Warner Bros. Games and DC today debuted an all-new cinematic launch trailer for Gotham Knights, the upcoming open-world action RPG releasing on Oct. 21, 2022. Told from the perspective of Alfred Pennyworth, the video looks at the inner reflection that Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin all go through as each Knight rises to the challenge of protecting an increasingly vulnerable Gotham City in the wake of Batman’s death. The trailer also provides a glimpse of the mysterious Court of Owls and the growing threat it poses.
Gotham Knights is scheduled to release worldwide on Oct. 21 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Pre-orders will receive the 233 Kustom Batcycle Skin at launch, based on the vehicle’s first appearance in DC’s Detective Comics #233.
Developed by Warner Bros. Games Montréal, Gotham Knights features the Batman Family as players step into the roles of Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin, a new guard of trained DC Super Heroes who must rise up as the protectors of Gotham City in the wake of Batman’s death. From solving mysteries that connect the darkest chapters in the city’s history to defeating notorious villains in epic confrontations, players will tackle an array of challenges as they evolve into their own version of the Dark Knight.
To learn more about Gotham Knights, visit GothamKnightsGame.com or connect with us online via Twitter (@GothamKnights), YouTube (GothamKnights), Instagram (@GothamKnights), Facebook (GothamKnights) and Discord (GothamKnights). To learn more about the game’s backstory, don’t miss DC’s official six issue prequel series, Batman: Gotham Knights – Gilded City launching on Oct. 25. Each physical issue includes a code for a redeemable in-game item; issue No. 1 includes a code for an exclusive BOSO22 Batcycle skin. Subscribers to the DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription platform will also receive each issue day and date with its print counterpart and is the only digital path to receiving the in-game items. The platform also includes a wide-ranging selection of stories featuring all of the Gotham Knights videogame characters. For more information and a free trial (where applicable), check out DCUniverseInfinite.com. Please note, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE is not intended for children and is not available in all countries.
*PlayStation®Plus required for online co-op. PS Plus is a paid-for ongoing subscription with a recurring fee charged automatically at the frequency chosen by the consumer at purchase until cancelled. Users must be over 7 years old and users under 18 require parental consent, except that users in Germany must be 18 years or older. Full terms apply, see playstation.com/legal.
When it comes to classic RPG franchises that many may not remember but those who do would love to see more of, the Valkyrie Profile series is near the top of that list. This Norse mythology based RPG started in 1999 and saw some levels of success with a few releases over the years but now fans of the game haven’t seen a new release since 2008 and even then it was for the DS. So now that Square Enix has dusted the series off with a different developer and different genre from what fans have been used to, is Valkyrie Elysium a worthwhile revival?
Story
The world is in the midst of Ragnarök as Odin’s battle with Fenrir has led to a stalemate where neither managed to land a killing blow but instead heavily wounded each other. As such, the world is continuing to fall apart with undead roaming the land and almost no humans left alive. Odin has retreated to Asgard and while trying to recover from his wounds, he brings forth the Valkyrie to return to the world of man and purify the souls of the undead in an attempt to stave off the end of the world.
As the Valkyrie continues in her quest to slay powerful undead forces she meets a handful of Einherjar that she recruits to her side after facing down their corrupted elements as well as a mysterious enemy that speaks in mysteries that hint that Odin’s motives are not as pure as the Valkyrie was led to believe. Valkyrie Elysium feels nearly as lifeless as the world itself is. The storyline is incredibly simple and far too predictable for its own good, especially if fans remember how the original Valkyrie Profile played out, with the only noteworthy twist happening right at the end of the game. The player character of the Valkyrie has almost no personality and even when she begins to develop one it is still rather cold and seperate from the events happening around her.
There are some extra bits of story here and there with Valkyrie Elysium though they are not the most obvious to find. Players will be able to learn the backstories of the Einherjar that they can summon in fights and these characters are a bit more fleshed out but most of these details are only shown as collectables and not presented in the story. Along these same lines players can locate Hollow Blossom collectables scattered around every level that serve as voices from the dead but more often than not they do nothing to actually make players interested in what the world used to be. In similar fashion, side-quests received from various lingering spirits are dull kill quests that retread familiar ground and offer no actual development beyond providing the player with various upgrades.
Gameplay
One of the most immediate things that longtime fans of the Valkyrie Profile series will note when beginning Valkyrie Elysium is that it is now an action RPG rather than a turn based or strategy RPG. Instead players will enter combat as the sole Valkyrie who will gain the ability to summon up to two Einherjar to fight alongside her at a time. The combat is quite fluid as it makes use of the standard action offerings of light and heavy attacks, blocks/parries, dodges, and magic. Combat feels fast paced right out of the gate thanks to some solid starting equipment and the immediate unlocking of “Soul Chain.”
Outside of combat Soul Chain is used to grapple to pre-selected locations that often contain hidden treasure but in combat it allows players to zip right over to an enemy. This allows players to quickly zip from foe to foe without breaking stride and thanks to some exceptionally long reach the entire combat area is almost always in range. Eventually the Valkyrie will gain the ability to summon Einherjar to fight alongside her for a limited time in battle.
As mentioned before players can summon two Einherjar at a time spending part of their “Soul Gauge” to do so and it is possible to modify how long an Einherjar will stay out on the field by expending more of the gauge though it is also entirely possible to resummon them immediately instead. Valkyrie Elysium offers something of a limited backtracking mechanic as certain Einherjar have unique interactions with various objects on each level but not only are they almost always not worth it, they rarely are available without having to run through a level again. As players summon Einherjar they will also imbue the Valkyrie’s weaponry with their specific element that, in turn, buffs magical attacks that use that same element to deal extra damage and if players are keeping an eye on enemies, it can also be used to target their weaknesses.
Every enemy, including bosses, have various elemental and even weapon type weaknesses and when struck enough by something they are weak to, an enemy will enter a “Crushed” state. Crushed enemies are stunned and drop extra resources and boss enemies can be even further locked down by targeting them with a magical spell of the same element and triggering an “Immobilized.” state. This flow of combat and some weighty feeling blows that sound and feel great thanks to the PlayStation 5’s haptic feedback makes fighting easily the best part of Valkyrie Elysium.
While fighting against enemies and exploring a level players will obtain various crystals that are used to power up their Valkyrie. In odd fashion, Valkyrie Elysium uses these crystals to both power up weaponry that players can equip as well as to unlock skills along three skill trees that do things such as increase player health, add extra dodges, auto summon on Einherjar at a cheaper cost when certain actions happen, and more. Oddly enough, the title also features a point limit on how many skills players can have equipped at one time but it is impossible to actually go over this limit and considering there is no New Game+ the inclusion of such a nonfunctional limitation is strange.
It is worth noting that, should players want something more of a challenge, they should play Valkyrie Elysium on the harder difficulty as normal feels far too easy. This is especially the case once players begin to strengthen their Valkyrie and raise their proficiency with certain weapons. Unfortunately there is no way to actually adjust the difficulty once the game begins so players will be locked in for the game’s nearly twenty hour campaign.
Visuals & Audio
Valkyrie Elysium is a mixed bag as far as graphics go as the character models are nicely detailed, especially the bosses that players will face off against and the combat effects are outstanding, with special moves including the signature Nibelung Valesti looking amazing. Unfortunately the world itself is rather bland looking and while levels that players explore have some variety they often feel quite bland. It is also worth noting that most of the cutscenes are incredibly awkward looking due to poor character animations and lip sync issues.
Thankfully the voice work provided with the game, that offers both the original Japanese track and a solid English dub, is quite fitting. As far as the soundtrack goes, players will be pleased that the music accompanying the game is a perfect fit for the themes and tone of the title and offer a wide variety of tracks between combat, exploration, and story sequences.
Overall
Valkyrie Elysium feels dated when it comes to its world and storyline that barely offers anything new even to longtime fans of the franchise but it just so happens to shine when it comes to combat. The fast paced fluid fighting mechanics make almost every enemy encounter a flashy one that players will enjoy, especially when it comes to facing off against bosses. This results in a solid action RPG that may not be the type of game that Valkyrie Profile fans were hoping for but at least one that holds up well enough despite its lackluster storyline.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
A relaxing game where you run your own aquarium store – Aquarist is now available for Nintendo Switch. The game offers extensive possibilities for creating and managing your own aquariums. Aquarist on PC has been well received. The release date for Nintendo is set for October 10 this year. The game is also planned to hit Xbox One and the Xbox Series X|S consoles at a later date.
Aquarist was developed by the Polish studio FreeMind S.A. The game was released on PC in March 2022 and received favorable reviews. As of now, 80% of more than 200 reviews on Steam are positive. The Nintendo Switch version was developed by Ultimate Games S.A., another console game publisher.
In Aquarist, you play as an aquarium store owner. The gameplay covers a variety of elements related to store management and, of course, aquariums. You will create, restore, manage, and observe aquariums while working on various commissions.
Progress in the game enables further expansion, such as acquiring new species of fish and plants as well as new equipment. Moreover, the developers put a great variety of freshwater fish and plants at the players’ disposal.
“Aquarist is a calm and relaxing game aimed not only at aquarium fans. The game is characterized by a fair dose of realism and attention to detail. For example, if you create a specific ecosystem, you need to keep the entire thing well balanced and the conditions suited to the specific types of fish,” says the COO of Ultimate Games S.A., Rafał Jelonek.
Aquarist – main features:
run an aquarium store;
set up and maintain aquariums;
choose from many fish and plant species;
complete interesting commissions and tasks;
enjoy calm and relaxing gameplay.
The release date for Nintendo Switch is set for October 10, 2022. Aquarist is also planned for release on Xbox One and the Xbox Series X|S consoles at a later date.
SEATTLE — Oct. 11, 2022 — Titan Comics is thrilled to announce ASTRONEER: COUNTDOWN, an original graphic novel series based on the hit video game universe of indie developer System Era Softworks’ Astroneer, launching in March 2023.
Astroneer (PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch) is a multi-platform sandbox adventure game that encourages ingenuity and teamwork. As Astroneers, players are tasked with surviving in an uncharted solar system through exploration and crafting. With luminous visuals, deep lore, and a lot of heart, Titan Comics is excited to look further into the Astroneer universe.
The graphic novel adventure follows friendly Astroneer Seven as he ventures into the Boreas System. What begins as an epic quest to gather crucial resources turns into a crisis of identity and belonging. Will the discovery of the mysterious time-and-space-bending crystals rescue Seven from his troubles, or will they only cause more chaos? Readers will also enjoy three short stories as part of Astroneer: Countdown: “Out of Bounds,” “Decaf Noir,” and “Have We Met.” Each takes part in the wider Astroneer universe and captures the wonder that the game is known for.
Astroneer: Countdown is helmed by a multi-award-winning creative team. The stories are written by Dave Dwonch (Jenny Zero), David Pepose (Savage Avengers), Jeremy Lawson (Teen Titans Go! comics), and M. Goodwin (Tomboy); with Xenia Pamfil (Rainbow Brite), Eryk Donovan (Constantine: The Hellblazer), Jeremy Lawson, and M. Goodwin on art.
“With Astroneer, I aimed to write a story that is truly all-ages,” said writer Dave Dwonch. “Much like the game, we’re inviting EVERYONE to journey into space, explore new worlds and join us on the adventure of a lifetime!”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to explore the universe with the fan-favorite characters of Astroneer!” said writer Dave Pepose. “From the jungles of Kthoom to the dangers of Decaf Coffee Cubes, we’ve got some hilarious adventures in store for our favorite intergalactic pals of pudding!”
“When we were searching for additional star titles to populate the Titan Comics gaming galaxy, we couldn’t have imagined a better fit than System Era’s Astroneer,” said Titan’s Acquisition Editor, Duncan Baizley. “It’s an enormously fun game world for curious minds, where imaginations can run riot and exploration is everything, and visually it’s a perfect fit! We think its incredibly engaged and diverse fan community are going to love reading about Seven and J.A.S.P.E.R’s misadventures in the Boreas System!”
Astroneer: Countdown Volume 1 hits stores and digital devices in March 2023 and is available for preorder on Amazon and Forbidden Planet. Keep an eye on the sky for more Astroneer: Countdown updates by following the Titan crew on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
ABOUT TITAN COMICS
Titan Comics, a Titan Publishing Group company (which includes Titan Books, Titan Magazines and Titan Merchandise), is the comic book arm of the Titan Entertainment Group. Its sister company is the pop culture retail chain Forbidden Planet. Titan Comics offers astounding comics and graphic novels from the world’s greatest licensed properties, alongside creator-owned comic books from new and world-renowned talent and classic graphic novels remastered for brand-new audiences.
Titan Comics publishes a variety of genres through its imprints: Hard Case Crime (world-renowned pulp-crime publishing), Statix Press (critically acclaimed translated comics and graphic novels), the new Titan Manga (exciting manga and anime-based titles) and Titan Nova (new young readers imprint).
The mode features new gameplay mechanics and a suite of rewards
October 11th, 2022 – Calling all commanders! Today, World of Tanks is introducing a brand-new competitive game mode, Onslaught! From October 11 through to November 21, tankers will have the opportunity to face players of equal rating and find out who is the strongest. Battles in Onslaught will take place in the 7×7 format in Tier X vehicles only and will take place during the Season of Griffin. The mode features many new gameplay mechanics and among the large number of rewards, players will find unique progressive 2D styles that will highlight their achievements.
New gameplay mechanics have been introduced to ensure the mode provides the optimal environment for tankers to compete on an equal playing field. All changes are designed to further enhance Onslaught’s competitiveness. The matchmaker will be selecting both allies and opponents for teams based on the mode’s ranked system. During the countdown before entering battle, players will be able to select a different Tier X vehicle in the pre-battle lobby, or switch to a different set of equipment, shells, and consumables.
All vehicles in this mode feature their own combat roles, and each role will have a unique role skill with three levels of charge that players can use to strategize and upgrade during the battle. Instead of the classic three-player Platoons, Onslaught features two-player squads and offer an option to create a team of seven commanders and fight against an opposing Super Platoon.
To make battles even more unpredictable, Onslaught will feature the Fog of War mechanic. At the beginning of a battle, teams will not know the location and strength (i.e., vehicle types and models) of the enemy forces until they’re spotted.
The thrilling mode will offer two lines of rewards. The first line features a unique progressive 2D styles, Dog Tag elements, and more, and is based on a players Rank. The second features more traditional, valuable rewards, such as bonds and pieces of equipment, and is based on the number of victories.
World of Tanks is the first team-based, massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to tank warfare. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with gamers all over the world. Your arsenal includes over 600 armored vehicles from 11 nations, carefully detailed with historical accuracy.
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 17 offices around the world, including studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vilnius and Belgrade. Millions of players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Our flagship products include the free-to-play hits World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Tanks Blitz.
Warner Bros. Games and NetherRealm Studios Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Mortal Kombat;New Video Honours Three Decades of Entertainment from the Iconic Franchise
Warner Bros. Games and NetherRealm Studios are proudly celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Mortal Kombat, the billion-dollar franchise that is approaching 80 million videogame units sold since the original arcade game launch on Oct. 8, 1992. Over the past 30 years, the renowned Mortal Kombat series has been a fixture in popular culture, exciting fans with best-in-class gameplay, iconic characters, and an immersive cinematic experience, while also earning numerous accolades, including multiple wins at the D.I.C.E. Awards from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, The Game Awards, and many others. The latest entry in the videogame series, Mortal Kombat 11, has been the fastest selling title in franchise history with more than 15 million units sold worldwide, while Mortal Kombat Mobile has amassed more than 150 million downloads to date.
To honour 30 years of Mortal Kombat history, a new video has been released showcasing the franchise’s cultural prominence across three decades of entertainment, from videogames, to movies, to animation. Bringing together moments from the original Mortal Kombat game (1992) to Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (2020) and the first live action Mortal Kombatfilm (1995) to the reimagined Mortal Kombat movie (2021), the commemorative video spans 30 years of bone-crushing content, along with a visual spotlight of legendary Mortal Kombat fighters and their different iterations from past to present, such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Baraka, and Shang Tsung. Furthermore, new artwork celebrating the Mortal Kombat 30th Anniversary was unveiled highlighting some of the game modes, story moments, characters, and finishing moves from the game’s history, all depicted in the shape of the iconic dragon logo.
As part of the anniversary, Klassic Movie Raiden will arrive in Mortal Kombat Mobile beginning Oct. 7 through Oct. 11, featuring actor Christopher Lambert’s character likeness and voice from the 1995 film. Players can also log in to the mobile game every day from Oct. 7-14 to collect free anniversary gifts and enjoy a host of new in-game content.
Additionally, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, the third installment of the animated film series, for Digital on Oct. 9 and 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack and Blu-ray™ on Oct. 11. Mortal Kombat (2021 film), Mortal Kombat(1995 film), Mortal Kombat: Legacy (2013 web series), Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021 animated film), and Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge (2020 animated film) are all available to watch now on HBO Max™, while Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (1996 animated series) is available now for purchase on digital platforms. Lastly, all-new Mortal Kombat merchandise is now available exclusively at WB Shop.
View the official Mortal Kombat 30th AnniversaryVideo:
Mario, Rabbid Peach and their friends are back for a new adventure of cosmic scale! Mario + Rabbids® Sparks of Hope will be available for Nintendo Switch on October 20, 2022.
About Mario + Rabbids® Only the most extravagant team of Heroes can rekindle the sparks of hope across the galaxy! Team up with Mario, Rabbid Peach and their friends on a cosmic journey to defeat Cursa and save the galaxy! Explore planets throughout the universe that are filled with strange inhabitants, memorable quests and hilarious secrets! Outwit enemies in an innovative combat system mixing turn-based tactics and real time action. Combine forces with the Spark’s immense energy and anything becomes possible…for better OR worse!
About Ubisoft Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed ®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew®, Tom Clancy’s The Division®, and Watch Dogs®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalog of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2021–22 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,129 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
What makes someone an experienced gamer? The number of played games? The number of achievements and 100% completed games? Perhaps. I’d argue it is all of that but also something extra. The ability to recognize quality wherever it might be, step outside of your bounds and open up to new experiences. To not be stuck in one or two genres and types of games. It is exactly that kind of mindset that made me appreciate all the LEGO games released in the past 10 years. Why? Well, they’re really really good. Simple as that.
Whether it is LEGO MARVEL’s Avengers or LEGO® DC Super-Villains or all of their Star Wars games – you know you’re getting something good. And now we have something new and different in our hands. LEGO Bricktales. It is not comic book or movie related, it is quite different from the other LEGO games I played so far. One thing is for sure – I expect quality.
Story
Dioramas. We all know what those are. Well, they play a big part here. Locations and story elements are presented through dioramas. Almost every level is one big diorama with plethoras of puzzles in each. But I’m getting ahead of myself here.
You have to help your grandfather reinvigorate his rundown amusement park with your little robot buddy. The first level is a mandatory tutorial section that shows you the ropes of all the upcoming physics-based puzzles in the game. After you fix your grandfather’s basement generator and a teleporter, you’re pretty soon on your own. It’s time to venture deeper into a LEGO jungle (one of the main five biomes in the game) to find more inhabitants of the island in need of help and solve more puzzles along the way.
Gameplay
So, let’s talk about puzzles now. I mentioned they’re physics-based. If any of your oldtimers played World of Goo, then you should know what you’re in for. At first, your assignments are fairly simple. Build a staircase, a bridge, a support beam, or anything like that and with each construction, you’re one step closer to your goal. That initial tutorial slowly teaches you about rotating LEGO blocks, stacking one with the other, strengthening your makeshift bridges with support blocks, and so on.
For every puzzle, you have a limited number of LEGO blocks that you can use but here is the best part: there is no one correct way to solve anything. You do not have to use up all the blocks that are given to you. As long as your creation works, it’s all good. Who cares if that bridge you made is somewhat flimsy? If your character can get from one end to the other by using it, it’s all good. And that is one selling point of LEGO Bricktales. The freedom of approach and creativity when it comes to puzzle solving. Although later on, you can often encounter uneven difficulty when it comes to puzzles. I’d have moments where I would struggle with 2-3 puzzles in a row, only to find the next one ridiculously easy.
Visuals
The visuals of LEGO Bricktales are exactly what you might expect at this point, especially if you played any other LEGO games in the past few years. The expectations of simplistic visuals have made it possible for the game to focus its fine detailing on the other aspects here, such as enhanced shadows, lighting, and smoother antialiasing. As the levels are not exactly impressive in size (after all, we are talking about dioramas here), it also means that all the background details will often take the center stage. In other words, there is a lot to see and discover in every level and biome in LEGO Bricktales. Despite such constricted level capacity here, the extra detailing that went into finely tuning every diorama is astounding.
Audio
If there is one term I could use to describe anything here, it would be this: the bare minimum. It’s not like I expected much on this front but every aspect of audio work here is just sort of…there. The characters are not voiced at all, instead, you can only hear some muffled gargling of letters are the text is scrolling from left to right during their conversations. The soundtrack is usually one of the many variations of some barely present ambiental tunes. They do somewhat change from time to time based on what themed biome you’re in, but that’s pretty much it. Basically, all of the audio that you can hear in LEGO Bricktales is just something that’s kind of there so you don’t play the game incomplete silence.
Overall
Again, if you’ve come here to expect something out of most of the licensed LEGO games (movies, shows, etc), you’re in the wrong place. LEGO Bricktales is different. Deceptively masked as something aimed at kids but even seasoned puzzle veterans might struggle with it later in the game. But the flexibility and leeway in puzzle solving definitely make up for it. LEGO Bricktales is a venture into the unknown. A daring risk that pays off in the end.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
In this gameplay of LEGO Bricktales, we solve a plethora of physics based puzzles as we try to fix a generator, a teleporter and a few stranded character in a LEGO jungle. We even pick up some new skills along the way.
In this puzzle-adventure, use an intuitive brick-by-brick building mechanic to solve puzzles and bring your creations to life! Experience a charming story as you explore beautiful LEGO® dioramas and help the people inhabiting them.
Gameloft provided code for the Ultimate Edition of Disney Dreamlight Valley for this review.
Overview
The term “casual game” has become a lot less taboo than it used to be. With the rise in popularity of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, more and more are accepting the industry’s peace offerings – which have been worthy timesinks that equate to a good amount of relaxation. Disney have partnered with Gameloft for their latest romp, Disney Dreamlight Valley. This title has the player craft, discover, and build their way to an ideal Disney home world, with mechanics that all are familiar for those who have dove into any modern simulation experience. How do they measure up in the early build of the experience? Let’s find out.
Story
Disney Dreamlight Valley doesn’t have a lot of plot in a traditional sense, but there is one present. Players wake up in the locale, only to find out that it is a shell of what it once was. In a land that was covered in the charm and bright setting that we would expect to see with Disney, a mysterious aura dubbed “The Forgetting” has plagued the land, and it is up to you and the former inhabitants to work together to bring back the world to the way it once was. Along with the overarching narrative comes a lot of memory missions, where the player must gather materials and deal with little quests from familiar Disney faces. These include finding a fishing pole for Goofy, helping Mickey cook up some food, and so on. Sure, not all quests are too compelling, but progression here is all about expansion – which really gives these little objectives purpose as you explore further.
Gameplay
There is a lot to talk about regarding the gameplay of Disney Dreamlight Valley, as there is a lot of mechanics in play. First, the movement and exploring bits work well enough, with the player trotting around the landscape to discover new pathways and objectives. The world also works in a “real world” time setting, where events may slightly change based on the actual time the player is with the game. Players will eventually gather tools and using a quickwheel option will be able to switch between them to interact with the world itself. For instance, there is a watering can and a shovel for gardening, a pickaxe for breaking stones and mining, and a fishing pole that allows you to fish or find treasures in water.
To really understand how things work, just think Animal Crossing. I hate to keep leaning on that comparison, but this is a clone of that title in the truest sense. Players remove weeds, clean up the land, and eventually will have new shops unlocked (ran by Scrooge McDuck and Goofy), as well as new neighbors as Disney characters move in and make themselves at home. As more characters come to live, more options for quests come available. Everything from your house to your appearance if fully customizable, and the more quests you partake in, the more currency you will have to spend on making Dreamlight Valley your own. Yeah, the core here is very Animal Crossing, but there is a lot more here to do, despite the limited number of villagers that exist as your neighbors are all part of Disney franchises. As an example of the contrast, where a villager in Animal Crossing may just have an outfit or new recipe to share, Disney Dreamlight Valley is more about sending you to find other residents in new lands, so the world continues to grow and expand.
Speaking of those biomes, another currency comes into play that opens new areas by the name of “Dreamlight”. This magical substance is rewarded by doing tasks and can be used to gain enough magic to open new portals. That all works well enough, but not everything is quite perfect in the current build of the game. There are a few glitches that can lead to a little annoyance from time to time – such as food not being able to be consumed (which is needed to refill stamina), and characters sometimes not being able to trigger into the next part of their quest. I had a moment where Mickey was supposed to follow my character into their house, but spent a good bit wandering around and waiting for him to follow, before I finally began pushing on him until he seemed to be close enough to mosey on in.
I also feel the pacing of the start of the game can feel a bit overwhelming, despite the relaxed nature of the game. While the menus are fluid and simple to use, there sometimes feels like too much to do as the game never tries to prioritize which quests are most pertinent to your current progression. Some small quest like breaking weeds may have the same categorization as doing a ten-piece quest for Scrooge, and that can lead to a bit of fatigue as you juggle going back and forth, trying to finish it all just to have a clear list and be able to get back to enjoying your own creations. Sure, there is a moment when it clicks, but this is a grindy game and I am a player who tries to finish things based on priority, which I felt never really was spelled out during my time here.
Visuals
For the most part, the graphics here are colorful, full, and quite pleasing to look at. Sure, there is a little bit of cheapness to your own character, but the costumes really bring out the “Disney” feel eventually, and even that lessens as the world around you grows. The animations are also lovely, with the characters within the game capturing their known personalities perfectly. Due to the early build, there are a few flat textures from time to time, as well as some loading kinks with environments, but for the most part, Disney Dreamlight Valley looks and feels like a Disney world you would want to visit, and that is a decent accolade that Gameloft should be proud of in terms of execution.
Audio
The music is great as peaceful, yet familiar melodies play to always create an ambient backdrop. Despite the pacing issues, there is a true feeling of relaxation that this game embodies, and exploration is greatly benefitted by the sounds and effects that play regularly. There is something lovely about hearing Goofy let out a curious yelp or other characters give you a yell for assistance. I would have liked more options for the main character to emote with, but what we have here is just fine and most will have no problem enjoying the tunes and charm that exude at a constant rate.
Overall
Disney Dreamlight Valley may be the largest game in scope I have ever seen from Disney and being a management sim makes it feel like a perfect fit. Is everything perfect? No, not entirely – but there is something here that makes me feel like I always need to return, and I think that alone is enough to say this could very well be a monster franchise for the namesake if they continue to build this one up in a positive manner. I think there are always a good bunch of us out there looking for similar experiences to great titles we have played before, and if you love Animal Crossing, this may be your new fix. Disney Dreamlight Valley has a ton of potential and right now may be a big one to watch as it evolves into its new free to play model in the future.
