Dreamweb

Dreamweb is remembered not for its exquisite storyline or its moody Blade Runner-esque atmosphere, but purely because of one little addition that’s still rarely handled in modern video games in an adult manner….Sex.

Relatively early on during Dreamweb, you catch a young couple during the partaking of a sexual act, and even receive a glimpse of a tiny, heavily pixelated (more due to the nature of the graphics of the time rather than an embarrassment saving device) male appendage.

To have such an important title remembered purely for a brief glimpse of flesh is thoroughly ridiculous. Dreamweb managed to not only contain one of the most intriguing and thoughtful storylines ever seen in a video game, but it also lay claim to standing tall as one of the very few titles that are still thoroughly dripping with oodles of dense atmosphere

Playing more or less as your traditional point‘n’clicker, Deamweb used an established gaming style in order to concentrate on things that most games are ridiculously shallow with.

It managed to use sex, violence, and many more ‘adult themes’ in the kind of invigorating manner that only the real top class film epics can compete with. We’re not talking Leisure Suit Larry or Grand Theft Auto here that’s for sure.
Ryan is a man on the edge as soon as you take control of him. You’re never quite sure if he’s managed to keep a hold on his grip on reality, or has his mind finally lost all sense of truth. You merely find yourself in the shoes of what would essentially be considered a serial killer.

Even today the almost non-existent musical score, and dark graphics come together to create a feeling that most modern games and their ‘Uncanny Valley’ visuals fall miles short of.

Flaws are few, but somewhat costly. Backtracking for virtually unnoticeable essential items becomes a tiresome necessity as you progress. It’s made all the worse by the fact you can pick up almost any item throughout the world, and the majority are completely unusable.

Not quite a classic, but modern day gaming storytellers can learn a whole heap from this British made entity.