The next Yume Nikki project, which was teased in countdown earlier this week, has been revealed. Only a few days following Yume Nikki’s release on Steam, publisher AGM Playism has released two trailers for what appears to be a follow-up game called Dream Diary.
The first teaser trailer can be found when clicking on Madotsuki, the Yume Nikki protagonist, in the bottom-left corner of the full-reveal countdown website. This website gives no indication that Madotsuki is a clickable link, and serves as one of the many Easter eggs these reveals seem to be hidden behind.
This cryptic teaser opens with Yume Nikki’s original theme, transitions to static, and hints at Madotsuki’s involvement in Dream Diary given some brief silhouettes that resemble her likeness. The teaser begins to distort in sound and visuals before revealing the name of the new project. This kind of obtuseness is not unfamiliar to Yume Nikki fans, as there are entire podcasts dedicated to unwrapping the game’s mysteries.
The second teaser trailer is linked within the description of the first, and is a much longer disorienting preview. Distinct crying can be heard in the background as bells churn, but is later replaced with laughs and screams. While the trailer contains similar art direction to the original, the signature Yume Nikki pixel art is missing. The trailer appears to show off various dream realms, and shares the slogan “we can not wake up.” This, along with the given name, suggests that this potential sequel will still feature dream sequences, but perhaps not allow the ability to leave them for the waking world at any time as is possible in Yume Nikki. The moon presented idly at the end conveys an eerie inescapable night, which was never quite the impending doom in the original. This sentiment already differentiates Dream Diary from Yume Nikki, which promises a newly realized vision.
Details regarding who is fully involved in this project are still scarce. Kikiyama, the Yume Nikki developer, has issued no comments regarding Dream Diary. No release date has been announced, though fans are hoping that question will be answered when the countdown timer runs out.