This one caught my attention the moment I saw the trailer: Bygone Dreams isn’t just another fantasy action-adventure trying to ride on indie nostalgia. With its surreal dreamscape, a hefty number of boss fights, and some real award cred behind it, this is a game that’s clearly swinging for the fences. The fact that it’s won the Reboot Develop Visual Excellence award and got Epic Games’ nod at the WN Dev Contest isn’t something I see every day for a debut, especially from a smaller studio like Prime Time. But what really stands out is its promise of a bizarre, handcrafted world backed up by over two hours of voiced cutscenes and a soundtrack from Bosnian bands – that’s the kind of flavor you don’t usually get in your average loot-and-craft romp.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | GrabTheGames (EU), CyberStep (Asia) |
| Release Date | June 20, 2025 |
| Genres | Action-Adventure, Fantasy, Puzzle |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) |
Let’s get this out of the way: high fantasy action-adventures with crafting systems have been done to death. But Bygone Dreams isn’t just playing the hits. The game’s pitch-a surreal dream world where nightmares threaten the existence of a matron deity-leans into the kind of weird, lore-heavy storytelling you usually only see from the likes of indie darlings like Hyper Light Drifter or GRIS. The fact that the soundtrack comes from Bosnian bands and there’s a two-hour cinematic story with full voice acting is a bold move for a studio making a name for itself.
The boss count (18!) immediately puts this up there with games that want to test your patience and skills, rather than just pad out the runtime. We’ve seen what a boss-rush structure can do for indie credibility (think Furi or Cuphead), but those games succeeded because their bosses weren’t just sponges-they were memorable, stylish, and mechanically distinct. If Bygone Dreams can hit that mark, it might become a cult favorite. The 45+ enemies with “distinct mechanics” also tells me this isn’t going to be a button-masher; it’s the kind of thing that appeals to those of us who want patterns to learn and systems to master.
Of course, ambition is a double-edged sword. For every indie darling that lands, there’s another that gets lost trying to do too much. Two hours of voiced cutscenes is a lot to produce—especially if the writing or voice direction doesn’t land. The promise of “crafting, looting, puzzles, and much more” is exciting, but as a genre veteran I’ve seen too many games bloat themselves with undercooked systems. The proof will be whether Prime Time can balance all these ingredients without losing focus.
What really makes this interesting in the current gaming landscape is the global indie collaboration. GrabTheGames and CyberStep handling publishing in Europe and Asia hints at a game aiming beyond just Steam’s Western audience. CyberStep, in particular, has a history with quirky, community-driven online games, but here they’re helping push a single-player high fantasy dreamworld. It shows how indies are thinking big, and that’s good for players tired of samey genre entries.
For gamers, the promise here is a visually inventive, boss-heavy adventure that’s not afraid to get weird. If you’re someone who values artistic vision and challenging encounters over safe, predictable design, Bygone Dreams is worth watching. The rich soundtrack, international roots, and genre mash-ups could set it apart from the endless parade of procedural dungeons and roguelike clones.
Still, the usual caveats apply: Will the gameplay be as tight as the art? Will the story justify those two hours of cutscenes, or will it drag? Is this another case of indie overreach, or a breakout hit in the making? With a June 2025 release, we’ve got time to see more, but the early signs are promising. At the very least, it’s a game daring to dream bigger than most.
Bygone Dreams is shaping up to be more than just a pretty face, promising a mix of high-concept storytelling, challenging boss fights, and international indie flavor. If Prime Time can nail the gameplay as well as the visuals, this could be a sleeper hit for fans of experimental fantasy. But with so much ambition, the risk of overpromising is real—so keep your eyes peeled and your expectations in check. Either way, it’s one of the 2025 indies I’ll be rooting for.
Source: GrabTheGames via GamesPress
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