Yume 2kki is the modern equivalent of a spiritual pilgrimage writ LSD Dream Emulator.

It gives you space to think your thoughts, shows you the most gorgeous audio-visual imagery you will ever see in a video game, and just lets you wander.

I will always love this game more than I will have words to express my emotions because of the ways it allows you to create your own meaning in the setting. There are experiences I have had tucked away in the bowels of this game's deepest annals that have changed me as a being.

It takes work to wander.
But what you find is up to you.

In all seriousness, Yume 2kki is a grand grab-bag of a game with a slight barrier to entry. Some worlds are almost offendingly irritating - fucking Graveyard World, I never want to see you again - but if you put in the work, this game holds some really amazing details, as well as the best soundtrack I've found in any game, bar none.

This game is something I show to the people I feel closest with, because it feels like I'm showing a piece of myself to them.

I love it. I will always love it.

Yume nikki but better, seriously.

The community effort has made this game massive alongside quality of life changes that the original should have had. The game being continously updated means there's always something new to explore and look forward to.

Unfortunately the massive scale of the project is also to its detriment. since it's a slew of other people's work, it lacks a sort of cohesion and atmosphere yume nikki has. It's a mish mash of everything that's a joy to play and uncover, but poor in theory crafting and interpretation, which is what made yume nikki so well revered.

By all means, yume 2kki is a better game than yume nikki and still deserves 5 stars, but I think the original will always have the leg up.