Being a fan of games such as Unpacking and House Flipper, I was immediately drawn to My Dream Setup, developed by Campfire Studio for PC and Mac.
Recently showcasing in Steam’s Next-Fest, and now launched with a full release, this casual simulation game allows players to design their ideal room, giving them complete control over its size, window and door placement, and all the furniture within. Each of these rooms are presented in gorgeous, diorama-like visuals.
I’ll be up-front and say, this definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. There’s no winning, objectives or levels, it’s much more-so meditative and visually pleasing. It’s the kind of game you boot up after a long day’s work, with some calming Lo-Fi playing through your headphones, as you let your mind reset and design an aesthetically pleasing room at the same time, and if that’s not something that interests you, My Dream Setup probably isn’t for you.
My Dream Setup lets players exercise their imagination and design anything from a cozy living room, relaxing bedroom, gaming room, home cinema, or anything else they desire.
I opted to create a dream gaming room that I would have killed for as a teenager, with all the RGB you could imagine, but after rushing through it all and uncovering the depth of design available, I opted for a lot more modern contemporary room layouts that were much more appealing to my maturing taste and interests.
The game’s catalogue offers a variety of items that can be customized with any colour of the player’s choice. Moreover, the blueprint mode allows players to design the exact shape and size of their room, as well as where to place the doors and window(s), providing complete freedom to bring their vision to life.
There’s no grid that you have to align your layout to, you truly get the freedom to design your room in any way you want.
From the moment I began playing, I was immediately drawn in by the enormous selection of furniture, computers and accessories, posters, pictures, plants, and other interior details. It was like having access to my very own personal interior design studio with little-to-know understanding of what aesthetically works in a room, such as what kind of wallpaper matches the lounge I’ve laid out – and then what kind of plants will complement the arrangement. All things I would’ve hated the thought of five years ago now fill me with excitement, which I guess is a sign of maturity.
Playing My Dream Setup is a relaxing experience, thanks to the game’s sandbox gameplay. There are no timers, budgets, stories, or restrictions. Design whatever you want, in however long you want, and just let your mind wonder. Additionally, the built-in music player allows you to listen to your favourite playlist at, making the whole experience even cozier.
Even nifty feature inclusion such as choosing the weather for your room, which impacts lighting and colours that you see just tickles something in the back of my brain that I can’t quite describe.
There’s really not much more that can be said, but if you’re looking for a cozy design-based game that is incredibly relaxing and a sure-fire way to inspire you for some real life interior redecorating, My Dream Setup is absolutely worth your time.
