DREAMOUT Review: Drunk Alpaca Simulator is the Existential Crisis I Didn't Know I Needed

So, I played a game where you're a perpetually soused alpaca tasked by a talking, disembodied skull to find its missing body. Yeah, that's the premise. If you're already backing away slowly, fair enough. But if you're intrigued by the sheer what-the-fuckery of it all, pull up a chair. DREAMOUT is a trip.

Valkyrie Initiative and Game Dynasty have cooked up something genuinely strange here. It’s got that indie charm, but dipped in cheap vodka and rolled in glitter. You stumble through a low-poly, vaguely unsettling world, knocking back questionable liquids, talking to things that shouldn't talk, and occasionally whacking stuff with a sword.

Drink, Fight, Fish, Repeat (Sort Of)

The game tells you to "Drink everything you find", and it’s not kidding. Apparently, prohibition skipped this dimension. This fuels your journey through around 40 quests, many of which feel like fetch quests designed by someone on acid. Murder sentient carrots for soup? Sure, why not. Find a body for your decapitated skull companion? All in a day's work for a drunk alpaca, apparently.

The combat? Let's be generous and call it functional. You swing a sword, enemies telegraph attacks with big red circles (mostly accurately), and you unlock one, count 'em, one extra move. It’s not challenging; it exists purely to stop you from just waltzing everywhere. I'm crap at combat, so frankly, I didn't mind the simplicity, but don't come here looking for intricate duels.

You also get to fish. But forget catching actual fish most of the time. I pulled up treasure chests, random junk, and even a frozen human body at one point. It fits the game's overall "makes no sense but okay" vibe.

Puzzles, Portals, and Pointless Coins

Where the game gets slightly more interesting is the puzzles. They usually involve lugging bombs around to blow up rocks, sometimes using wind devices or portals to extend your throwing range. Later puzzles add a bit more complexity, requiring you to spawn specific objects like boxes or portals using cloud-things. They’re decent enough brain teasers without ever feeling truly stumped.

Throughout this fever dream, you collect coins. A lot of coins. Smashing pots, killing basic enemies – they shower you in the stuff. And what can you spend it on? Hats. That's pretty much it. There are 30 hats to find or buy, some clearly nodding to other games. They're purely cosmetic, offering zero gameplay benefits. I finished the game with hundreds of coins and nothing left to buy, feeling like a millionaire in a ghost town. Felt like a half-baked mechanic, honestly.

Wacky World, Witty Words

The real star here is the world itself and the writing. It’s genuinely funny in a bizarre, off-kilter way. The characters are strange – a carrot man, drunken butterflies, maybe even an infernal chicken. The dialogue is ridiculous, packed with references, and feels like the developers just had a blast writing it. It’s this weird charm that kept me pushing through the simple gameplay.

One reviewer mentioned the game made them question their existence because the alpaca had more friends than they did. I didn't get that deep, but the game definitely has a unique, slightly melancholic vibe underneath the absurdity.

Blink and You'll Miss It

This whole experience is incredibly short. I saw credits roll in under two hours. While I appreciate a game not wasting my time, it did feel like the mechanics and world could have supported something a bit meatier. It ends just as you're settling into the weirdness. Also, the save system is opaque – I couldn't tell when it saved, and there's no manual save option, which is always annoying.

The Verdict

DREAMOUT is the definition of a weird indie darling. It's rough around the edges, mechanically shallow in places, and over before you know it. But damn it, it's got personality. The bizarre world, genuinely funny writing, and surprisingly decent puzzles create a memorable, albeit brief, experience. It’s not going to change your life (unless you really connect with that alpaca), but it’s a perfectly strange way to spend an evening, maybe with a drink in hand to get on the protagonist's level. If you like strange, wacky games, give this drunken alpaca a shot.

Score: 7.6/10 - A shot of weird, wonderful nonsense that goes down smooth but leaves you wanting another round.

We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way.