Every once in a while, a game crosses my desk that asks me to slow down. To take a moment. To consider what’s truly precious. I’m not going to say Projected Dreams changed my life—but I will say that, for the time I spent with it, I felt something. I was moved.
With a simple art style straight out of a children’s storybook, the game quietly invites you along for a tale told through shadows. Projected Dreams is simple in concept, but thanks to its well-programmed mechanics, your options for solving each puzzle are—if not endless—at least refreshingly open.
If you have a free night or two and need to unwind, to quiet the noise echoing through your brain, I highly recommend Projected Dreams. It’s simple enough to play, enjoy, and set aside—but deep enough to keep going. To reflect. And to appreciate.
Projected Dreams is available on Steam for $13.49.
Story – Shadows Saying So Much
The story of Projected Dreams unfolds bit by bit through a photo album. Without spoiling too much, this album slowly reveals a family’s life—one full of love, struggle, and quiet grief—one picture at a time. Each photo unlocks a new layer of their story. Polaroids with scribbled notes, covert snapshots, and quiet moments piece together a deeply personal narrative.
It’s not just the joyful memories, and it’s not just the sorrowful ones either. Projected Dreams finds power in the in-between—the awkward, the unresolved, the real. Through these glimpses, the family comes alive.
Their story spans generations, slowly uncovered by the youngest member—a curious little girl exploring her heritage, her grief, and the echoes of those who came before her. As she delves into the photo album and you solve each puzzle in Projected Dreams, you both uncover a cherished tradition passed down over time: the art of shadow puppetry. Through those simple shadows so much is said.
Every puzzle solved is a memory revealed, a story continued, a life explored.
Gameplay – Twisting Toys to Tell Tales
Shadow puppetry is the name of the game in Projected Dreams. It starts simple: there’s a shape on the wall, a single light source, and a room full of children’s toys. Your job? Twist them, stack them, turn them every which way—whatever it takes to make that perfect silhouette.
The game offers gentle nudges if you get stuck, suggesting what might help, but it never forces a single solution. Projected Dreams doesn’t care how you reach the finish line—just that you do. That freedom opens the door to creativity. If one toy isn’t clicking, explore the room. The right angle is waiting for you.
As you progress, so do the mechanics of Projected Dreams. Dual light sources, resizing toys, even gluing them together—all tools that mirror the growing complexity of the family’s story. By the end, the puzzles push your brain in new directions, asking you to rethink how you look at the pieces in front of you.
The object is simple, but don’t be fooled. Like Life itself, it gets much harder.
Graphics & Audio – Sweet Sounds and Soothing Sights
I’ve grown used to saying something like “the music was fine, but nothing to write home about.” Or my favorite: “it does its job.” But the music in Projected Dreams? It’s gorgeous. From the first few chords to the soft fade of each track, it gently pulls you in. Pair that with its storybook art style, and I was hooked instantly.
Both the “cutscene” illustrations and the in-game visuals in Projected Dreams are lovely. The storybook images are warm and inviting—like pages pulled straight from something I read in preschool. But that’s just the beginning.
What touched me even more was the attention to detail in the era-appropriate toys. The “Game Girl” handheld, the clearly inspired Bop-It, the uncanny not-quite-Furby—every piece feels carefully chosen, lovingly rendered. It’s not just the art. Not just the music. It’s how Projected Dreams weaves them together into something seamless, soothing, and a little bit magical.
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- Each room has different mechanics, such as the theater having two light sources.
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- Yes, that’s a Bop-It. And if you knew that, you’re old.
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- Family, love, loss, and the inevitability of Life moving forward, all expressed through shadows.
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- Cassette tapes not only make a fun collectible but remind you of the ceaseless march of time.
Projected Dreams was reviewed on PC with a code provided by Jesus Fabre PR.
