Genre: Point-And-Click Adventure 
Release date: June 25, 2015

The third episode of Dreamfall Chapters is here. When we last left our heroes, Zoe watched in horror as her friend turned into a suicide bomber. Alvane was working with the rebels and the Azadi had made an attack on Oldtown, the place where the magical creatures live. I had felt that Book 2 was slow; as if Red Thread Games was putting all the pieces in place so that the story could start moving. If Book 3 is any indication, I was right.

The game opens up with an Interlude at The House of All Worlds. You play as Saga the mysterious child whose purpose is subject to much debate. Exploring the House of All Worlds was part of the stretch goals from the Kickstarter. I found these segments interesting; however this one has a bit too much pixel hunting for hotspots.

Following the interlude, you step into the shoes of Alvane who is trying to learn more about the mysterious pipe system throughout Marcuria. He does some exploring and chatting with his rebel friends. A lot of areas of Marcuria have been closed off, making the geographic area of this episode a lot smaller than in previous chapters. There is some exploration, but primarily you’re closed off.

After playing as Alvane, we switch back to Zoe who has finally decided to try to use a dream machine in order to help her remember. Europolis is in full lockdown with martial law declared, and Zoe’s story primarily revolves around finding, then using a dream machine.

Following some adventures, Zoe does finally end up in Arcadia, and for the first time in the series we get to see Arcadia in daylight. It is beautiful and what I have been waiting for. The sunshine scares away some of the grunge we saw in Alvane’s nighttime travels during previous games. All I can say is — It’s about time!

The graphics, voice acting, and sound are equal with what was found in the other episodes of Dreamfall Chapters. While Europolis seems deserted as it’s been put under lockdown, Marcuria has come alive with lots of animals populating the streets. Zoe’s look has changed a bit as well. She has a new hair style thanks to some explosion damage received at the end of the last episode. I think she looks great, although I don’t expect it to placate the many Zoe fans who’ve been complaining.

Crow, one of the most loved sidekicks in all of gaming, is back. He does some fourth wall-breaking to compliment Zoe on her new looks. I’ll admit I laughed a bit while that occurred. Crow is well-loved by fans of the Dreamfall universe, and the character always gives the game an edge.

This episode has a noticeable decrease in the number of balance shifting choices. I didn’t mind that, though. I figure this is because the game is at the halfway point and has to start prepping for a final conclusion. I expect the story to get tighter and more singly focused going forward. Parts of this episode felt like a walkthrough as opposed to an interactive game; however, I didn’t mind this either. Realms struck a good balance of thinking, exploration, and story .

I enjoyed Book 3 immensely, and the story is finally starting to pick up. We get some answers, and a few more questions. There are a lot of threads to wrap up, but we have two more Books to make that happen. I was bored when playing Book 2, however Book 3 managed to captivate me. It’s stronger and tighter, and I can’t wait to continue the story.

+ We get to see Arcadia in the daylight and it’s beautiful + Crow has returned   – Frustrating puzzles in the beginning – Fewer balance-shifting choices