Houchou Shoujo Gensoukyoku
(Little Knife Girl Fantasy), a freeware fangame by Atelier Izumi, is Yume Nikki as an action metroidvania. It is the sequel to a simpler action game, Soul Dream, which can be unlocked after beating the final boss once.
The story in both games is simple; Poniko, Madotsuki's dear friend, has become consumed by her evil self Uboa, so Madotsuki goes to her home in Pastel Shoal World to save her. But the home has transformed into a giant castle with entrances to other portions of the dream world. Armed with her trusty knife, Madotsuki must slay her way to the top and save her friend.
Look here for more info and download links.
It received a sequel, Memories of Replica, starring Poniko instead. It looks notably different, but was made by the same developer and is set after the Wall-of-text-ending of Gensou. The plot (which was removed in the 1.5.0.0. version) is that Madotsuki has gone missing, so Poniko heads to her mansion to return the favor and rescue her. In the process, she learns that the inhabitants of the dream world are going mad, and the few survivors have gathered in a Shelter where their sanity is protected. She must now travel the world to find her friend.
This game contains the following tropes:
- Big Bad: Uboa has corrupted Poniko and is keeping her imprisoned, so Madotsuki must save her to get her out of the dream world.
- Bonus Dungeon: Nightmare, available after the game is beaten once.
- Cast from Hit Points: Summoning FACE takes some health from Madotsuki, but it doesn't keep the spell from
being incredibly useful. It gets even better after you defeat FACE itself. - Degraded Boss: A few bosses appear as normal enemies at the last area.
- Double Jump: Available from the beginning.
- Embedded Precursor: Yume Nikki Soul Dream can be unlocked after the final boss is beaten.
- Excuse Plot: Poniko has been taken over by Uboa, so Madotsuki must traverse a cavern/giant castle to save her. The Secret Ending does hint at a deeper plot involving the dream world itself, but this is only lightly touched upon.
- Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: After defeating Uboa, it seems that the game would be over. However, you still have to fight a two-phase final boss against two Jellyfish who attack you out of nowhere (first phase) and the Bloody-Touching-Monster (second phase).
- Healing Checkpoint: The save point desks.
- Mirror Boss: One of the last bosses is Ghost Madotsuki, who has all of the attacks that normal Madotsuki has. There's also a ghostly Madotsuki who appears alongside FACE. She mustn't be hit, as her HP is linked to the player Madotsuki.
- Multiple Endings: There's a certain desk that normally does nothing, but if you return there after defeating FACE, you unlock a wall-of-text-ending that doesn't seem to be good news. Also, beating the game normally after clearing it with everyone results in a Golden Ending.
- Nostalgia Level: The main level from Soul Dream appears during the middle-game with a new level design and a expanded theme song.
- One-Winged Angel: Poniko turns into Uboa during the battle with her, of course. The player can turn into a smaller version of it when playing as her.
- Randomly Drops: Enemies sometimes drop healing items.
- Revised Ending: The version of Yume Nikki Soul Dream included here has a happy ending, which fits with the main game's ending.
- Secret Character: Monoko, Monoe, Masada-sensei and Poniko can all be unlocked after beating the game once as Madotsuki.
- Special Attack: Unlocked as your character gains levels. Although normally done by control motions, you can also use the numberpad to easily activate them.
- Spikes of Doom: They kill you in one hit.
- The Stinger: "Return to the true 'Yume Nikki'...", a message that appears after the secret ending.
- A Day in the Limelight: In the original two games, Poniko was a Damsel in Distress, albeit one who can fight and is a playable character. Here, she is the protagonist who has to rescue Madotsuki.
- Badass in Distress: Madotsuki, who was established in the previous games as a knife-toting badass, winds up vanishing here, and so Poniko has to save her.
