Dreamcore
2025 video game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dreamcore is a 2025 first-person horror video game developed by Argentinian studio Montraluz and published by Tlön Industries.[2] Players are tasked with exploring non-linear liminal spaces and discovering hidden secrets.[3]
Gameplay
In Dreamcore, the player solves puzzles in four areas: Dreampools, an indoor pool environment, Eternal Suburbia, Playrooms, an area of children's play spaces, and Liminal Hotel. A fifth area, Deadmall, is in development. Many of the puzzles are based on trial-and-error wayfinding, using visual and audio cues. The game uses a VHS-style filter and was developed in Unreal Engine 5.[4]
Development
Dreamcore takes inspiration from liminal space horror, such as the Backrooms, which was popularized from a 2019 4chan thread. Montraluz announced the game on their YouTube channel in 2023. A trailer later debuted as part of the 2024 Latin American Game Showcase. In 2024, a short demo was made playable on Steam.[5]
In June 2025, the "Playrooms" expansion was released, adding a new explorable area, and in 2026, the "Liminal Hotel" expansion was released. Montraluz will release one more expansion in 2026 which will be called "DeadMall".[6]
Release and reception
Dreamcore was released on January 23, 2025, for Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and Steam. It received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic.[7] The game launched with two areas that the player can explore.
In a more positive review, XboxEra called it the "best liminal space video game", and complimented the game's atmosphere and artistic direction.[8]
The liminal space subgenre of walking simulators has been given attention for its reinvention of the genre and for leaning into the strengths of low-budget game development.[9][10]