The Let's Play Archive

Dreamfall

by Rin

Part 1

Welcome to Let's Play Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, one of the most underrated games around and a personal favorite of mine.


Three main characters?
Yes indeed, this game stars Zoe Castillo, April Ryan and Kian. Despite playing as all three, Zoe is the clear main character of the game, with April getting a fair amount of screen time and Kian getting completely shafted.


Your LP keeps jumping back and forth between screenshot and video! Make up your mind
Dreamfall is an amazingly cinematic game, and there are things screenshots just can't capture. A lot of things actually. Give the videos a shot; the voice acting is some of the best I've ever heard, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.


The Original: The Longest Journey
The Longest Journey (TLJ) is considered by many people to be the greatest adventure game of all time, and in this regard it does not disappoint. While the game is old and the graphics far from pretty, the storyline and incredible characters make it something anyone can still enjoy even today. TLJ is important to Dreamfall, because the plot is a direct continuation and many of the characters return. Dreamfall can be enjoyed as a stand alone experience, but playing through the original enhances it quite a bit. I'll attempt to summarize the events with the closest ties to Dreamfall for the benefit of anyone who hasn't played it.

- There are two parallel worlds: Stark, the world of Science, and Arcadia, the world of Magic. Originally the worlds were one, but due to various circumstances magic and science couldn't be allowed to exist in the same world. Thanks to the help of the Draic Kin, otherwise known as dragons, the worlds were separated and a Guardian was appointed to watch over them and maintain the balance.

- As the first game ends the Arcadian city of Marcuria is invaded, and presumably conquered.

I'll be popping up with more tidbits from the first game at various during the LP, especially when we meet new characters.

Also, thanks to LordMune for the Zoe, Kian and April icons.

So then, why not begin?

Let's start a new game, shall we?
From the Journal of Brian Westhouse/Backup


Brian Westhouse in TLJ1


In the first game, Brian is a man from Stark trapped in Arcadia and making the best of it, primarily by getting drunk a lot. During her visits to Arcadia April often visited him, much to his delight, as he enjoyed talking to someone from his home world. Brian was often helpful with his advice, and a certain key item he had for you. As armies converged upon the city of Marcuria, Brian chose to remain and defend his home even knowing that there was no chance of victory.

Monk: Your journey is about to begin. Follow me.

We're now in control of Brian, and free to roam about the Sanctuary. And by free to roam about the sanctuary I mean all the doors are locked and the only place to go is down the hallway after the monk.

When you get close to something you can interact with those green edges appear. We can only look at these, so let's do that.

Since there's nothing else to do here, let's just follow the monk.

Upon entering the camera pans out and gives us a nice view of the proceedings. I wonder what these monks are up to?

Over to the side there are two monks whispering to each other. Let's go find out what they're saying!

Well that didn't work. As it so happens however, there is a way to listen to them without getting close

This is focus mode. When we enter it, we move that beam of light around, and if it touches something interactive we can interact with it. Basically it's a fancy name for looking around.

Monk 2: He is eager. He is open. He is perfect.

Monk 1: I hope you are right. He is our last hope...

Monk 2: Have faith. The undreaming will be unleashed, and it will--

Monk 1: Quiet, brother. The walls have ears.

I dunno Brian, but somehow I don't think they've been entirely straight with you

Well it seems they've finished preparing the ritual. I wonder what they're doing anyway?

Well let's just go up here and--

oh dear lord what was THAT

Meet the Vagabond, and witness the unveiling of the Undreaming./Backup

Next time we meet the game's primary protagonist, and do some wandering about in Casablanca.