Adventure · May 11, 2012
The Dream Machine: Chapter 1 & 2 (2012)
The Dream Machine is an award-winning point & click adventure game about exploring other people's dreams. It's built by hand using materials such as clay, cardboard & broccoli. In Chapter 1 you play Victor Neff, the husband of a young couple who've just moved into a new apartment. While trying to get settled in you discover that all is not as it seems in the quiet, unassuming apartment building... In Chapter 2, Victor goes to confront the landlord, Mr. Morton, only to find his apartment empty. Can Victor find the elusive landlord in time and is there more to Mr. Morton than meets the eye? Key Features World: Explore a creepy apartment complex and uncover the mysteries within. Get to know your neighbors and discover their secrets. Story: Delve into the minds of strangers and loved ones as you’re trying to save them from The Dream Machine. Graphics: Wander around beautifully detailed environments built using physical clay models and hand-crafted sets. Puzzles: In order to progress you have to solve puzzles ranging from simple pushovers to fiendish brainteasers. Music: A haunting original soundtrack weaves through the narrative, emphasizing the surreal atmosphere of the game.
Adventure releases from 2012
23 Adventure titles launched in 2012 — top 6 by review volume.
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Point & Click · 216
- Hand-drawn · 210
- Adventure · 207
- Puzzle · 204
- 2D · 203
- Story Rich · 201
- Third Person · 195
- Psychedelic · 190
- Psychological Horror · 186
- Exploration · 183
- Conversation · 183
- Horror · 181
- Surreal · 176
- Narrative · 174
- Dark · 172
Peer Adventure titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Position in Adventure
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 2.2k Steam reviews | Top 92% in Adventure |
| Positive rating | 87% positive | Genre average: 87% — this title sits in top 66% |
| Metacritic | 75/100 | Genre average 77 — top 70% of Adventure titles |
| Engagement hours | 5 h average | Top 57% for session depth among Adventure |
Features & Capabilities
Community
- Steam Achievements
- Steam Trading Cards
Accessibility
- Color Alternatives
- Narrated Game Menus
- Playable without Timed Input
- Subtitle Options
Input & Comfort
- Custom Volume Controls
- Stereo Sound
Other
- Single-player
- Mouse Only Option
- Save Anytime
- Touch Only Option
Reception Metrics
Steam community
87%Very Positive · 2.2k reviews
1.9k positive · 282 negative
Metacritic
75/100 critic aggregate
Curator recommendations
1.3k
Press Quotes
'To play something like The Dream Machine, so exquisitely constructed, so smartly designed, and so atmospherically unique, is a singular pleasure.' - Rock, Paper, Shotgun 'It's so confidently strung together, both in terms of narrative and gameplay, that it's easy to forget that it's the work of just two indie developers.' 8/10 - Eurogamer 'A series filled with mystery and charm, elevated to lofty heights by its whimsical clay and cardboard design, surreal storyline, and heartfelt attention to detail.' 4/5…
Engagement Profile
All-time avg
5h
short (5–15 hours)
Median
3h
Typical completion time
Achievements
46
Steam unlocks available
Release & Availability
| Release date | May 11, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Cockroach Inc. |
| Publisher | The Sleeping Machine |
| Base price | $0.99 -75% |
| DLC / Add-ons | 5 released |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Estimated owners | 100k–1M |
| External links | Official site · Metacritic page · [email protected] |
Editions & Packages
Buy The Dream Machine: Chapter 1 & 2