DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition
DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition
Game
Game2023
Afterdream
Developer Jesse Makkonen
Get lost in a lucid dream, bending the lines between reality and fiction. Utilize the strange camera to navigate through the ghosts' mysterious residence. Find the purpose of your nocturnal visit in a vivid and dreamlike setting. From the Steam store page
169 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 2, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
94
LovedLoved
128 positive · 8 negative
95% range 89–97%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 128 | 8 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 13 | 0 | 17 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
134 of 142 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
94% recommend · 126 yes, 8 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 134 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (336 of 363 positive).
Players praise the game's atmosphere, pixel art, and emotional story about love and loss. [1][2][3] Many find the puzzles easy and the experience short but satisfying. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize the story as too straightforward or the horror as underwhelming. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
Honestly, I'm torn on this one. Presentation, graphics, sound design and atmosphere are all really well done. There were some good creepy moments. But I was hoping for more intensity and something that makes you dread going though the next door. The story isn't really anything to write home about. Not against the messages that are being conveyed, but i feel it could have been done better with more subtlety. A little …
- [1]
This might be the biggest review I'll ever write. The first time I played a game of Jesse (Distraint) was in 2018. I was looking for a random horror game to play on my phone in the middle of the night, and I ended up finding Distraint. Even after 5 years this is still one of my favorite games and I can't describe in words what it felt like when I played it for the first time. Today I had the opportunity to play …
- [3]
Afterdream is a heartfelt game about love, loss, and regret. It reminds us how important it is to tell those we treasure that they matter. I have enjoyed Jesse Makkonen's previous titles (especially Distraint and Distraint 2) and I was not let down by this one. I disagree with the Steam tags of 'Psychological Horror' and 'Horror.' Although there are nightmare-like sequences, there are no jump-scares or violence. I …
- [12]
I don't say this very often, but this game is literally perfect. The story is moving, the puzzles are fun and satisfying, the artwork is beautifully spooky, the sound effects are pleasing to the ears. I played it all the way through in one afternoon and was so delighted the rest of the day. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me feeling introspective. It's just so inspiring and heartfelt. Thank you, Jesse, for …
- [2]
Jesse Makkonen's games always have the best looking pixel art around, and they're always little melancholic stories that are a pleasure to play. Here we live a lucid dream in some sort of anti-chamber of the Otherside, and there is a chance there is a reason for our dream.. and that we may meet for the last time a person we loved and we miss. It's moving and delicate, absolutely worth your time. …
Summarised from 34 of the 166 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Afterdream sits at 94% positive across 136 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 169 · most liked firstThis might be the biggest review I'll ever write. The first time I played a game of Jesse (Distraint) was in 2018. I was looking for a random horror game to play on my phone in the middle of the night, and I ended up finding Distraint. Even after 5 years this is still one of my favorite games and I can't describe in words what it felt like when I played it for the first time. Today I had the opportunity to play another game by Jesse and once again he has released another masterpiece.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →All my games are on sale on #SteamWinterSale Including my latest game, Without a Dawn, and Afterdream! 🥳 store.steampowered.com/developer/je... #indiegames #horrorgame
neutral · AI labelView post →@jessemakkonen.com is also the creator of Distraint, Heal, and Afterdream - each game dives deep into the human psyche. Without a Dawn is his most personal work yet. #indiedev #gamecreator #indiegames #withoutadawn Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3145620/... Listen on: Spotify: bit.ly/43TOUE8
neutral · AI labelView post →Rachael interviews @jessemakkonen.com, a solo indie game developer from Finland, and creator of titles such as Without a Dawn, Afterdream, and Distraint. #Indiegames #GameDev #DeveloperInterview indie-hive.com/jesse-makkon...
neutral · AI labelView post →I already played the game in the SteamFest and liked it, so of course I'm here buying it on day one! So far, I completed the first two scenarios and the level of quality of the demo is held, while the mystery of the story intensifies. I'm curious to see how things will develop in the game. Graphics, interface and game design all give a nicely polished impression so far. Everyone who is unsure if the game is for them, just try the free demo, which is still available and you will not be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun and mildly spooky game, with relatively easy puzzles. Played once for fun and quickly once again to pick up a couple missed achievements. Enjoyed both.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly, I'm torn on this one. Presentation, graphics, sound design and atmosphere are all really well done. There were some good creepy moments. But I was hoping for more intensity and something that makes you dread going though the next door. The story isn't really anything to write home about. Not against the messages that are being conveyed, but i feel it could have been done better with more subtlety. A little too on the nose, for my tastes. They should have kept the reveal for the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jesse Makkonen's games always have the best looking pixel art around, and they're always little melancholic stories that are a pleasure to play. Here we live a lucid dream in some sort of anti-chamber of the Otherside, and there is a chance there is a reason for our dream.. and that we may meet for the last time a person we loved and we miss. It's moving and delicate, absolutely worth your time. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3295361362
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game definitely looks good. The cover art gets used a lot. And the in game art is nice too. The cover/title screen art is plastered everywhere, and is a different style of the game. But why not keep the same consistent art style. The character models are odd. They have side profile faces with bodies that angle at 45 degrees. Kinda odd. The main character doesn’t even have the same hair style between the title and game play. The sound was good too. I like the overall atmosphere. But that’s…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Get ready for...AFTERDREAM! 😴 Jump into a 2D psychological horror adventure game that will take you on a trip through a lucid dream! Releasing on 5th December @ 6pm GMT! 💤📸
neutral · AI labelView post →Afterdream is a heartfelt game about love, loss, and regret. It reminds us how important it is to tell those we treasure that they matter. I have enjoyed Jesse Makkonen's previous titles (especially Distraint and Distraint 2) and I was not let down by this one. I disagree with the Steam tags of 'Psychological Horror' and 'Horror.' Although there are nightmare-like sequences, there are no jump-scares or violence. I would call it a 'story-rich' puzzler with a heart! It is a traditional 2-D…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ahhh.... so fresh and nice. I hope one day David Lynch puts all of this in a movie. I would describe AFTERDREAM as a "sentimental surrealistic horror". Please buy it. If you're already here and reading this, you're somewhat interested, are you? And if you have some kind of hesitation, please buy it on sale. Jesse Makkonen, thank you very much.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Full Walkthrough: https://youtu.be/XOda0qD4ClI ★★★★☆ Gameplay: Decent Graphics: Good Music: Good Story: Lovely PC Requirements: Potato Game Time: 2-3 hrs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Am I too jaded for this game? I thought it was...overstating itself. Is it creepy? Not really. I felt what was happening was very straightforward, but the game kept trying to spook me - in situations that are not spooky. So, I'd enter a room with some depressed goofus, and the soundtrack would slam on the piano keys to make it seem like a high tension moment. There's all these faceless people, but you already explained what they were - they're not a threat, why try to use sound and lighting…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hate to be the only negative review here but I'm sorry, it sucks. The game looks nice (credit where it's due, the art alone sold me on the game) and the story is intriguing. The puzzles are basically escape-room style and remind me a lot of Darkside Detective both in their design and simplicity. But the game is not scary in the slightest (even though it does try to be sometimes via annoying jumpscares) and the puzzles are either trivial or "guess what the developer was thinking" type puzzles…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Since I can define myself a long-date fan of Jesse Makkonen (I'm pretty sure I played all of his games, at least here on steam), I think I can say with enough confidence that this is his best game so far. It masterfully mixes together the haunting silent-hill-esque atmosphere and world design that has made this dev a true colossus of indie psychological horror games, with a truly brilliant puzzle design that will keep your brain fully engaged for the whole duration of your playthrough. This…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't say this very often, but this game is literally perfect. The story is moving, the puzzles are fun and satisfying, the artwork is beautifully spooky, the sound effects are pleasing to the ears. I played it all the way through in one afternoon and was so delighted the rest of the day. It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me feeling introspective. It's just so inspiring and heartfelt. Thank you, Jesse, for putting your beautiful work out into the world for us to enjoy!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a bit torn on this game. It's clearly a labor of love, but there just isn't much there. The demo is good and provides some suspense, but the rest of the game is just very lacking in that department. It's also VERY short. If the game had a run button, you could probably power through it in ~30 minutes. The puzzles are nonexistent. You just walk around, use your camera on every room, pick up any items you find then go use them in a different room. The story is given away from the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A brief yet intriguing oneiric journey. It underscores the value of spending time with loved ones. Not too scary, making it accessible even for those new to the genre.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well… Distraint 1+2 and Afterdream are the point and click ones. Heal is less horror more emotional puzzle game. Without a Dawn is more psychological text based (+beautiful ascii art) horror adventure. Originally was planning to get them all done on the 1st but it landed on a DnD day 😅
neutral · AI labelView post →Thanks so much to everyone who came out to watch Afterdream! It is SUCH a cool game and I can't wait to play more! Thank you so much to @vove641.bsky.social and @sweetandsaucyness.bsky.social for the raids <3 We raided out to the lovely @lolotovcocktail.bsky.social who is playing Vampire Therapist!
positive · AI labelView post →Busy game week. FInished Dead islands DLC SOLA. Finished some charming point and clicks: Year Walk and Afterdream. Gonna start Alone in the Dark 2024.
neutral · AI labelView post →Afterdream is a 2D horror adventure game with light puzzle elements and creative environment design. The horror is mostly atmospheric, but the game features a fun series of jumpscares mixed with situational humor and entertaining character interactions. 📷 digitalfantasydiary.com/2023/11/06/a...
neutral · AI labelView post →Distraint 2 not only almost brought me to tears but also managed to set a high bar to clear for me considering how delightfully weird, visually pleasing, genuinely creepy, emotionally poignant and surprisingly charming it was and to be frank, this one didn't quite reach those levels but it's still another short but sweet Jesse Makkonen game with all his above-mentioned hallmarks present in varying degrees, which--despite some shortcomings--still managed to hit very close to home with its…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Went on a budget-game binge the last few months; some good, some excellent, all worth a go. Demoniaca ANNO: Mutationem Asterigos Ghost 1.0 Burnhouse Lane Afterdream The Suicide of Rachel Foster The Chant SENSE White Day Tormented Souls Last Days of Lazarus #videogames #horror #indie
positive · AI labelView post →A short experience with a touching story. Call your family and tell them you love them.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Meditative walking simulator about loss, with a few jumpscares thrown in for no readily apparent reason, and a bunch of dubious "puzzles" thrown in to pad the runtime. Not the worst two hours of my life, but I didn't find much to recommend, either.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Story-driven horror with great artstyle, music and touching story. It's not a survival horror so you won't be dealing with mosters using guns -- you'll try to help them solving simple yet smart puzzles. It's especially remarkable game knowing that thw game was made by a solo developer. I do recommend it! Only thing -- please, add Russian language as there are a lot of passionat fans who'd do it for free to make add it to their portfolio, and a lot of players in Russia who just don't know…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is what people usually say, but in this case, the cover is exactly what captured me. I previously played and enjoyed Distraint, and I can say that this game has a really nice style and visual design as well. The atmosphere and graphics are definitely strong points. The storyline, however, wasn’t the strongest part for me personally. It touches on some interesting themes, but unfortunately it didn’t resonate with me as much as I expected. Still, it might…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This man never disappoint, his games are pure emotional experience, definetly I can recommend it, peak gaming, support this man
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Solid game. The outstanding aspect of all of Jesse Markkonen's games has been the terrific atmosphere, and that remains the case with Afterdream. The base foundation of the story (a woman laments not spending more time with her recently deceased father) is as conventional as could be, but the dream setting and quirky characters allow an interesting story to be told from such a basic starting point in a weirdly David Lynchian-light sort of way, similar to the intriguingly dreamlike settings of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DROP A PART 2 WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I quite liked this game! I was invested in the story. I loved the visuals, and I especially loved the attention to detail. I liked how it was pretty straight-forward, and, for the most part, puzzles/mechanics did not get in the way of progressing the plot. The game was short, sweet, and to the point. It's the first game I've played by this dev; I guess I'll have to keep an eye on them now.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short but fun, kinda underrated too but still offers a nice 3-4 hours.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i love 2d pixel games, and i feel like there's not a lot of horror ones with a good story around. the atmosphere was amazing, and kept me on my toes, yet it doesn't use cheap jumpscares to make me feel the horror aspect of the game. it left me wanting to play more, and i am excited to check out the other games!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great experience with a creepy atmosphere, good puzzles and music - won't say more... Highly recommended !
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →With daylight savings making us all extra sleepy, @wolfsamurai.bsky.social and I decided to be kind and stream for you all nice and early at 5:30ET today Where we’ll be playing a game about sleeping. But it’s the dreams that make it so much more interesting… See ya for more Afterdream soon!
neutral · AI labelView post →I played Distraint and Distraint 2 before this and already really liked Jesse Makkonen’s style, so I was pretty excited for Afterdream. It has the same creepy, weird, emotional vibe I enjoy from his games. Short, atmospheric, and definitely worth playing if you’re into story-heavy indie horror.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →9th game of 2026 beat. Without a Dawn. A small 30ish minute game with an intriguing story and a sick art style. And although I played the demo for Afterdream a while back, I never realized this is the same developer. Guess I'll have to pick that one up at some point as well.
neutral · AI labelView post →The journey in #Afterdream has been beautiful, sad, and happy all in the same breath. Thank you Jesse Makkonen for making a game that will stick with me for years to come. #Afterdream Ep 3 🟥https://f.mtr.cool/szmruyurhb is live.
positive · AI labelView post →NEW Video Podcast Up RT? Previous host John joins @dadsgamereview.bsky.social reuiniting "da boys" where we discuss current physical indie game releases from @feardemic.bsky.social featuring Afterdream from Jesse Makkonen. Dads Game Review - Afterdream youtu.be/klo0zPmOJPI?si… via @YouTube
neutral · AI labelView post →Oh, I didn't realize you had a new game out! I loved Heal and Afterdream - I've got a few other games to cover but imma try to play this one on stream sometime this week!
positive · AI labelView post →It's a good game with a deep emotional aspect for people who loved their father. Not for everybody.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →8. Afterdream. I'm not crying, you're crying! Another creepy, sad game from @jessemakkonen.com . I liked the usage of the camera and as always the brilliant sound world. Without spoiling, some themes of this game hit quite close so it felt even more hard to play at times. No platinum available 💔
positive · AI labelView post →I really enjoyed unraveling the mysteries of this incredibly moving story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a fever dream (/positive) I love horror games, but I'm always hesitant to play them due to an overuse of gore & jumpscares - Afterdream was not that. This was the PERFECT horror game for me. The ambiance is what sets the tone - the music, sound cues, and general eeriness is enough to put you on edge but not prevent you from continuing. If you are interested in exploring the genre, but are also worried about things being too scary/frustrating - this will be for you :) All of the puzzles…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Afterdream - Surprisingly wholesome horror-ish adventure game with some really smart mechanical touches and fun characters. 99.9% of this game is great, i think the last 5 seconds kinda sucks the wind out of the message here, but still very positive on this one overall.
positive · AI labelView post →Great 2D psychological horror adventure game with awesome story. Don't miss this one (and Distraint series too)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a nice game. Around 3 hours long, puzzles are not too complicated, some heartwarming moments, as well as few scary ones. I liked the experience.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gorgeous pixel style graphics, a heartfelt story, well thought out characters, and perfect puzzles. This game encourages you to not just complete it, but to exercise your empathy muscles to genuinely do the right thing by the people you interact with.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a fan of the Jesse Makkonen's DISTRAINT games I felt compelled to play this follow-up. In the same vein as those games, Afterdream is a gorgeous, dreamlike (heh) puzzle-horror that is definitely recommended for those who like their horror a little more low-key.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great point and click game to play. Carefully crafted by an indie developer, I have enjoyed all the games he has created in the past. Interesting story played smoothly with no bugs. Plus a fun set of achievements that will have me going in for a replay. Certainly a nice way to spend a casual day or two. A dizzying amount of work goes into handcrafting these games and it shows.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The artwork, soundtrack, and controls are decent. No bugs encountered so far. The plot up to this point is standard fare for this genre, which is not a bad thing, and the camera gives me Fatal Frame vibes, if you have played that series. The atmosphere reminds me of Silent Hill IV: The Room, which is why I bought this in the first place. At this time, I have no reason to give this game a negative review. Once I finish it, I'll provide an update.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I dig the vibe of this game. I wish it didn't end so quickly - I'd like it to have a few more acts after the credits.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Afterdream is a beautiful pixel horror title where you explore loss and feeling locked in a dreamworld where monsters and puzzles lurk. This is a great game, the pixel art is gorgeous, the story is poinient, the puzzles make sense and rarely are confusing or obscure, the enemies are scary and the game even made me shed a little tear at the end. If your a fan of survival horror , old school ps1/2 horror or just a fan of good storytelling Afterdream is for you!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just got Afterdream started, little horror game for October moods! And after that probably Cocoon 🧐
neutral · AI labelView post →Hii. So, about this game, it's a quite unique visual that makes me feel deep in the enviroment. It makes me feel dizzy and confused such as the main character. I like how the ambience, the sountrack and all the sound effects combined make you feel so immersive that you can barely stop playing. Putting that aside, I just think that the puzzles are too easy sometimes, with no effort to think at all, just connecting pieces, which is ok, the game is not only puzzling, it's about story and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I absolutely loved this game and story. It keeps you questioning until the end. The puzzles are rewarding to solve and the gameplay flows so smoothly. Seriously impressed by how much thought and intention was put into this game. Music is also S tier. Definitely recommend for anyone interested in a cozy spooky atmosphere. Took about 3 and a half hours to play through
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →WOOOOW, i just finished it and it's such a well made game. The plot makes you think especially the ending....The game play was pretty unique (The whole camera thing) I wish Riley had more screen time he was my favourite LOL, and more info about Mark. The puzzles weren't too hard and was fun to do. OVERALL I DO RECOMMEND THIS GAME!! 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I would call this a horror/drama adventure game. There's no jump scares or monsters to fight, but a creepy atmosphere and creatures. Also there is lots of dialogue to read, through which the story is told. There's quite a few puzzles, which are rather simple and straightforward. While I liked the game, some voice over would have made it significantly better for me personally, but I realize it isn't cheap to do and not everyone has the means to hire voice actors. The texts are relatively…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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