All Hallows' Dreams Is a Real Halloween Treat on PS4

With everything that's happened in 2020, it's maybe easy to forget that Dreams released back in February, which feels like an eternity ago. One of this year's standout titles, Media Molecule's user generated content paradise has been ticking along quietly in the background. The world is getting ready for the arrival of PlayStation 5, but the Dreams community has been tinkering away, making thousands of things with a DualShock 4 and an idea. Sometimes, the creative process benefits from a prompt of some sort, and a Halloween-themed, in-game event is the perfect opportunity for players to stretch their horror muscles.

All Hallows' Dreams is now live within the game, appearing at the very top when you enter the DreamSurfing and DreamShaping menus. When you begin the creation, you'll be in a suitably spooky hub. Ahead of you are three large haunted houses, each one filled with dozens of user-made rooms. However, off to the side is a pumpkin patch, where player-created jack-o'-lanterns are on display. It's a joy to walk around this section and see everyone's virtual squash-carving skills. You'll also find a costume selection area, where you can kit out your avatar with a small series of typical Halloween outfits, such as a vampire or a ghost. This hub area looks fantastic, and really sets the mood for the main event: those houses.

Each creepy mansion contains 11 floors, each with a handful of rooms linked together. While the order of things doesn't appear to have any real rhyme or reason, scarier rooms are saved for the upper floors of each house, and hidden behind a warning. Despite a unifying theme, the diversity of what's on display is amazing. There are plenty of silly takes on the subject matter, but there are just as many aiming for genuine scares. It feels as though Media Molecule has thrown everything together in an order that gives you highs and lows, easing the tension from a creepy room by following it with something more tongue-in-cheek.

Most of the rooms aren't very interactive, instead aiming to build atmosphere with spooky sounds and ethereal effects. However, quite a few offer a surprising amount to do given the small space. There are plenty of rooms spattered with blood, or things that'll jump scare you as you walk by, but others are tiny little games in themselves. One requires that you find a certain number of severed feet, another is an arcade with several Halloween-themed mini games to enjoy. Some tell short stories through diary entries, others are tiny platforming levels. Again, the variety is great, and although the quality naturally varies, it's a brilliant effort from all those that took part.

All Hallows' Dreams offers a good couple of hours of Halloween fun, and is a scarily good example of how the game's community can collaborate to make something together. There aren't too many games based upon this spookiest of holidays, but if you have Dreams and want to get in the spirit, this is a seasonal treat well worth your time. Have you checked out All Hallows' Dreams yet? Tell us your favourite room in the comments section below.