At first glance, Projected Dreams looks more like a motor-skill exercise for children than a game, but it quickly became clear that it was much more than that.
You play as Lisa, reminiscing about her life through a photo album, with each picture becoming a puzzle. You recreate the object in the photo by using items from around the room to cast the perfect shadow on the wall.
It’s surprisingly sweet, like the game Unpacking, though occasionally infuriating.
Skip The Controller
You can play with a mouse and keyboard or controller, though after testing it out on the Steam Deck, I’d recommend sticking to a mouse and keyboard. The controls feel far more precise, and trust me, you’ll need that accuracy.
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The puzzles start simple but ramp up quickly. Early on, you’re just fiddling with toys and making basic silhouettes. Later, you’re juggling two spotlights, using ghost projections to cheat perspective, and even sticking objects together with the help of octopus tentacles. If you get well and truly stuck, each photograph will give you the solution, so you’re not left endlessly overanalysing shadows.
The sticking mechanic, while clever, isn’t clearly explained and had me muttering to myself more than once. It took some stubborn trial and error to figure out how to glue two items together in just the right way, without them getting stuck somewhere else.
Mechanics Galore
Every time I started to lose interest in the current puzzle type, the game would throw in a new twist or ability. Sometimes, I welcomed it. Sometimes, I just wanted to throw a red triangle at the wall. Either way, the game sprinkles enough new mechanics to keep you coming back for more.
Hidden achievements and collectable cassette tapes add some replay value, and helpfully, the game has an album that marks which puzzles contain cassettes. Sadly, some of the achievements I completed refused to register in the game.
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There’s a sense of progression within Lisa’s bedroom itself, with the backdrop subtly changing with each chapter. New tools are often introduced, so it’s worth clicking around the backdrop to see what fun new items you can interact with. It can get frustrating though, when you can’t find a specific item, you’ll often need to click around for awhile to make sure it’s not hiding inside a clamshell or drawer.
Janky Physics, But Low Standards
Each puzzle gives you a star rating, and thankfully, perfection isn’t required. You don’t have to match the lines exactly, which is good because the game’s item-stacking physics can be a bit janky. Objects often bounce off each other in ways that made me question reality — and tested my patience.
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By the final chapter, I found myself caring more about Lisa’s story than solving yet another shadow puzzle. The narrative arc — quiet and sentimental — builds toward a soft, emotional close that leaves you with hope. It’s short and sweet, even if the journey there can be a bit wobbly in places.
If you’re into gentle puzzle games with a personal story, Projected Dreams is worth a look. Just don’t expect perfect physics… Or to stay calm when things refuse to stick.
Projected Dreams is out now on PC via Steam.
Quest Daily scores Projected Dreams:
7/10
A copy of Projected Dreams was supplied to Quest Daily for this review.
