Dreams and Nightmares (Spiral Knights)

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Dreams and Nightmares is the penultimate mission of Spiral Knights. It's infamous, as it's known to be one of the hardest missions.

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This is the last exploration, but believe us... It's a frustrating one.

Why It Sucks

1. During this mission, Void Souls will spawn. And unlike missions like Ghost in the Machine, where the souls spawn in one level, you have to endure them on three levels, including the penultimate level.
   • Not only they endlessly respawn, but they deal lots of normal damage
2. Void enemies only drops hearts upon defeat, and the only way to get health capsules, is to purchase them at the start or be lucky that the green crates scattered in parts of levels has it.
3. The level itself is bland, filled of white blocks and a white/gray background with static.
4. The enemies are mixed, consisting of void versions of Gremlin Thwackers, Lumbers, Toxigels, Dust Zombies and Wolvers. Not only they can deal heavy daamge, but it makes difficult for what weapon and set the player needs to choose.
5. During the level, there are Swarm Turrets that cannot be destroyed. On top of all that, you have to deal with regenerating Swarm Sources that will slow you and increase the enemy's defense, should them be in its range.
6. Despite being a liutenant and equipped with dual flourishes, Vaelyn is very unhelpful. In fact, during the final arena of Descend into Darkness, he will be in the area after it.
7. Black Orbs acts as monster spawners when destroyed, and there are very many.
8. Descent into Darkness is the worst level, for the following reasons:
   1. To begin with, there's an arena at the end that is filled with black orbs, swarm turrets and orbital chains, limiting you movements.
   2. As mentioned in WIS#1, Void Souls will endlessly spawn, forcing you to be extra careful.
   3. As mentioned in WIS#6, Vaelyn does not help you at all, and he will stay in a spot near the closed six doors.
   4. The arena will force you to do six waves, which may cause you to use many, if not tons of spark of life.
   5. This level on Elite Mode, and Solo. Let that sink in.
9. Despite being involved with the swarm, Herex doesn't do much in the game. All he does is just taunt you, and then disappear for the rest of the mission.

Redeeming Qualities

1. It's the first time that the player enters the planet's core.
2. The last level, Refuge, is a nice prize room, filled with green and red crates.
3. The game offers some exposition about the truth of the Cradle, the Alpha Squad (Parma is hidden, Grantz sacrificed himself to help the others, Euclid helps an entity called the Sleeper, and Rulen disappeared), and The Swarm itself.
4. Despite being bland, it's a nice concept and idea to see the dungeon more different than others. In fact, keys, buttons and doors are different, compared to the usual dungeons.
5. It's the last vanguard mission where the character explores.