Review: Shape of Dreams

Developer – Lizard Smoothie

Publisher – NEOWIZ

Platforms – PC (reviewed)

Review copy given by publisher

Shape of Dreams lets you go on a roguelike adventure with friends while utilising an array of spells to fight enemies. Choose from eight characters who have their unique fighting styles but can gain new moves throughout their journey. Fight your way through several floors until you are defeated, then upgrade your characters and try again. You have several powers to choose from and new challenges with each level, giving you something new to look forward to.

It’s easy to learn how to play in Shape of Dreams, letting you get started quickly. Even if you play solo, you can adjust the difficulty and have fun learning all the different move combinations. There is skill involved but the dodge button is not convenient to press despite the game’s emphasis on dodging. Many powers also work well in multiplayer but are hard to test during solo play. Shape of Dreams gives you a fun experience but it does require playing with friends often.

The premise is that you are an individual who ventured into a realm known as The Rapids. Anything can happen here and you believe the realm is the only place to achieve your goal. Eight individuals take the plunge and you can choose whoever you want to follow. There isn’t much reference to the story apart from what’s written on loading screens and it’s ultimately not important.

Each character has their own approach to combat, whether they are a ranged or melee fighter. Some use weapons while others use spells. You have a default special, an ultimate, and a regular attack with space for two other specials. Throughout your roguelike journey, you can obtain new moves to complement your character’s existing moveset or vary it up. You can also obtain additional effects to enhance your specials, making them more useful in combat.

The ability to mix-and-match in the middle of a run sets Shape of Dreams apart from other roguelikes. Most of the time, you pick a build and stick with it even if you make mistakes. In this game, you can change specials and even your ultimate if you think it would be better. The only thing you can’t change is your regular attack but everything else can shift. It’s risky but possibilities are endless and it’s fun to see what combinations a character can pull off.

It’s skill-based combat but you use your mouse or directional stick to guide your attacks. This lets you focus less on button-pressing and more on positioning. It’s also easy to learn because you can focus on the basics while experimenting with characters or specials. While you aren’t guaranteed to get optimal skills on your first run, it’s easy to carry the basics forward. This lets you build on each session and configure a new build instead of struggling with mechanics.

However, most of the specials you encounter are designed for multiplayer combat. Your friends tackle other enemies while you prepare spells or everyone attacks together. This makes it harder to experience everything during solo play since some specials aren’t as effective on your own. Even for regular practice sessions, what works in multiplayer isn’t always useful for solo play. This runs the risk of you not figuring out what skills work well since you don’t have a proper environment.

There also aren’t many rewards for playing on harder difficulties other than the challenge. While you can get more Stardust, the currency used for upgrades, it’s more efficient to play on lower difficulties. You might encounter less enemies but they are weaker and it’s a safer testing environment. Defeating more bosses or surviving long enough to harvest Stardust is also easier. Unless you are trying to push yourself, the harder difficulties don’t feel like they have a place.

Dodging also happens to be inconvenient for controller layouts. When the game emphasizes evasion over offense, it’s frustrating to have the dodge button far away from your moves. Even if you know how to dodge, you might spend more time reaching for the button. While you eventually learn how to make time for dodging, it feels like the button placement should be close to the attack buttons.

Shape of Dreams is great fun to play if you have friends who can play together. You can spend hours trying new builds, investigating new characters, and having a good time. It’s easy to learn and you won’t struggle in the early stages. However you need the multiplayer aspect for the game’s potential to truly shine. Playing on higher difficulty levels is mostly for challenge’s sake and dodging isn’t easy. It’s not perfect, but if your friends are roguelike fans, Shape of Dreams is a good choice.