It’s all about feeling uneasy, uncertain, and going through a certain existential crisis. The game prompts you to consider the questions posed, and you can either reflect on them from a personal perspective or take them in a more literal sense, such as being lost in a parking lot. The writing is quite good, and it kept us captivated from start to finish.
The audiovisual presentation will probably not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it works for this specific concept. You’ll be treated to low-poly graphics for the cars and the changing environments, and this overall abstract approach works to a certain extent. Realistic visuals would have worked great here as well, especially when it comes to overall immersion, but then the feeling of everything being a dream could have potentially faded. A few better animations would have been appreciated, however. The soundtrack is comprised of classical music, which does help you relax. The soundtrack does shift from fairly relaxing and upbeat to a slightly more eerie vibe the further you progress.
A Dream About Parking Lots is a walking simulator that puts you in the titular dreamscape, where you navigate through increasingly distorted parking lots. As you walk, you will have a conversation with your therapist, where you discuss what these dreams could mean and what you can do about the uneasy feeling that comes with them. It’s an extremely simple concept, and outside of running around and pressing your key fob, trying to locate your lost car, that is all there is to the game. As you walk around, the dialogue progresses, you can make choices in terms of replies to the therapist, and you can get in your car when it’s found. The game will let you know if the therapy of the dream you’re in has not ended yet, hinting that more dialogue is to follow. The experience itself is really short, and you should be able to finish it in roughly half an hour.
Conclusion
Even with its extremely simple gameplay loop, A Dream About Parking Lots is a short, thought-provoking experience that does manage to linger a bit after you’ve played through it. While the graphics may not manage to impress everyone, the soundtrack, the written dialogue, and the overall atmosphere blend nicely to make a memorable experience. Even so, this is a fairly niche title that may not manage to captivate many gamers.
No Comments