(sorry in advance for my choppy writing, I have never written a review before hahaha)

Quite literally my favorite game of all times, and I don't see it being dethroned for a while. I am not going to say anything about the symbolism or all the possible interpretations, as I believe it is up to the player themselves to form their own meaning to this game. I guess the meanings can depend on how you are as a person. As a trans woman, I connect a lot of the imagery of the game with gender dysphoria and gender exploration. But that's all I will say about my interpretation, as I don't want to influence anyone who might play it for the first time.

What makes this my favorite game, without sounding too pretentious, is the feeling of melancholy it gives. You are always alone, exploring abstract and ethereal dream landscapes. Everyone/everything you interact with either does nothing, makes you wake up or gives you an effect. There is no dialogue whatsoever. This gives the player a feeling of loneliness that I think very few games have accomplished. Along with a soundtrack consisting of mostly short loops, Yume Nikki is THE indie RPG game that everyone should play. Some of you will find it horrendously boring, but for those who it will hit different it can be a life changing experience... PLAY THIS GAME!!!