As I Began To Dream’s quickfire tile-flipping gives its puzzles a satisfying snap

I believe that 2D puzzle-platformers, despite being overshadowed by autoshooters and survival games, have the potential to regain their charm and cleverness during Steam Next Fest. One game that caught my attention is As I Began To Dream, a beautifully hand-drawn side-scroller that presents puzzles with a nostalgic clickiness reminiscent of childhood toys. The demo is now available for play.

You play as Lily, a character with the ability to flip, rotate, and swap square sections of the environment. Initially, this mechanic serves as a platform-building exercise rather than a puzzle-solving tool. However, as the game progresses, you’ll find yourself pondering the placement and orientation of tiles, as well as considering teleportation strategies, especially when encountering shadowy enemies and laser emitters. The game transforms panel flips into both a means of traversal and a weapon.

Despite the increasing complexity of puzzles, you’ll never have to handle more than a few tiles at once. The compact nature of each challenge was a highlight for me, as I never felt stuck for long periods. Even if I made mistakes, the ability to reset at any time meant I didn’t lose much progress.

The fact that Lily remains stationary during gameplay, using her mind to manipulate the environment, may not appeal to players who prefer a seamless blend of puzzle-solving and platforming. However, for me, this approach worked well. I often find puzzle-platformers tedious due to the repetitive nature of tasks like crate-shoving and rope-pulling required to implement solutions. As I Began To Dream streamlines this process by allowing instant tile manipulation, resulting in a more satisfying experience.

While the demo excels in making tile-swapping puzzles enjoyable, maintaining this level of engagement in more challenging puzzles in the full game will be crucial. Nonetheless, I am optimistic about the game’s potential based on the demo’s success in making puzzle-solving moments feel rewarding.