You’d be forgiven for taking one look at the Disney Dreamlight Valley and writing it off as a microtransaction-led mobile port designed to grab your attention in the bathroom. You are presented with a mashup of Disney properties in a charming life sim cover, and developed by a studio that historically Is Worked on mobile title – Gameloft. Not only does the original product defy this notion, but it also provides unprecedented groundwork on which to build.
technically, Disney Dreamlight Valley hasn’t been released yet. The version of the title currently available is an Early Access build, and you can only play it if you buy one of the premium versions for now, though it is intended to be free-to-play upon release proper. Knowing it was game state upon boot up, we were surprised and impressed by what we saw.
This title is completely full of content. Being a life sim, you have probably seen most of the gameplay systems before. The game doesn’t stray too far from that established formula, instead focusing on applying Disney coats of paint to everything. You’ll have plenty of time for crafting, cooking, farming, and all sorts of systems that will sound completely familiar if you’ve played any life sim title before. However, one of the most surprising things about the game is that instead of providing vague, vague objectives that allow you to shape the experience, the title has a proper story that moves forward at a solid clip. .
You take on the role of a man arriving in a mysterious town surrounded by The Forgetting, a mysterious magic that manifests through ominous barbed vines. The city’s natives are scattered not only in your village, but in all dimensions, and after the magician Merlin asks for your help, you set out to restore the city as before. You can restore the memories of your fellow villagers by collecting jewels of power, including all of Disney’s favorite favorites. The likes of you’ll run into several more recent characters, with obvious inclusions like Mickey, Goofy, and Donald. tangled, frozeneven more.
The first major update for the game has already been announced and characters will be added from toy story, and this is where the game has a real chance to survive. The way the title is structured leaves almost infinite room to introduce new characters and biomes, as the hub area allows you to warp between locales. There are eight interconnected areas, each with a Wishing Well that serves as a fast travel point, and then a plethora of bonus areas you can warp at your local castle. These are usually associated with quests, and they open at a fairly reasonable pace.
However, the game runs the risk of throwing too many side quests at you at once, often involving tasks that you have no clue of how to complete. Despite this, things are never overwhelming. Your search log is good at providing concise information, and the map is thorough and useful. More important, these quests are accelerated in a way that teaches you about the systems the game wants you to use. Like any life sim title, you can choose to ignore all of this and just spend your day cutting fruit or digging random holes, but of course the game opens up as you progress. It includes some pretty impressive systems, most notably a robust Town Designer, which allows you to not only decorate and move your home, but just about everything else throughout the game. There is a limit on the property, but you have enough room to go crazy with things.
If you’re a fan of Disney, you’ll really want to dig into this side of the game, because the patented Disney magic is on full display. The characters are fun to talk to and bond with, offering both heartwarming dialogue and perceptive rewards, though sadly outside of a few canned lines, they largely speak only in text. Huh. His habitats are themed after his films, which include tons of Easter eggs, as well as truly wonderful re-imaginings of music from his films. It’s always a good idea to go through any building to get an idea of what to do with your home, as well as its impressive attention to detail. The sheer amount of options for construction is staggering. Based on the list of items you can see, the game already has hundreds, if not thousands of items available, most of which are tied to Disney properties. Whenever you walk into a Scrooge McDuck shop, you have a hard time choosing which item you want to pick up first. do you want frozen-Themed knit sweater? either ratatouille kitchen set? or perhaps imagination Mop Statue. Any Disney nerd is going to fall in love with this game very quickly.
The game’s technical performance isn’t flawless, where the state of the game’s Early Access really shows up. It’s relatively easy to soft-lock searches if you step too far, creating additional headaches and work for yourself. Graphical glitches are constant, especially with the camera. It will often get lost where you are in the world and taunt the complete opposite end of the map before going back to you, and this can lead to disorientation. Camera manipulation in general is the weakest area of the game. Trying to get the right vantage points when moving furniture or buildings around can be really a pain, and it sucks some of the fun out of the process, making things tedious.
Plus, if you wander through the menu, you’ll see all signs pointing to what the title’s microtransaction economy is going to look like, along with a plethora of different currencies as well as a battle pass. Actual micro-transactions aren’t in play yet, but all the frameworks are, and the moment things turn right into free-to-play, you can bet that will be added. So, while the game is engaging and enjoyable now, it is a slippery slope to be trapped by a micro-transactional economy.
conclusion
Disney Dreamlight Valley is idyllic. The title is a fantastic life sim sandbox that already has a staggering amount of content, and has already begun to outline what comes next. If Gameloft plays its cards properly, this game could be a mainstay on many people’s consoles for years. A robust construction mode pairs well with thousands of Disney-themed items and all the traditional life sim trapping to create a surprisingly immersive experience. Whether you want to completely redesign your town or go fishing with Mickey, the game has everything to make sure you make the most of your experience. Camera bugs and weird crashes stand out as early access hiccups, and the framework for a broader microtransaction economy is a red flag, but it’s not enough to stand in the way of having a lovely time.
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