A Japanese cult classic has mysteriously made its way onto Steam in the last few day. Yume Nikki, circulating the internet since its release in 2004, is now free-to-play on Steam. Along with the release of the game, a countdown timer can be seen on the Steam page.
Yume Nikki, translated to Dream Diary, has earned quite the following over the years, and is described by the developer as an “RPG Maker tour de force, and a divisively controversial work for fans.” This truly unique RPG has no real story and no real mission. There isn’t even dialogue to guide you on your journey through Yume Nikki. Instead, you travel through different dream worlds full of terrifying creatures at your own pace and in your own way. As there is no clear story, fans have debated on the games meaning since its creation.
Along with releasing the game for free, the developer, kikiyama, also released a teaser for the “next Yume Nikki project.” The countdown timer is currently counting down from two weeks. As of this writing, the timer stands at 13 days and 2 hours. Fans should expect to see something from the developer around Wednesday, January 17th. Right now it is unclear as to whether the new project is a remaster, a sequel, or something else, but the original developer is involved.
Yume Nikki has been adapted into a manga series and a series of light novels. A mobile visual novel, called Yume Nikki: The Fourteenth Door, was announced last year. In 2013, the manga series, as well as a few light novels, were published by PHP Institute and Takeshobo, while J-Novel Club published the light novels digitally.
Are you looking forward to what the next project will be? Have you experienced Yume Nikki yourself? Let us know in the comments below!