A Dream About Parking Lots Review

A Dream About Parking Lots, from developer and publisher Interactive Dreams, may be one of the most surreal yet unique titles I’ve played in some time. To explain it simply, you are a nameless protagonist who embarks on navigating parking lots, which end up being daunting mazes of similar vehicles. As you explore these lots, you trigger memories and engage in therapy session-style conversations that are sure to spin your own and make you doubt dreams and real life. Be warned, it is a super short adventure, but one that is worth it at a small price.

Dude, Where’s Your Car?

Have you ever played a game and wondered what the actual hell is going on? A Dream About Parking Lots is one of these moments. You are tasked with walking through parking lots, where you’re triggering memories, and also trying to find where your car is. Whilst this sounds quite boring on paper, throughout the game’s narrative and becoming lost on countless occasions, it brings a sense of anxiety and personal thoughts. At least it did for me anyway, and it’s very clever what they have done here; you have to experience it to understand.

It also made me realise that whilst I don’t suffer with anxiety, you can at various points in your life, albeit in short bursts. For instance, parking in a large city multi-storey car park and not being able to remember where you parked is, nightmare.

Visuals & Audio

The soundtrack is quite nice and relaxing, with a mixture of piano and subtle beats which seem to naturally blend with what the game is trying to do. There isn’t a great deal more sound other than the effects of footsteps, car alarms and engines idling, but it does what it needs to.

Visually, the game goes for a retro aesthetic that has a hazy filter over the top, and I feel this is intentional for the dreamy aspect. There is some great work with the lighting and reflections. There is some variance in the design of the parking lots, but overall, everything is very basic.

Final Thoughts

A Dream About Parking Lots is a truly unique game that is one of the shortest experiences I’ve played, one that you can finish in under an hour. I can’t describe this as a video game if I’m honest, it is more of an interactive process of thought with minimal gameplay. That said, I admire that the development team at Interactive Dreams has pushed out something that is a little out of the ordinary in the gaming space. At just £4.19, it isn’t going to break the bank, and if you fancy a casual walking sim that brings thoughts and feelings lost to the forefront, then it may be worth having a short blast with this.