Yume Nikki: mysteries

Yume Nikki is an RPG developed in Japan (as it could not be otherwise), being one of the most influential indie games in history, generating many fangames and being considered one of the best of its kind.

The game was created in 2004 by Kikiyama, a secluded Japanese man about whom little is known, with many even speculating that he died in the 2011 earthquake. Armed only with RPG Maker 2003, one of the most classic versions of the software, he created a game unlike anything before. It was a surreal horror story that follows the dreams (and nightmares) of Madotsuki, a girl who never leaves her apartment. This is where the game's originality lies: it has no story, almost no gameplay, and its settings are abstract. Thus, the protagonist travels through vast empty spaces with a few elements that perhaps mean nothing, representing a truly dreamlike experience. In the midst of the chaos, there are some more sinister scenes and some mild jump scares, but the emptiness is what provides the true entertainment.

Yume Nikki was initially posted on 2chan, gaining more notoriety after an English translation and the release of the latest available version in 2007. After that, its creator, who was already nearly anonymous, disappeared.

*What ended it?

In the following years, several fangames were based on this RPG, including an unofficial sequel: Yume 2kki (2007). Theories still emerge today trying to explain the game's plot; it's believed the protagonist suffered something traumatic, but it's unknown what.

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