Dimhaven - The Lost Source

Dimhaven - The Lost Source puts us in the role of Emily Ravenstone who arrives on the mysterious island of Dimhaven in search of her missing uncle Zack. If you've ever played Quern: Undying Thoughts, you’ve probably already heard of this game created by the studio Zadbox Entertainment. Their new title once again takes us into a world of mystery, exploration, and puzzles, but this time with an even greater emphasis on story and atmosphere.

Right from the start of the game, I was greeted by a very pleasant animation of the sea, a simple and charming main menu, and relaxing music. Before entering the game itself, the developers warn us that challenging puzzles await us and introduce a hint system, which you will likely open at least once during gameplay because some of the puzzles really require thinking.

Visually, Dimhaven - The Lost Source looks very interesting. It is an unusual combination of realism and pixelated representation. The lighting and atmosphere are beautiful, the environment looks convincing and lively, the models and animations of animals are very charming, while some models and textures appear intentionally simplified, reminiscent of older or retro games. Personally, I really liked this style because it looks unique and I haven't had the chance to try a similar game before.

The island itself leaves an excellent first impression, and to reach it, you must jump out of a plane and parachute down. Nature, the sea, and huge rocks create a sense of isolation, and the tower by the shore looks like it fell straight out of some sci-fi movie. What really impressed me were the ambient sounds. The sound of the sea, the wind, and environmental noises are so high quality that you easily forget you are sitting at a computer and feel as if you are truly on the deserted shore of Dimhaven.

The game throws you into solving puzzles right from the start, and the first problem you encounter is a lost passport that was stolen from you by a bird upon landing. It may seem like a simple puzzle at that moment, but it is anything but simple. To retrieve the passport, you must offer the bird food in exchange for it. And to get the food, you need to fix the vending machine. And the vending machine, of course, requires coins that you collect around the map. And for the vending machine to work, you need to bring power to it... A lot of “A’s,” and we’ve just started the game. Everything is somehow connected and ultimately works, but as I mentioned at the beginning, some parts of the game require quite a bit of thinking, and this is not one of those games that will let you move on when it sees you are struggling.

Along with searching for the lost passport, another major challenge is obtaining a visa to enter Dimhaven. The puzzles you will need to solve to get that visa are often multi-layered and require careful observation of the environment, combining clues from calendars, letters, and other documents. Personally, I was quite challenged by the puzzles involving the locked bathroom, the drawer, the padlock on the tower, and the visa itself. Often the goal is to connect multiple unrelated clues to arrive at a solution, so a lot of patience and thinking is required. Not all puzzles are that complicated, and one of the easier ones is, for example, the puzzle with the torn message. Connecting the pieces of paper reminded me of classic jigsaw puzzles, and the solution was, of course, much easier once I first assembled the frame marked in white.

There are a few elements that I would particularly like to praise. The interactivity of the world is one of the game's greatest advantages. Almost everything feels tangible, allowing you to open windows, turn on lights, ring bells, unlock doors, open lockers, or even lock and unlock the bathroom. Most interactions are performed by dragging the mouse in the direction of the object's opening, making everything feel more alive. I especially liked the camera system. Taking photos is not just an aesthetic addition but an important part of the gameplay. We can further tag and draw on the photos, which makes tracking clues easier, and the photo challenges scattered around the map encourage you to explore every corner of the island. I also liked the inventory system, which is clear and has a very nice animation and sound when opening the backpack.

Although I have a very good opinion of this game, there are a few things that have room for improvement. The first on the list is optimization. When I first launched the game, it ran without any issues, and I didn't notice any problems. The second time I launched the game, there were visible FPS drops in parts of the map that were previously completely stable. The second thing is the game's pace, which can sometimes be slow and a bit repetitive, as you will often find yourself running in circles because you are unclear about what is happening and what the next step is. I don't think this is necessarily a criticism; I just wasn't used to this type of game. The third thing is the graphics, which I personally liked, but I think some players might find them off-putting due to the combination of realism and pixelated display.

After about two hours of playing, I managed to finish the introductory part and reach Kishvar (the first populated place), and even then, it was clear to me that the disappearance of Uncle Zack is not the only mystery we will be investigating and that the story is much more complex than it initially seems. Dimhaven - The Lost Source is a unique experience that combines impressive graphics, top-notch music and sounds, complicated yet fun puzzles intertwined with a mysterious story, and requires patience and logical thinking from the players. If you enjoy games where you explore mysteries and think you have enough nerve for everything I mentioned in this text, it is definitely worth trying. The game was released on Steam on June 23, 2026, which is also the day of writing this review, priced at €25.99, and until July 7, 2026, you have the opportunity to grab it at a 15% discount, or for €22.09. If you want to try the game before purchasing, a free demo version is also available. The game is currently not available on consoles, but the developer has confirmed that this port should be released during 2026.

A copy of the PC version of the game for review purposes was provided by the publisher Blue Brain Games and the development studio Zadbox Entertainment