Red Dreams Is A Psychological Pixel Art Thriller Inspired By Māori Culture

Gametopia has announced its latest title Red Dreams, a psychological pixel art thriller inspired by Māori culture.

Red Dreams follows the journey of Māori astrophysicist Mere Turei, who heads to a research station floating above the vast Red Ocean of Kiwa to investigate the disappearance of her best friend Emily. The challenge is that the Red Ocean causes visions so vivid that you can’t tell what is real, known as Red Dreams. To find Emily, Mere must use her scientific logic with the ancestral wisdom of her Māori heritage, but in a place that warps reality, doing so is easier said than done.

Billed as having a “classic soul and modern pulse,” Red Dreams promises gameplay that can be played with a controller or keyboard and mouse, decisions that affect whether you find Emily alive or not, and detailed pixel art built into a 3D world.

On the Māori inspiration, Daniel González, Red Dreams’ creative director, says that the game was developed with the support of a Māori culture expert and the casting of New Zealand actress Rebecca Ronayne to bring Mere to life.

“For me, crossing the cosmos in a tiny vessel surrounded by the void is the closest thing to what ancient navigators must have felt while crossing the Pacific in a Māori waka (canoe). That analogy is the foundation of Red Dreams’ identity. We wanted to treat this cultural background with absolute respect. For us, authenticity is never optional.”

Gametopia is a Spanish and Colombian outfit that previously released the adventure game Verne: The Shape of Fantasy, which I reviewed and said had gorgeous pixel art but bland gameplay. Red Dreams looks like it’s got the pixel art nailed – let’s just hope the overall experience is a bit more rounded.

You can Wishlist Red Dreams on Steam here.

What do you think of Red Dreams? Let us know in the comments or on social media.