Vincent’s life is taking a turn for the worse. Not only does his girlfriend, Katherine, want him to commit, he’s also getting nightmares that he can’t even remember the next day. To top it all off, one drunk night led to him cheating for the first time in five years. Meanwhile, there are reports all over the city of men dying in their sleep, and the victims have similarities to Vincent.

I know, this sounds like Nightmare on Elm Street gone soap opera, which actually might be a fitting description. Only difference is when the intended victims wake up, they don’t remember their dreams. So they can’t prepare and they won’t even try to avoid them. So every night they go to bed not knowing that when they wake up they’ve just survived another night, or that they might die. To me, that sounds far more horrifying than Freddy Krueger every was.

The theme of this game is quite simple, it’s about marriage and commitment. Vincent has two women in his life who represent each side of the issue. Katherine represents a life of order and stability. Catherine represents a life of freedom and chaos. Vincent is the confused guy stuck in the middle. As Vincent, you can reply to each of their text messages. How you reply affects the karma meter. If it’s in the pink area, he wants Catherine. If it’s in the blue, he wants Katherine. If it’s in the middle, he doesn’t want either of them. The other characters that share the nightmares with Vincent are facing the same issue in different ways. Plus, you’ll read many quotes about marriage from famous people, with only one exception.

At first the game sounds like a dating sim, but you will definitely be surprised. The true game play is in the nightmares, where you are pushing blocks trying to get to the top before the block you’re standing on falls to the ground. Every night you face a boss that represents Vincent’s fears. Instead of fighting the boss, you’re pushing the blocks trying to get away. So, think of it as Pushmo meets Resident Evil. Between levels, you can talk to sheep in order to learn more climbing techniques. You can also talk to the sheep and encourage them in order to help them survive. Oh, the sheep you’re talking to are human, but you only see them as sheep. They also see you as another sheep. Not only that, but before you can advance to the next stage, you have to answer a question in the confessional that affects your karma meter. The first choice you pick is sent to the network and you get to see what other people answered. Though I have to wonder how many people answered honestly and how many were just trying to get a certain ending. I was most certainly the latter.

During the day, you hang out at a bar called The Stray Sheep. The only way to pass the time is by talking to people. There are some people you’ll recognize as sheep in the nightmare world. If you talk to them and respond correctly, they will live another day. If not, they end up on the news. How you respond to people’s questions also affects your Karma meter. Let me tell you, more people tend to die on one path than they do on another. I know, after hearing what some of these guys say, they seem like complete ***holes and you want them to die. Then you get to know them and realize that there’s more to them than meets the eye. You can also listen to songs you unlock on the jukebox. There is a bathroom you can use to wash your face and get a preview of the next boss you’ll be facing. You’ll also be playing a game called Rapunzel that has the same style that your nightmares have. Just think of it as practice. This is also where you can check your phone and send text messages. If that’s not enough, you can order a cocktail, whiskey, sake, or a beer. When you’ve finished your glass, you can receive trivia about the alcohol you just drank. The more you drink, the faster you move in the dream world. So the daytime game play is basically this.

As I said earlier, the theme is marriage. One of the women in Vincent’s life wants it and the other one doesn’t. Personally, I don’t want it and I can’t really see why a successful career woman like Katherine does. She has her whole life all figured out and she’s in control. Why she would want to marry and give it up is beyond me. The only explanation I can think of is that her friends and parents are pressuring her, and she picked Vincent because he was the least likely to control her. So no, Vincent, women who don’t want to tie the knot like Catherine are not unusual. So, in all reality, women who are mature and career oriented, like Katherine, would more likely not want to get married, while women who are childish and bubbly, like Catherine, would want to get married as soon as possible. Then they end up with a loser and regret it for the rest of their lives. Before I get a bunch of angry comments, I’m just going by the marriages I’ve seen. So, it’s hard for me to see married life as order when all the marriages around me have been chaos. Yes, I am well aware of Catherine’s back story, so don’t tell me in the comments. I’m just stating my opinion.

This game not only has an intriguing story line, it also has characters with all sorts of hidden depths and a very mature theme. Not to mention that trying to get to the top before dying has its own excitement. I give this game 9 out of 10, great story, great characters and great game play, even if it can be sexist at times. I just have one question for any readers (well the ones that like women or go both ways). Who do you prefer, Katherine or Catherine?