Yume Nikki was originally released in 2004, as a product of the early RPG Maker engine, and when it did, it created something of a stir. The game, known best for its subversive and controversial themes, is getting a modern-day remake that’s set for a worldwide release this year. The game follows most of the same story beats as its source material, and to prove it, the title’s developers have released a trailer, seen above, which they have singularly titled “Prologue.”
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The game stars a shut-in (described best in Japanese as a “hikikomori,” a person who chooses to shut themselves away from society, living a life of isolation, usually in front of a computer screen) who encounters surreal and horrifying creatures while unknowingly navigating their own psyche. The transition from pixel-based animation to a much more modern style already makes the prologue visuals creepier than they were before, blazing an unknown path for players to take that makes the monsters they expect to find much more terrifying.
A few details about the remake have been released on Steam already, which you can check out below:
In its original form, RPG Maker darling Yume Nikki was a divisively controversial work among fans. By contrast, YumeNikki -Dream Diary- is a collaborative show of the utmost respect for auteur Kikiyama’s seminal release.
The RPG Maker team at Kadokawa has paired up with Active Gaming Media’s development team of ardent Yume Nikki fans to bring you this modern indie title in the form of YumeNikki -Dream Diary-. This diverging follow-up combines influences from the original game and other recent indie juggernauts to create something wholly unique.
YumeNikki -Dream Diary- was created under supervision and with the full cooperation from the original creator, Kikiyama themselves. We hope it will help to create a whole new wave of fans, as well as push the envelope in terms of what RPG Maker games can become.
Featuring “all-new old” original character!
A character dormant in Kikiyama’s imagination (and design documents) surfaces 16 years after Yume Nikki’s original release.
Yume Nikki -Dream Diary- is set for release next week, on February 23rd, for PC via Steam.
(h/t Gematsu)
