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Yume Nikki

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Yume Nikki
Steam artwork
Developer(s)Kikiyama
Publisher(s)Kikiyama[a]
Playism
EngineRPG Maker 2003
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseJune 26, 2004
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Yume Nikki[b] is a 2004 adventure game created by pseudonymous Japanese developer Kikiyama. The player controls a girl named Madotsuki and explores her dreams, collecting 24 effects that change her appearance and equipment. Random events also occur throughout the game in the form of cutscenes and unique gameplay sequences. The game was developed using RPG Maker 2003 but lacks many elements commonly associated with role-playing games, such as a traditional plot or battle system, with gameplay instead focusing on exploration of the dream world.

Yume Nikki was first distributed as freeware for Windows through Kikiyama's website in June 2004, with updates continuing until 2007. Despite its limited distribution format, it gained a cult following on the Japanese textboard 2channel and later in the West, aided by its fan-made English translation. The game has received critical praise for its surreal visual style and emphasis on open-ended exploration; its non-linearity led some critics to describe it as a precursor to walking simulators. Its pixel art visual style and horror elements inspired numerous fangames and influenced later indie games.

In 2018, Yume Nikki was published on Steam by Playism. The game has received various manga and light novel adaptations, as well as Yume Nikki: Dream Diary, a 3D reboot also released in 2018.

Gameplay

Madotsuki on a staircase with the bicycle effect equipped, which increases her movement speed[1]

Yume Nikki is an exploration-based adventure game with no dialogue, combat, or plot.[2] The player controls a girl named Madotsuki,[c] who lives in a one-room apartment by herself. The game begins inside her apartment, which the player is initially unable to leave.[3] The player can save their progress by sitting at Madotsuki's desk and writing in her dream diary. Sleeping in her bed causes Madotsuki to start dreaming.[2]

Her dream begins in a room closely resembling her apartment. On leaving the room, Madotsuki enters an area commonly referred to as the Nexus, which contains 12 new doors. Each door leads to a different area in the dream world, each having a distinct environment and design.[3] The player's objective is to explore these areas and collect 24 different effects, which change Madotsuki's appearance or equipment when used.[1][4] Effects can be collected by interacting with certain objects and non-player characters (NPCs). Other objects and NPCs can send Madotsuki to different areas, but there is no way to encounter a game over. Throughout the game, random events occur, which can be cutscenes or have interactive elements.[2][3] The game's ending, unlocked after the player collects all 24 effects, shows Madotsuki jumping off of the balcony of her apartment.[1]

Development and release

Yume Nikki was independently developed and published by Kikiyama, a pseudonymous Japanese developer about whom very little is known.[2] They created the game using RPG Maker 2003,[1] a computer program designed for making 2D role-playing games.[2] Despite this, many elements often associated with role-playing games are absent, such as dialogue and combat.[5] Kikiyama first shared a build of the game on June 26, 2004, on the Japanese textboard 2channel, and they continued to update the game until 2007, stopping at version 0.10. From 2011 to 2018, Kikiyama's status was unknown as they were completely unresponsive to all contact. Some speculated that they had died, possibly in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.[2] On January 10, 2018,[6] Yume Nikki was released on Steam by publisher Playism, and Kadokawa Games, the developer of the RPG Maker software, confirmed that Kikiyama was still alive and involved with the project.[2][7]

Reception

Yume Nikki received generally positive reception from critics, particularly for its unique, surreal visual style and exploration-based gameplay.[2][3][8] Its visual style has been compared to the 16-bit graphics of EarthBound.[3] Ryan McSwain, writing for Hardcore Gaming 101, remarked that the game created surprisingly good visuals by using layering effects and "eye-catching animations". He also praised the game's music and sound design.[3] Giada Zavarise of Rock Paper Shotgun said that the game's pixel-art style influenced a movement of similarly-styled indie horror games like Ao Oni and Ib. She also attributed some of the game's popularity to the fact that its "dreamy" imagery invites speculation about its meaning.[8] Wired's Julie Muncy also pointed to the game's surreal imagery and said that it appeals to those interested in dream interpretation.[2]

The gameplay and atmosphere were also positively received by critics, who identified the game's emphasis on exploration as a major appeal,[2][3][8] with some describing it as an early example of a walking simulator.[1][8] Muncy described it as being "rich in atmospheric dream worlds" and said its surreal world-building logic creates uneasiness in players.[2] McSwain and Zavarise agreed that the game's world was enjoyable to explore, with distinct and interesting locations, but both identified the lack of any guides or maps as a source of frustration, making it too easy for the player to get stuck.[3][8] McSwain also criticized the game's random events for being too difficult to experience due to their rarity.[3] Zavarise specifically said the early parts of the game, before the player is able to memorize paths and landmarks, were the most likely to drive new players away.[8]

Legacy

Originally receiving a limited Japanese-only release, Yume Nikki later gained a larger cult following in the West, due in part to its fan-made English translation.[2][8] Gita Jackson of Kotaku also attributed this following to the game's "unusual visual style and oppressive tone".[9] Caty McCarthy of USgamer compared its proliferation across the internet in the mid-2000s to that of Cave Story.[4] Due to the game's open-ended nature and the accessibility offered by the RPG Maker software, Yume Nikki has inspired the creation of a number of fangames, some of which have attempted to explore theories about the original game; notable examples include Yume 2kki[d] (a collaborative project started by 2channel users) and .flow.[3][8] It has also influenced other indie games, including Ao Oni, Ib, Lisa: The First, Undertale and Omori.[8][9][4][10] In January 2018, games journalist Lewis Denby started a podcast named Dream Diary which explores the history and theories surrounding the game's origins and its rise in popularity.[4][10]

File:YumeNikkiMangaCover.png
Cover of the Yume Nikki manga adaptation, which was criticized for attempting to explain too much of the game's universe

Multiple pieces of spin-off media have been produced based on Yume Nikki since the game's last update in 2007. The game has been adapted into both a manga and a light novel.[1] The manga was illustrated by Hitoshi Tomizawa, and was serialized in Takeshobo's web manga magazine Manga Life Win+ beginning in May 2013.[11] The light novel is titled Yume Nikki: I Am Not in Your Dream,[e] and was written by Akira and illustrated by Aco Arisaka.[12] It was licensed for digital distribution in English by J-Novel Club.[10] PC Gamer reported that the manga was criticized for attempting to explain too much of the game's universe.[1] Project Yume Nikki,[f] which managed the official merchandise, also stated that these adaptations were not meant to be reflective of Kikiyama's original vision for the game.[1] A Vocaloid image song album titled Yume Nikki no Tame no Waltz[g] was produced for the project by Machigerita.[13][14]

Yume Nikki: Dream Diary

Main article: Yume Nikki: Dream Diary

Along with the release of Yume Nikki on Steam, a two-week countdown appeared on the Kadokawa Games website.[2][15] At the end of the countdown, a reboot called Yume Nikki: Dream Diary was announced. The game, which is rendered in 3D,[16] was developed by Kadokawa under supervision by Kikiyama, and features some design concepts and characters left unused in the original game.[16][17] Many of the characters and locations from the original returned in the reboot, and puzzle and platforming elements were added.[18] It was released on Steam on February 23, 2018[17] and for the Nintendo Switch on February 21, 2019.[18]

Dream Diary received "mixed or average reviews" according to review aggregate site Metacritic.[19] Critics comparing the two games generally felt that Dream Diary was worse than the original.[20][21][22] Adam Smith of Rock Paper Shotgun said that it had lost the "mysterious horror and charm" of the original.[20] Azario Lopez of DualShockers felt that the developers' love of the original game was apparent in Dream Diary's visuals and sound design, but that it ultimately could never live up to the standard of the original.[21] Kevin Lynn of Adventure Gamers felt that Dream Diary's visuals were a "solid translation" of the original's into 3D, but said Yume Nikki's defining open-ended gameplay had been sacrificed in favor of adventure game tropes.[22]

Notes

  1. ^ Self-published on Kikiyama's website
  2. ^ ゆめにっき, lit. "Dream Diary"
  3. ^ 窓付き, lit. "window" (as in a box or envelope)
  4. ^ ゆめ2っき
  5. ^ ゆめにっき —あなたの夢に私はいない—, Yume Nikki: Anata no Yume ni Watashi wa Inai
  6. ^ Stylized as Project YUMENIKKI; called the Yume Nikki Project in some sources[2][1]
  7. ^ ゆめにっきのためのワルツ, lit. "Waltz for a Dream Diary"

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zavarise, Giada (October 28, 2017). "The horrifying legacy of Yume Nikki, the homebrew game that became a phenomenon". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Muncy, Julie (January 23, 2018). "The Mysterious Japanese Game That Took 14 Years To Officially Come Out". Wired. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j McSwain, Ryan (May 4, 2017). "Yume Nikki". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d McCarthy, Caty (January 10, 2018). "Over a Decade Later, Yume Nikki Wakes Up on Steam". USgamer. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Reynolds, Matthew (January 10, 2018). "Surreal cult classic Yume Nikki now available on Steam". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  6. ^ "Yume Nikki on Steam". Steam. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Frank, Allegra (January 10, 2018). "A disturbing cult classic finally hits Steam, with a follow-up on the way". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zavarise, Giada (January 15, 2018). "Yume Nikki's legacy: an invitation to dream". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Jackson, Gita (January 16, 2018). "The Horror Game Developer Who Disappeared For A Decade". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c Rad, Chloi (January 10, 2018). "Cult Horror Game Yume Nikki Hits Steam, New Project Teased". IGN. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "再現度高いぞ!? 「ゆめにっき」Web漫画連載がついにスタート". ねとらぼ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  12. ^ Nelkin, Sarah (January 3, 2013). "Yume Nikki Surreal Horror Game Gets Novel, Manga Adaptations". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  13. ^ "Ongaku Jōhō" 音楽情報 [Music Information]. Project YUMENIKKI (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "人気フリーゲーム「ゆめにっき」が小説化 Web漫画企画も". ねとらぼ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  15. ^ Frank, Allegra (January 25, 2018). "Cult classic Yume Nikki returning with 3D follow-up". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Romano, Sal (January 25, 2018). "Yume Nikki: Dream Diary is a 3D reboot, launches for PC on February 23". Gematsu. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Rad, Chloi (February 27, 2019). "Yume Nikki: Dream Diary Revealed, a 'Reboot' of 2004 Cult Horror Game". IGN (published January 24, 2018). Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  18. ^ a b Rad, Chloi (February 27, 2019). "Yume Nikki: Dream Diary Launching on Nintendo Switch". IGN (published February 15, 2019). Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  19. ^ "YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY- for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Smith, Adam (February 26, 2018). "Wot I Think: Yume Nikki - Dream Diary". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Lopez, Azario (March 6, 2018). "Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- Review -- Now, Wake Up". DualShockers. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Lynn, Kevin (August 12, 2019). "Yume Nikki – Dream Diary review". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
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