Back in 2004, a game called Yume Nikki was released by indie developer Kikiyama. It was an unknown game made by an unknown developer and largely flew under the radar. However, more than ten years after the game’s original release, it has suddenly re-appeared and is now available on Steam.
Yume Nikki is at its heart an adventure game where you play as a girl named Madotsuki who travels around a strange, dark, dream world with graphics akin to that of Earthbound. The game’s description on Steam states that there is no correct way to play the game and no set story; rather, the player is encouraged to wander around the world, exploring what they choose to at their own pace. There is no action or dialogue and the only other mechanic in the game besides walking is the collection of “effects,” which can be used to change the appearance of the playable character. The game is currently available on Steam for free for PC.
In addition to the re-appearance of Yume Nikki, the developer has also posted the link to another website on the game’s Steam page. This website’s tab reads “YUMENIKKI-DREAM DIARY-” and simply contains a countdown timer, which is set to end at 12:00am PST on Thursday, January 25.
