Underplayed Gems

Cruel Reality: A horrible dream (2023)

Cruel Reality: A horrible dream cover
Developer
Keer&Deem Creations
Platforms
Windows
Genres
Adventure, Casual, Indie
Rating
4.9 of 5, 43 player ratings
Typical playtime
about 47 minutes
Where to get it
Steam
The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

A disorienting blend of retro pixel art and psychological dread, where hallucinations and buried fears blur with reality through minimalist gameplay and an unsettling soundtrack.

psychological horroratmosphericretrominimalistdarksurrealemotionaltense

What players say

Players call it a very short visual novel, about 15 to 45 minutes, with a pixel-art look and a mix of humor, memes, and jump scares. The story has three endings, and while some find it touching or deep, others say it can be edgy. The low price is noted, and players encourage replaying to see all endings.

Screenshots

Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 1Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 2Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 3Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 4Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 5Cruel Reality: A horrible dream screenshot 6

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.