An Egg Can Dream

In An Egg Can Dream, players control an egg on a perilous 3D platforming journey to reunite with its family, navigating shelves, counters, and other obstacles while managing visible cracks that threaten to shatter its dream if damaged. This indie title challenges players with precision-based gameplay, requiring careful rolls, daring jumps, and strategic navigation to avoid breaking the fragile protagonist as they pursue their heartfelt goal.

An Egg Can Dream: Review

Introduction

In the vast landscape of indie games, few titles manage to capture the essence of both whimsy and existential dread quite like An Egg Can Dream. Developed by the Australian studio Floor Chicken, this 3D physics-based platformer tasks players with controlling an egg on a perilous journey to reunite with its family. At its core, the game is a meditation on fragility, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of dreams—literally and metaphorically. This review will dissect the game’s development, narrative, mechanics, and legacy, ultimately arguing that An Egg Can Dream is a hidden gem that deserves a place in the pantheon of innovative indie platformers.

Development History & Context

Studio and Vision

Floor Chicken, founded in 2017 by Tony Pepperoni, is a small indie studio based in Melbourne, Australia. Comprised of friends and family, the studio prides itself on creating unique gaming experiences with a distinct sense of humor. Prior to An Egg Can Dream, Floor Chicken released titles like Shit Storm (2017), Focus (2018), and It’s A Racing Game (2019), each showcasing the studio’s experimental approach to game design.

An Egg Can Dream was conceived as a love letter to classic platformers like Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot, but with a twist: the protagonist is an egg. The game’s premise is simple yet profound—an egg must navigate a treacherous world while avoiding cracks and breaks, symbolizing the fragility of dreams and aspirations.

Technological Constraints and Gaming Landscape

Released in May 2020, An Egg Can Dream arrived during a boom in indie platformers, a genre that had seen a resurgence with titles like A Hat in Time (2017) and Super Lucky’s Tale (2017). The game was built using the Unity engine, a popular choice for indie developers due to its accessibility and robust toolset. However, the game’s physics-based mechanics presented unique challenges, particularly in ensuring the egg’s movements felt both realistic and fun to control.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot and Characters

The game’s narrative is delivered through comic book-style cutscenes, adding a visual flair that complements its whimsical tone. Players control an unnamed egg whose primary goal is to reunite with its family. The journey is fraught with obstacles, both literal and metaphorical, as the egg must navigate treacherous environments, outsmart enemies, and confront the Devil himself in a climactic showdown.

The egg’s fragility is a constant theme, both in gameplay and storytelling. Every bump, fall, or collision risks cracking the egg, a mechanic that heightens the tension and reinforces the game’s central metaphor: the delicate nature of dreams and aspirations.

Themes and Dialogue

An Egg Can Dream explores themes of perseverance, family, and the human (or egg) condition. The game’s dialogue is minimal but impactful, often delivered through environmental storytelling and the occasional comedic one-liner. The Devil, for instance, serves as both a literal and symbolic antagonist, representing the forces that threaten to shatter the egg’s dreams.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay Loop

The game’s core mechanic revolves around rolling the egg through various environments, utilizing physics-based interactions to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Players must master the egg’s momentum, timing jumps and rolls to avoid hazards and progress through levels.

Combat and Progression

Combat is minimal, with the egg primarily relying on environmental hazards to dispatch enemies. The game’s difficulty is rooted in its precision platforming, requiring players to execute flawless jumps and rolls to avoid cracking the egg. Progression is linear, with each level introducing new challenges and mechanics.

UI and Innovative Systems

The game’s UI is minimalistic, with a health bar representing the egg’s structural integrity. As the egg takes damage, cracks appear, and if the bar depletes, the egg shatters, forcing players to restart the level. This system adds a layer of tension, as players must balance aggression with caution.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Direction

An Egg Can Dream features a vibrant, cartoony art style that contrasts with its darker themes. The game’s environments range from cozy kitchens to surreal, nightmarish landscapes, each designed to test the player’s platforming skills. The egg’s design is simple yet expressive, with exaggerated animations that convey its fragility and determination.

Sound Design and Music

The game’s soundtrack, composed by M0r53C0d3, complements its tone perfectly. Upbeat tracks accompany lighter moments, while ominous melodies underscore the game’s more intense sequences. Sound effects, such as the ominous crack of the egg’s shell, are used sparingly but effectively to heighten tension.

Reception & Legacy

Critical and Commercial Reception

Upon its release, An Egg Can Dream received mixed reviews. Critics praised its innovative premise and tight gameplay but criticized its short length and lack of replayability. The game’s Steam page shows a 75% positive rating based on a small sample size, indicating a polarized reception.

Influence and Evolution

Despite its modest commercial success, An Egg Can Dream has left a mark on the indie gaming community. Its unique premise and physics-based mechanics have inspired other developers to experiment with unconventional protagonists and gameplay systems. The game’s themes of fragility and perseverance continue to resonate, making it a cult favorite among platformer enthusiasts.

Conclusion

An Egg Can Dream is a game that defies easy categorization. It is both a playful platformer and a poignant exploration of fragility and determination. While its short length and difficulty may deter some players, those who embrace its challenges will find a game that is as emotionally resonant as it is mechanically engaging. In the annals of indie gaming history, An Egg Can Dream stands as a testament to the power of creativity and the enduring appeal of a well-crafted platformer.

Final Verdict: A hidden gem that deserves recognition for its innovation and emotional depth, An Egg Can Dream is a must-play for fans of challenging, thought-provoking platformers.