Dream Cycle

Dream Cycle hit StreamerHouse in 2021 for 239 viewers as Tomb Raider creator Toby Gard's return to game development launched into early access September 7. The premise was promising—Lovecraftian dreamworlds with ever-shifting environments—but OpenCritic rated it 'Weak' with 65/100 and only 17% of critics recommending it. GameCritics gave it 5.5/10, saying "wonderful ideas fail to come together in a cohesive way, creating a confusing and at times frustrating experience." The combat was unpolished, bugs ranged from "standing on platforms that aren't there" to enemies stuck in animations, and the grind meant "mowing through every single pixel" to reach objectives. Steam settled at 58% positive reviews from players willing to see past technical issues. Reviewers acknowledged solid voice acting and freedom of movement as bright spots but concluded "it's a great start, but not there yet." StreamerHouse viewers in 2021 witnessed a cautionary tale—legendary pedigree doesn't guarantee quality, and early access can't fix fundamental design problems. Cathuria Games needed more time, but shipped anyway.