And yet, these games still start with a character alone in their room.

Many of these reference other community creations РІР‚вЂњ a room where the player can try on the clothes of each fangame's protagonist, a gallery of images from other dreamworlds РІР‚вЂњ which only adds to the feeling of being part of a collective. To understand Yume Nikki - to even have the words to describe it - you have to understand its community.Р”Р„ll videogames have a fandom, but the members of Yume NikkiРІР‚в„ўs community are more like co-authors spawning an entire new genreРІР‚в„ўs worth of fangames. The silent NPCs are almost always (including within this essay) referred to by the names given to them by the fans, as are the many, many surreal locations. The infinitely looping, empty environments are so difficult to navigate that most every player will have to consult a guide to make it through. Ironically, the aspects of Yume Nikki that supposedly make it such a lonely experience are what ultimately force the player to immerse themselves within the gameРІР‚в„ўs fandom.

All we have is the experience of playing it. There is no plot to analyse, no explicit narrative to interpret. ItРІР‚в„ўs a РІР‚Сљwarm-heartedРІР‚Сњ game, according to one of the only details given by creator Kikiyama. But IРІР‚в„ўm not so sure anymore.Р”Р‡or one thing, Yume Nikki comes with no mission statement. ItРІР‚в„ўs how people normally talk about the game, and I picked up the habit. She can only go to bed, to sleep, and to dream.Р’В If she has family, friends, a life outside that door, we never see it.

Yume Nikki (Kikiyama, 2004) is a game about a girl who canРІР‚в„ўt РІР‚вЂњ or wonРІР‚в„ўt РІР‚вЂњ leave her room.

Yume nikki madotsuki poster