Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a game about duality, and everything in the game exists to serve this notion of opposing dichotomies. Through Giana’s dreams, the multiple facets of her personality are manifested as alternate realities. Whether aesthetically or through gameplay, the binary nature of the game’s elements convey this navigation and interdimensionality in each level of the game.
The duality of this game is apparent almost immediately, as even the main character of the game is split into two. As the dual personalities of Giana, the player is able to alternate between them at the press of a single button. Giana in her regular state is peppy and cheerful amidst a grim world that is rife with demons. Punk Giana, in contrast, can only exist in a bright and upbeat aesthetic. To further emphasise such characterisation, this switching is indicated by the change in soundtrack, where any presence of Punk Giana is accompanied by an alternative, heavy metal rendition of the usually cheery songs.
The game reflects such duality not only aesthetically, but also in terms of gameplay. By switching between these two personalities, the player is able to utilise Giana’s ability to initiate a particular set of navigational skills. When playing as regular Giana, she is able to twirl, allowing her to hover in the air. As Punk Giana, on the other hand, her loud and aggressive exterior matches her newfound ability to dash as a fireball. Thus the core aspect of playing this game lies in the player’s necessity to continuously swap and combine these two forms of navigation.
This motif of dimensions continues to be used in the environment of each level, which exists in completely different states of these two dimensions. As the player toggles between both of Giana’s forms, her surrounding environment alternates between worlds similarly. This utilisation of swapping dimensions creates additional layers of complexity in the player’s navigation of each level. Bridges alternate between stability and dilapidation, while thorny vines grow and wilt, opening and closing the forward path for the player and creating navigational possibilities. The player is forced to use such instantaneous dimension switching in order to manoeuvre the obstacles in each level.
Throughout the game, the player is encouraged to collect gems, which appear in a range of three colours, yellow to be picked up by Giana, red for Punk Giana, and blue by both. Alongside creating incentive for collection and exploration of each of the game’s levels, the placement of gems is also used as a means of teaching and leading the player. A cluster of gems near a door, for example, instigates the player into switching dimensions to retrieve it, and therefore inadvertently open the door. In the same manner, the developers can use this gem placement to suggest a path and skills that the player should use.
The dual nature of this game is evident through the multitude of ways in which the game’s two dimensions are represented. For every character or environmental setpiece, there is an alternative existence, whether as an ability or obstacle. Furthermore, the contrasting dispositions of these dimensions are used to teach the player when and where to navigate during play. Just as Giana’s dual personalities exhibit these dimensions, these dimensions simultaneously contextualise their navigable space.