Dreamscaperis an action roguelike RPG that involves diving through the psyche of the main character, Cassidy, in order to defeat manifestations of all of her negative emotions and work through trauma. In the waking world, the player can control Cassidy in order toforge relationships with the people around her.

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There are benefits to making relationships with people; namely, Cassidy will gain influences from these people, which can act as stat boosts or other perks in the dream world. There are seven perks in total; though they’re all useful, there will always be influences that are just objectively better.

7Tamal’s Passion

Tamal’s Passion, once unlocked, will start to increase the damage that a player inflicts on enemies – as long as they are fire-based (and later oil-based) attacks. Tamal’s Passion starts off by increasing the player’s fire damage. After the first three levels are unlocked, this influence will also start to increase the player’s oil damage, while giving extra burn duration at the max level.

This influencecanwork on a player, but the catch is that they would have to play more towards using fire-based and oil-based attacks in order for the influence to be used for its full potential. Overall, Tamal’s Passion is too niche to be a“must-use” influence inDreamscaper.

Dreamscaper - Walking down a neon-lit street corner.

6Carl’s Creativity

Similar to Tamal’s Passion, Carl’s Creativity will increase the damage that a player makes with certain elements of attacks. At the first three levels, Carl’s Creativity will increase the player’s lightning damage. However, at Level IV and above, Carl’s Creativity will also increase the player’s water damage on top of lightning damage.

Like Tamal’s Passion, Carl’s Creativity falls into the trap where it is a good influence to have if a player uses these kinds of attacks often, but can’t apply to every scenario in the game. Overall, this influencecanwork, but only witha specific play-style in the roguelike.

Dreamscaper - The player fighting a larger monster in the woods.

5Rose’s Wit

Rose’s Wit applies to a large majority of the game (instead of being tailored towards a specific play-style). Once unlocked, Rose’s Wit will start to increase the run speed of the player. Starting at Level IV, it will also increase the speed of Attacks – although, attack speed only starts to increase by 1% per level.

This influence is a good choice for anyone who doesn’t know what to pick when it comes to influences. As Rose’s Wit offers attack speedandmovement speed, it thus becomes easier tododge enemies and cast more attacks. More attacks, of course, would mean more damage.

Dreamscaper - Fighting enemies in an ice-covered street.

4Eve’s Perception

Although this influence is, once again, tailored more towards a specific play-style, Eve’s Perception is tailored for a play-style that is much more flexible than Tamal’s Passion or Carl’s Creativity. Eve’s Perception will start to increase the damage of ranged attacks – after unlocking the influence’s Level IV, thespeedof projectiles will also increase.

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Dreamscaper - Fighting off enemies in the middle of the street.

Eve’s Perception is useful – despite not being an all-around influence – because of how common ranged attacks are. Using projectiles is also a frequently-used play-style for players ofDreamscaper. This means that even though this is tailored for a new play-style, it is acommonplay style fortaking down waves of enemies.

3Fernando’s Dedication

Fernando’s Dedication is a great influence to have if a player is aiming for more survivability. Once unlocked, the player’s Armor starts to increase more and more; this, in turn, would cause them to take less damage. In later levels, the parry window that a player has will also increase, making iteasier to parry enemy attacks in the RPG(which isveryimportant inDreamscaper). The influence tops off with more Max HP for a player.

Overall, Fernando’s Dedication can be a nice influence to have if a player finds that they die too easily to enemy attacks. If not, though, it would be better for a player to find another influence to use.

Dreamscaper - A player standing in a cemetery.

2Alison’s Wonder

Alison’s Wonder is one of the best influences, as it greatly benefits Lucid Attacks; something that a player will be using many times in the dream world. While unlocking, Alison’s Wonder will start to increase the damage of a player’s Lucid Attacks; during higher levels, it will also start to decrease the refresh time of these Lucid Attacks.

Lucid Attacks will be a useful ability for players to use in the dream world. An influence that would increase the damage they deal, on top of decreasing the cool-down time needed before using them again, would benefit just about any player. This is regardless ofalmost any play-style inDreamscaper.

Dreamscaper - A street in the middle of the night.

1Bruce’s Wisdom

As it boosts Critical Damage, Critical Chance, and then Attack Speed, Bruce’s Wisdom is by far one of the best influences to work with. After unlocking the influence, it will start to boost the player’s Critical Damage. After Level III is finished, then the player’s Critical Rate will start to be boosted alongside the Damage – the final level boosts the player’s Attack Speed (similar to Rose’s Wit).

Almost every play-style can benefit from Critical Damage; the fact that the higher levels boost CriticalRatealongside makes this influence one of the most versatile influences. Plus, the extra bump of Attack Speed is always nice. Of course, though, all the influences can be usedin some way in this roguelike.

Dreamscaper - An image of the player walking down the woods.

Dreamscaperis available on Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

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