DaRmaZat Bygone Dreams: Prophecy is a free prologue to Bygone Dreams, an upcoming surreal high fantasy action-adventure developed by Prime Time and co-published with GrabTheGames. The prologue, launching on May 6, serves as an early glimpse into the full game and includes the first two levels. It offers 2–3 hours of gameplay depending on your difficulty setting and skill level, and will be available exclusively on PC. This early slice introduces players to the dreamworld of Lume and the cosmic threat that looms over it, while laying the groundwork for a much larger adventure to come.
A dual quest: face the Nightmare, find the Guardians
The dreamworld of Lume, once under the serene protection of a maternal deity, is unraveling. Ravaged by an all-consuming Nightmare, this once-idyllic land teeters on the brink of oblivion. You take on the role of Wa, an enigmatic figure resurrected by Alvar and Eleonora in the opening moments of the prologue. With flowing white hair and a floating head, Wa is a strange and ethereal presence—mysteriously stripped of all memory.
Tasked with locating the ancient Guardians—powerful beings who once stood watch over the realm—Wa embarks on a journey through Lume’s whimsical and haunting landscapes. Each Guardian, once revered, has now fallen victim to the Nightmare, and reclaiming their power will be no small feat. Drawing inspiration from Slavic mythology and medieval Bosnian folklore, the narrative feels both timeless and otherworldly, supported by fully voiced cutscenes that lend a strong cinematic flavor to the experience.
Rituals of steel and spell
Gameplay in Bygone Dreams: Prophecy leans heavily into action mechanics with light and heavy attack combos, shielding, ranged weapons, and magic-based abilities. Your journey begins with the Larix, a bo staff-like weapon, and soon after, you’re handed a bow that consumes mana for charged shots. Successfully landing finishers can reward buffs, but these enhancements often come with additional resource costs. Combat is tactically layered, relying on players to study enemy behavior and identify specific weaknesses—each enemy type has unique strengths that must be countered accordingly.
Bygone Dreams its world is semi-linear, with hidden paths and side routes that reward exploration, as NPCs sometimes provide crucial items for main path progression, encouraging players to deviate from the obvious trail. Action gameplay features a dodge-roll, blocking mechanics, stagger effects, and a lock-on targeting system to help manage its more chaotic battles.
Unfortunately, not all systems are intuitive. Enemy AI can behave inconsistently, and bizarre physics can launch defeated enemies or dropped loot meters away from where they fell. While the D-pad item access and targeting system are well-designed, the game’s tutorials are a bit vague—particularly when it comes to explaining elemental affinities and how they interact in combat. Input issues also occur, with sprinting occasionally cutting out and motion blur and camera sensitivity set too high by default. Easy to fix, luckily.
Fractures in the dream
While visually compelling in its art direction, the game’s technical execution in this prologue leaves something to be desired. During combat, the camera has a mind of its own, and you’re almost forced to use enemy targeting at all times to avoid disorienting swings. Menus could benefit from a more intuitive overhaul, as exiting them requires awkward manual option navigation, while sprint is mapped to a button hold rather than the more ergonomic stick toggle.
This build of Bygone Dreams: Prophecy also suffers from some noticeable bugs. Wa occasionally gets stuck on environmental objects like trees, and quest update notifications can hang indefinitely in the UI, covering a large portion of the screen — both issues require a restart to fix. That said, the framerate is stable, and the soundtrack, filled with orchestral flair, traditional instruments, and sweeping melodies, brings much-needed soul to the adventure.
Preliminary Thoughts
There’s no denying that Bygone Dreams: Prophecy presents a beautifully imagined world, supported by strong mythological underpinnings and an evocative score. Its combat is ambitious, its lore rich, and its world design filled with promise. However, the prologue’s systems could use further polish: combat mechanics, UI navigation, and technical stability all need significant refinement before the full game can truly shine. If Prime Time can iron out these issues before launch, Bygone Dreams could very well evolve into a decent title in the action-adventure genre.
Additional Information
Release Date: May 6, 2025 (prologue) – June 2025 (full game)
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Prime Time
Publisher: Prime Time, GrabTheGames
Official Website: https://www.bygonedreams.primetime.co.ba
Relevant links: Bygone Dreams: Prophecy on STEAM, Bygone Dreams on STEAM
