# The Dreamhold — Interactive fiction

> Classic text adventure game with interactive fiction and puzzle elements. (iPhone/iPad app by Zarfhome Software Consulting.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-dreamhold/id517870810 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Zarfhome Software Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/457956106)
- Category: Games, Books, Adventure, Puzzle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 15 App Store ratings · 32 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 7 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-05-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-13
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-dreamhold/id517870810/reviews.md

## What is The Dreamhold?

*The Dreamhold* is interactive fiction — a classic text adventure. No graphics! No point-and-click! You type your commands, and read what happens next.

*The Dreamhold* is designed for people who have never played IF before. It introduces the common commands and mindset of text adventures, one step at a time. There’s an extensive help system describing standard IF commands, as well as dynamic hints which pop up whenever you seem to be stuck.

I’ve tried to create a game which rewards many species of adventurer: the inexperienced newcomer, the puzzle-hurdler, the casual tourist, the meticulous explorer, the wild experimenter, the seeker after nuances and implications.

- Fluid interface designed for comfortable typing and reading.
- Full-length puzzle adventure with several optional side quests and hidden endings.
- Text adventure devotees can turn off the tutorials and hints, or play in Expert mode for additional challenge.
- Achievements tracked through Game Center.
- Pop-up palette of commonly used commands.
- Dynamic in-game map, so you don’t have to scribble boxes on a piece of paper.
- Full support for VoiceOver (speech output) and dictation (speech input) on devices that offer these features.
- Yes, really free. Not “free with ads,” not “freemium.” Just free. I want to introduce people to IF, and this game is how I do it.

*The Dreamhold* won the XYZZY Awards for Best Puzzles and Best Use of Medium in 2004. It is also available (for free) on my web site.

(The cover art is based on a photograph by Trey Ratcliff: The Festival of Lights in Lyon (CC by-nc-sa), remixed with images of Mercury and Io.)

## Key features

- Classic text adventure gameplay
- Interactive fiction narrative
- Puzzle-solving challenges
- Beginner-friendly tutorials and hints
- Full-length adventure with side quests
- Dynamic in-game map
- VoiceOver and dictation support

## Recent user reviews (10 of 32)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-dreamhold/id517870810/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Glitch

*2019-08-05*

I accidentally typed a character it couldn't process, and it reset my progress

### 5/5 — Retro-Spaß!

*2019-08-01*

So etwas hätte ich mir vor über zwanzig Jahren gewünscht, als ich mich mit Infocom Adventures herumgeplagt habe. Und einfach kostenlos. Tolles Geschenk vom Entwickler.

### 4/5 — Good introduction to text adventures, tricky fantasy adventure

*2019-03-08*

I really enjoyed the writing and atmosphere in this magical fantasy story. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Myst, but is told entirely through text. 
Magic and surreal events take place in this game, like a dream. Your task is to explore the (small) world and figure out what happened and who you are.

Besides being an atmospheric game, It is deliberately designed as an introduction to text adventures (also known as interactive fiction) and does a good job of coaching you through the way to solve these games, which can be frustrating if you don’t find the right way to think about the puzzles. I have played a few a long time ago, so I didn’t fully need the tutorial, but it was still helpful.

The tutorial will help you solve the basic plot, although there is still significant challenge. Beyond that, there are many optional parts to explore, which are relatively tricky to solve, but some of the most awesome and surreal.

I found these optional parts pretty hard to solve and resorted to the walkthrough to discover some. 

There is also a backstory, but it is told in a very fragmented way that makes it hard to understand. It came across more as ‘mysterious scenery’ than a useful story to me.

A small complaint is that some of the physical-style puzzles like the Orrery (a working model of planets) and the cistern seemed really awkward to solve through text. A picture really would be worth a thousand words here, even though the words were well written! I found myself battling the games ‘parser’ in these puzzles to express myself. 

Overall, a very good game, I wish the author would do more magical fantasy

### 4/5 — Not too exciting, but still fun

*2018-09-21*

I would have liked it even better and may have given it a full five stars if there had been more peril and a more climactic ending. But it was a very enjoyable game, nonetheless.

### 5/5 — The game is great so far!

*2017-10-04*

I have been considering writing an interactive fiction for a while now so I decided to start by playing a few. This was the first I found and I love it! 

Only one issue so far.

Possible minor spoiler...

If you take the mountain painting from the Atelier and hang it in the sitting room it turns into the desert painting. The mountain painting is no longer in inventory. The desert painting is both on the wall and in inventory. I haven’t progressed far enough to know if I still need it (I already got the brown mask), but if I had taken the painting before using it I wouldn’t be able to complete the game.

### 4/5 — Work through it it's worth it

*2017-04-22*

It's a thinking mans game, and it's wonderfully well thought out. Came back to re download

### 4/5 — Amazing

*2017-01-20*

This game was exactly what I was looking for, and I really appreciate all the effort put into it. The fact that there's a long description for anything you can "examine" really shows all the time spent in making this interactive.

### 4/5 — Exceptionally well written

*2016-11-17*

But soulless. Not very fun. I needed a walkthrough; knowing what to do or having to figure it out myself made little difference in the fun factor. Still, kudos on the totally free, really clever game.

### 5/5 — Very addictive!

*2016-06-04*

At first I thought this would be a confusing game but as a first time player I've found it very enjoyable! I highly recommend it and it's worth getting!

### 5/5 — I never write reviews but…

*2016-01-09*

I never write reviews but this is the best game EVER. My friend personally knows Zarf, and she showed me this game. I've been playing it for a few days now, non stop. Please get this game right now. It's free for a LIMITED TIME people. Also, Zarf is my spirit animal. If you want to look him up his real name is Andrew Plotkin but he doesn't like that so please refer to him as Zarf.

## Frequently asked questions about The Dreamhold

### What kind of game is The Dreamhold?

The Dreamhold is a classic text adventure game, also known as interactive fiction. It features no graphics and relies entirely on text for its narrative and gameplay. You interact with the game by typing commands and reading the descriptions of what happens next.

### Is this game suitable for beginners?

Yes, the game is specifically designed for people who have never played interactive fiction before. It introduces common commands and the mindset of text adventures gradually, with an extensive help system and dynamic hints to assist you when you get stuck.

### What are the key features of The Dreamhold?

Key features include a fluid interface for comfortable typing and reading, a full-length puzzle adventure with optional side quests and hidden endings, Game Center achievements, a pop-up command palette, a dynamic in-game map, and full support for VoiceOver and dictation.

### How much does The Dreamhold cost?

The Dreamhold is completely free to play. The developer explicitly states it is not 'free with ads' or 'freemium,' but genuinely free, intended to introduce more people to the genre of interactive fiction.

### What platforms is The Dreamhold available on?

The description mentions it is available on mobile devices, with features like VoiceOver and dictation suggesting compatibility with iOS. It is also available for free on the developer's website, implying potential availability on other platforms there.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.1.3 — 2018-12-21

Updated for newest devices and current iOS.

### 1.1.2 — 2018-01-03

Updated for iOS 11.
Support for all device sizes, including iPhone X.

### 1.1.1 — 2017-01-31

- A single tap on the text no longer closes the on-screen keyboard.(You can still tap to open the keyboard.)

### 1.1 — 2017-01-04

- Supports all iPhone and iPad sizes.
- "Share Saved Files" option allows you to import and export saved games between devices, including desktop IF interpreters. (Use AirDrop, iCloud, or a file-management app such as Dropbox.)

### 1.0.4 — 2013-12-21

Polished UI for iOS7.

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## More apps by Zarfhome Software Consulting

- [Meanwhile: Interactive Comic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meanwhile-interactive-comic/id458451517)
- [Pocket Storm](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-storm/id547095034)
- [Hadean Lands](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hadean-lands/id918958300)
- [Leviathan: Interactive Comic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leviathan-interactive-comic/id6444325089)
- [The Beyond: Interactive Comic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beyond-interactive-comic/id6738063234)

All apps by Zarfhome Software Consulting: https://appshunter.io/developer/457956106

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-13.*