There’s no doubt that Gamescom 2021 had a lot to offer fans of the industry. The event may not be as big as E3, but considering how many announcements it featured, it certainly felt like an E3 rival this year. Everything fromHorizon Forbidden WesttoLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker SagaandHalo Infinitegot acknowledged, alongside tons of new game reveals. One game that first cropped up at Gamescom 2021 isDream Cycle,a project from Cathuria Games - a young studio aiming to make a name for itself with a title that will supposedly feature many thousands of adventures to keep fans endlessly entertained.
The cryptic fantasy premise ofDream Cycleseems like it could appeal to action-adventure fans of all kinds, especially considering how many combat options players have when controlling protagonist Morgan Carter. However, a major part of what makesDream Cycleinteresting can only be found by looking under its hood. Cathuria Games may be a new studio, but it’s owned by Toby Gard, one of the creators of the acclaimedTomb Raiderfranchise. Gard sits at the helm ofDream Cycle’s development, and if the game’s trailer is to be believed, there could be a lot ofTomb Raiderinfluence seeping intoDream Cycle,meaningTomb Raiderfans would be wise to give it a try.
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Dream Cycle Has Some Tomb Raider Facets
There’sa couple things aboutDream Cyclethat already make it seem like a magic-heavy spiritual successor toTomb Raider.The initial concept ofDream Cycleis different; Morgan Carter, a student of magic, gets her powers stolen by a malevolent ancestor and goes on a quest to stop him by clearing the Dream Realms of his influence. Morgan’s backstory might be different from Lara Croft’s, but they both deal with the supernatural. Much like how Morgan will delve into her once-lost ancestor’s plans, Lara Croft is always uncovering ancient history and supernatural schemes, and then saving the world from people pulling the strings.
AlthoughDream Cyclefocuses more heavily on the protagonist’s capacity for magic, it might play likeTomb Raidertoo. TheDream Cycletrailer suggests Morgan isn’t limited to using magic to fight through the Dream Realms. On the contrary, Morgan can pick up melee weapons and even guns to take down her enemies. Fans ofLara Croft’s signature handgunsmay yet be able to playDreamCyclelike how they playTomb Raider,running into danger with guns blazing. On top of that,Dream Cycle’s Steam page says the game will feature a soundtrack composed by Nathan McCree,Tomb Raider’s first composer.
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A Potential Spiritual Successor to Tomb Raider
Gard clearly isn’t going intoDream Cyclewith the intention of making another version of theTomb Raiderseries, in spite of its ancient mysteries and looming temples.Dream Cycleis reportedly inspired byfamed horror author H.P. Lovecraftand his short story collection of the same name. In other words, the game is bound to be far more arcane and eldritch thanTomb Raiderusually sets out to be, in spite ofTomb Raider’s supernatural elements. Morgan Carter’s conflict with her sorcerous ancestor sounds like a great new plot to combine withTomb Raider-style settings and combat.
One exciting thing aboutDream Cycleis that it’ll be playable in Early Access soon. Although its announcement is fresh,Dream Cyclefans can play the game through Steam in early September. Gard and Cathuria Games must be eager to connect with fans and get feedback onDream Cycleif the game is heading to Early Access so soon. That’sgreat news forTomb Raiderfanswho want to give Gard’s next project a try.
Dream Cyclereleases for PC via Steam Early Access on July 24, 2025.
