I have yet to sit down and play Death Stranding 2. I really want to stop everything I’m doing and just play the hell out of that game, but I have made arrangements that I have to honor, and this week’s game is just that. I forget that cozy games really just take the weight off your shoulders, even when the due date to talk about them was so close. Regardless, I hung out in my room and solved puzzles in front of a flashlight.

This week is my Projected Dreams Review!

I would like to give a shout-out to Flawberry Studios for the key. Sorry, the review is a little late!

Projected Dreams is a puzzle game from Flawberry Studios. The game was released for the PC at the end of May 2025, and retails for $15.

The player takes the role of a young woman who has stumbled upon a scrapbook. The images are faded and distorted, having been forgotten. You can only make out silhouettes of important objects from that pivotal moment when the picture was taken. The story is heavy and reminds us of the importance of still images and how they play a role in preserving memories. Nostalgia plays a huge role in Projected Dreams, as there is not a single moment of dialogue, only viewing photos and attempting to construct the narrative from there.

There is no dialogue, but I always knew how the simple story was playing out. I liked it a lot.

Gameplay is simple to understand: There is a light on the wall, pick up items, rotate them, and place them on a table to match the shadows on the walls. Loads of objects can be picked up and fiddled with, and you can rotate them in every possible way. Picking up, rotating, and placing objects is easy and becomes second nature almost immediately. Can’t figure it out? Projected Dreams gives the player the option to look for the answer. The difficulty curve can sometimes spike upwards, so being able to get a little hint is nice.

As you progress, different mechanics are introduced to keep you on your toes. Mechanics like duplicating items to finish a complex piece, using a ghost to conceal the shadow of an item, and a way to stick objects together.

When all is said and done, drop the completed piece together, and Projected Dreams gives the player stars on how well they did staying inside the line. The only real issue that I have with the game is the physics. When the player is not sticking items together, then it is up to them to balance items perfectly,y or the objects fall off the table and get reset. I does get a little bit frustrating to see a masterpiece fall over because the weight distribution was a little off.

Yeah, I get it, the half inch of the Furby on the book balancing on the cup is enough to make it fall over, but CAN IT NOT?

Projected Dreams has got the cozy vibes down pat. The visuals are clean and colorful. Lisa’s room is detailed, and as you progress, it gains more detail that gives it a lived-in feel. I also really, really like the design of things to do outside of the puzzles, like pressing random buttons, messing with pumpkins, pressing the rollercoaster car constantly, all while I am puzzling.

The sound design of Floris Demandt, who obviously nails the soundtrack. Offering up a subtle and vibey soundtrack that never really took my attention away from puzzling. I enjoyed collecting cassette tapes to then play them on my 80s-style half cassette player, half microphone, and listen to the actual bops.

Projected Dreams is a game that set its sights on being cozy and achieved it. It took me two sessions to complete, around 3 hours, and the whole time I was enjoying myself (my wife included). The puzzles do spike in difficulty sometimes, with a simple one first and then a multi-piece work of art around the corner. I enjoyed how light the story was, as it allowed me to play more of the game.

Projected Dreams is easy on the eyes, and the music is dope, and the game is fun to play. The only real issue that I have with the game is the physics, but that is only a minor thing in the grand scope.

7/10