Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Review (Aircrack-ng)
This is a beautifully made game, but it feels like it stops short of being whole
I won’t go into pricing much. I had been following Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream for a long time and bought it the moment it came out. Maybe that sounds impulsive, but when you really care about something, that kind of decision doesn’t feel unusual.
What was completed
What drew me in was the setting and the art direction. The trailers gave me high hopes, especially that final scene where all the townspeople stare in horror toward the sea. It opened up so many surreal possibilities in my mind. When I later watched the developer interview, my expectations rose even more. I mean this with no disrespect to other indie titles, but story-first design is becoming rare lately, especially ones where the narrative is logically structured and neatly wrapped up. Even fewer manage to present a compelling ensemble cast without falling apart.
For the most part, Eriksholm delivered on that promise. The attention to detail is clear throughout. Whether in cutscenes or gameplay, the way characters move, gesture, or react to strange events feels incredibly natural. Even small things like their posture when interacting with the environment make the world feel alive.
As a 2.5D stealth RPG focused on storytelling, some people criticized the game for having only one clear solution in many parts. But to me, that made sense. With a limited budget, the devs used that structure to boost immersion. NPCs don’t just throw a question mark above their head and patrol on a loop. They actually respond to what’s happening. I especially loved how Alva used the myth of "the Lady" in the cave to turn off the lights one by one. You could watch the guards shift from smug to paranoid to full-on terrified. Or how Sebastian quietly picked off soldiers in the armory while the remaining ones frantically called out to their missing comrades. These moments play out alongside your actions, not as pre-rendered cutscenes, which made them even more immersive.
What was completed, -ish
The story itself is built around three stages. First, the protagonist looks for Herman. Then, she tries to find the “dirty item.” Finally, she gets close to the mayor. Each part raises its own questions: What did Herman do? What did he steal? And why is that item so important to the mayor?
These mysteries really pulled me in. The answers were internally consistent, but they didn’t always live up to the weight of the buildup. I think the issue is that the worldbuilding feels a bit thin. The emotional connection between the protagonist and Herman, the tension between her and Alva, Alva’s involvement in the organization, Sebastian’s bond with the protagonist, the mayor’s desire for a new order, and the public’s discontent—none of these threads go very deep.
I think the devs were aware of this. You can tell from how tightly the collectibles are tied to the narrative. Notes explain background events, and found items add lore. The three playable characters even give their own short reactions when picking them up. I really appreciated this approach. I took my time collecting everything and read it all carefully. Even so, I still felt a distance between myself and the world.
That’s why I say the game is finished but not fully complete. Near the end, the pacing speeds up a lot, and the story starts to leave more and more gaps unfilled.
Maybe later?
I genuinely believe that with more time and funding, the team could polish this concept into something incredible. I noticed several of the devs worked on Mirror’s Edge , which is one of my personal favorites. There was even a small rush of nostalgia when I saw Alva climbing those glowing blue pipes.
One thing I’m still curious about is why they chose a 2.5D format. In later levels, the gameplay often depends on juggling all three characters. Sometimes one just has to wait while another creates an opening. In the final mission, everyone is fully exposed to enemies, and success relies more on timing than on strategy. I can’t help but wonder, what if they added parkour elements like in Mirror’s Edge and used split-screen camera work? That could have been a really cool way to expand the idea.