Bygone Dreams Review – A Dreamlike Journey with Some Dark Clouds Along the Way

Bygone Dreams is a high fantasy action-adventure that plunges players into the kaleidoscopic world of Lume—a dream realm teetering on the brink of annihilation. Developed by indie studio Prime Time and co-published by GrabTheGames and CyberStep, this title sets its ambitions sky-high, promising a sweeping journey filled with mythological echoes, stylized boss fights, and layered combat mechanics. After the release of its promising prologue Bygone Dreams: Prophecy, the full version now offers the complete picture—and it’s a complex, albeit occasionally uneven, one.

Myth and Mystery in a Fragmented Dreamworld

At the heart of Bygone Dreams is Wa, a spectral figure awakened without memory, tasked with locating ancient Guardians in an effort to halt the spread of an all-consuming Nightmare. The narrative draws heavily from Slavic mythology and Bosnian folklore, wrapping its tale in poetic mysticism and dreamlike imagery. Though the overarching plot unfolds in a fragmented, nonlinear way, there’s no denying the atmospheric richness here. Fully voiced cutscenes add a welcome cinematic sheen, even if the story’s pacing occasionally stumbles or feels obtuse.

The world of Lume itself is a character—one that shifts between the serene, the eerie, and the downright surreal. Floating architecture, impossible physics, and dream logic dominate the landscape, pulling you into a space where nothing feels quite real—but everything feels intentional.

Combat Depth Meets Puzzle Vagueness

Combat in Bygone Dreams is deceptively complex. While it’s not quite a “Soulslike,” it shares DNA with that genre—stamina management, precision dodging, elemental affinities, and enemy pattern memorization are all essential. You’ll unlock an arsenal of melee and ranged tools, each with their own quirks and resource management layers.

For me personally, the bosses stand out as the game’s crowning achievements. There are multiple difficulty levels to choose from, with Heroic difficulty introducing new movesets rather than just stat boosts. It’s a smart design choice that keeps even veterans on their toes. The combat shines most in these tightly designed arenas, where skill and timing truly matter.

However, exploration and puzzles don’t reach the same heights. The open-ended structure offers freedom—but sometimes at the cost of direction. It’s possible to stumble into late-game areas too early, and puzzles lack contextual guidance. One rotating tile puzzle even left me vulnerable to off-screen damage while solving it, which clearly felt as a disconnect between design intent and player experience.

Stylized Visuals, if Sometimes Disorienting

The visual design of Bygone Dreams is undeniably a highlight. Winner of the Reboot Develop “Visual Excellence” award, it blends painterly backdrops with surrealist architecture and creature design that wouldn’t look out of place in a Salvador Dalí fever dream. Color palettes shift dramatically between zones, evoking mood rather than realism.

That said, the visual ambition sometimes interferes with clarity—especially in platforming sections or during chaotic fights where particle effects, enemy animations, and UI elements overlap in messy ways. Without consistent visual language guiding you, navigation can become more confusing than it needs to be.

Technically Sound, But Not Perfect

Technically, Bygone Dreams delivers a mostly stable experience—but not without blemishes. On PC, framerates hold steady in most areas, but occasional dips occur during particle-heavy boss encounters. Environmental interactions can be inconsistent, with characters getting snagged on foliage or geometry, and just like in the demo certain HUD elements (like quest updates) sometimes refuse to disappear until the game is restarted.

Controller support is robust and recommended, especially considering the occasional wonkiness with sprinting or camera sensitivity using mouse and keyboard. These are largely fixable issues but do contribute to a sense of jank.

Regional Heart, Cinematic Soul

Bygone Dreams‘ soundtrack deserves special praise. With over 50 original tracks recorded alongside Bosnian musicians, the music blends regional authenticity with grand orchestral energy. The result is a score that feels deeply rooted yet fantastical, giving emotional weight to even the game’s quieter moments.

The voice acting is also commendably ambitious for an indie, though performances range from stirring to stilted. Still, the effort lends a sense of scope rarely seen in similarly budgeted titles.

Final Thoughts

Bygone Dreams is an ambitious indie title that swings for the stars, but ends up somewhere closer to the moon. It delivers a richly atmospheric world, challenging combat, and a soundtrack with real soul. At the same time, it suffers from mechanical rough edges, obscure puzzles, and moments where polish falls short of vision. Still, there’s genuine heart here—and for players willing to embrace a few quirks and frustrations, Bygone Dreams offers a memorable journey through a fractured world that begs to be explored.

Additional Information

Release Date: June 20, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Prime Time
Publisher: Prime Time, GrabTheGames, CyberStep Inc.
Website: https://www.bygonedreams.primetime.co.ba
Relevant links: Bygone Dreams on STEAM