If you watch Dreamfall instead of play it, you give it a chance to let it touch your soul. Deeply.
First things first. The gameplay of Dreamfall is simple in the extreme. That is to say, except for two trivial puzzles, a little obvious item manipulation, and some unimpressive fighting sequences, there is none.
The graphics is well done, with sharp character models and generally decent animation. However, some of the close-ups reveal awkward character movement. I am also not too impressed with the exclusive use the graphics engine to depict cut-scenes. Say what you will about maintaining the atmosphere. You compare any engine rendered cut scenes in any game out today with pre-rendered CGI (take FFVIII for example), and the effects range from bland to down right silly.
I don't have much to say about sound. Except for occasionally vocals that moved me with the crescendo of the story, I didn't notice it. That's a good thing. Too often you notice the sound of a game when it either gets too quiet or too loud or too repetitive. In Dreamfall, you hear what you expect, when you expect it, how you expect it.
What is there to recommend about the game?
As a game, there is nothing to recommend. As a leisure activity, I can't imagine recommending anything else. Dreamfall is one of the best interactive story I have ever seen. It's a novel, but you have control of the protagonist. You are not frustrated by the third person. You, the audience, matter. It's a game, but it's not chess evolved. Dreamfall brings back the original spirit of gaming: extraordinary events, fascinating characters, and exotic locale. You are invited to share in the visions of a most remarkable bard: Ragnar Tornquist.
Although many have criticized the extremely simple gameplay in Dreamfall, I find it refreshing. For too long, adventure games have been haunted by the urgency to provide interactivity. In the old ways, such interactions have come in the form of object manipulation and puzzles that are, far too often, contrived. More recently, the gameplay has taken a decisively bloody turn, with stronger emphasis on stealth and, ultimately, combat. But these must be done in moderation. The occassional sneaking around and fighting intensifies the atmophere and the enjoyment of the game. Too much of it, and the magic is gone. After all, how extraordinary can a thing be if you, the average player, can accomplish it over and over? Dreamfall doesn't have that. You get to snap someone's neck from behind one time in the game. You get to kill maybe a handful of minions (you know, the kind that James Bond disposes of by the truckload). The rest of the time, you only guide the protagonist so the most logical actions are taken. This helps the gameflow immensely. I was not bogged down a single time in the game.
Tornquist took a chance with Dreamfall. He challenged the trend in gaming toward realism where a game is great if you can make it playable enough. He tried to give something more. Magic, perhaps.