Lara Croft creator Toby Gard recently launched an early access period for Dream Cycle, opening the game's over 10,000 current levels for exploration and. Players take on the role of Morgan Carter, an arcane apprentice who's been trapped in the Dream Realms by her long-past relative Randolph. With the Dream Realms shattering into millions of fragments, players will have to navigate various challenges to reclaim their lost powers and, hopefully, return to the waking world.
Dream Cycle combines action and stealth mechanics with generous platforming. The levels are procedurally generated from a set of "chunks" or "pieces" which can be reconfigured to create infinite variations on previously familiar areas. Dream Cycle also puts a good deal of emphasis on verticality and strangely structured terrain. Fortunately, players have Shadow Step, a short-range teleport spell that offers numerous ways to navigate difficult terrain.
Shadow Step is the first spell players will find in Dream Cycle. It's found after defeating a handful of ghouls in the game's intro section, a bit before arriving at the Cavern of Flames. Players are shown how to cast it: hold cast, aim the marker, and release to dash. The mechanic is similar to Emily's Far Reach in Dishonored 2. Shadow Step costs a small amount of mana that recharges after use. There's a chance to practice with some relatively easy platforming, jumping from pillar to pillar. In later levels, there are numerous ways to put Shadow Step to good use.
Using Shadow Step in Dream Cycle
Dream Cycle's setting and emphasis on verticality mean that levels can have bizarre structures, with no obvious way to get around. Morgan can scramble around ledges similarly to Corvo in Dishonored, but often a path may suddenly end with a sheer drop and some narrow ledges. This is where Shadow Step comes in. Often players will need to Shadow Step onto narrow ledges and other high-up spots, using the spell repeatedly to navigate to the next apparent way forwards. It can also be used to soften falls, by casting it at the ground when about to land.
Shadow Step really shines when combined with one of Dream Cycle's other spells, Astral Projection. Astral Projection gives the player an aerial camera view, which they can use to scout around tight corners and high spaces, like with Crypto's drone in Apex Legends. With Astral Projection, players can strategize ways to leap around with Shadow Step. Dream Cycle is generous with its mana, so Shadow Step can be chained together more than once with only a slight delay between each cast. So, for example, players can scout a route and then Shadow Step once out into the air, then quickly cast again up onto a higher ledge that couldn't be reached with the first cast.
This spell combo shows that there's a lot of potential to be found in Dream Cycle's movement options and platforming-friendly level design. Exploration and a sense of freedom in movement are two of Dream Cycle's aims, and Shadow Step gives a powerful and enjoyable way to start explore what this adventure has to offer.
Dream Cycle is in Early Access and is available for PC.
