Dreamfall Chapters - Books 1 and 2
By Neilie Johnson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Thought-provoking adventure set in parallel worlds.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Dreamfall Chapters - Books 1 and 2
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Great game, but for adults only
Report this review
What’s It About?
DREAMFALL CHAPTERS - BOOKS 1 AND 2 tells the parallel stories of Zoe Castillo and Kian Alvane. Zoe's an average 20-something from the year 2220 who discovers she has the rare ability to dreamwalk outside the science-oriented world of Stark. Kian, by contrast, hails from the magical world of Arcadia and is a warrior trained by the industrial Empire of Azadi. Regardless of where they are, both heroes fight to prevent their worlds from being enslaved by the dream-stealing Powers-That-Be.
Is It Any Good?
Dreamfall Chapters sets out to wrap up the saga started in The Longest Journey and its sequel, Dreamfall. It picks up right where Dreamfall left off and goes on to weave a complex narrative that's as intriguing and emotionally gripping as any best-selling novel. What makes Chapters so fascinating is the way it uses player choice to shape the story. Players are forced to face the past demons of characters and make profound decisions about how they should move forward in life. Apart from the compelling questions, the game seals the deal with its visuals. Stark is a beautiful, totally convincing near-future city that any modern urban dweller can easily see living in, while Arcadia is an enticing locale in a rustic Renaissance fair kind of way. It also has excellent voice acting that brings the right level of emotion and vitality to some exceptional writing. Zoe in particular is written with a depth and humor that makes her both sympathetic and utterly convincing.
Though it's incredibly well made, Chapters does contain a few problems. First, there's the possibility of getting stuck. During one playthrough, Zoe was suddenly stuck inside her apartment, unable to get back out. Second, a poor sound mix made one of Kian's missions (the search for a traitor at a secret meeting) hard to execute. Third, there's Crowbot. Crowbot is a cowboy hat-wearing cartoon crow who voices the public map/location finder for the people of Stark, and he's annoying, with an obnoxious, twangy voice that's so jarring, it has no place in its futuristic setting. Even with these flaws, Dreamfall Chapters is a fantastic game that maturely explores individual and societal issues through deft writing and interesting quest design, making players feel as if the fate of two worlds is truly in their hands. It's not often a game is this thematically ambitious or as successful at conveying its message. Though its episodic nature leaves players hanging, (Book 3 won't be out for some months), its first two chapters are chock-full of enough thought-provoking questions to ensure players will be back to experience the rest of the tale.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their dreams. Can you remember the last dream you had? What was it about?
Think about the difference between magic and science. Which do you think is better, and why?
Discuss the importance of acceptance. Why is it important to get to know people who are different from you?
Game Details
- Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid (The game is episodic, and the purchase price covers all five books.)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Red Thread Games
- Release date: March 12, 2015
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Great Girl Role Models, Robots
- ESRB rating: NR for No Description
- Last updated: August 25, 2016
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate