I’m not a huge fan of action platformers. I prefer to have my games on the more cerebral or strategic side of things. However, I’m always willing to take a second glance at a title that looks to have deep story elements in it. Which is why I decided to give Pankapu: the Dreamkeeper a closer look. Before I begin with my thoughts I want to point out here that this is another game being supported by the Square Enix Collective. Which is how I initially found out about it.
Pankapu: the Dreamkeeper is the story about a defender of dreams against a horde of nightmare creatures bent on complete control of both the dreamlands and the waking realm. He won’t be alone in his quest, and he’ll have plenty of tricks up his sleeve in order to combat the evil. While this is an action platformer it does borrow from some other gaming genres as well. In particular the use of three different “Aegis”, or suits that bestow special abilities, and each one having its own “Nebula”, or the equivalent of a skill tree in most RPGs these days.
What really sets Pankapu: the Dreamkeeper apart from its kin for me is in the story itself. I could hack and slash all day with plenty of action games, but there’s heart to this tale. You’re not only playing as the titular slayer of nightmares but also as a young kid plagued with nightmares, having experienced an as yet unnamed series of tragic events. This poor boy, Djaha’Rell, listens to his grandfather tell the story as he imagines what bravery is accomplished by his fictional alter ego. You can even go back and explore previously blocked off areas to regain lost memory fragments.
Track the progress of the Pankapu: The Dreamkeeper Kickstarter in our Campaign Calendar.
