Prepare for a new world full of friends on the other side Make way for Disney Dreamlight Valley. This new Disney-inspired life-sim feels like Disney adults have access to the Animal Crossing code.
Together with yesterday’s formal announcement, I was able to take part in a hands-off demonstration to get a glimpse of Gameloft’s vision for the game. Although it will be hard to resist the temptation to talk about a new Disney game in Disney song lyrics only, I’ll try my best to control that urge.
HEY! CLEAR THE WAY IN THE Old BAZAAR. HEY, YOU! LET US THROUGH. IT’S A BRAND NEW STAR. OH, COME BE THE FIRST ON YOUR BLOCK TO MEET ITS EYE
Disney Dreamlight Valley, in addition to being a game of life, is an ultimate Disney is an ekai fantasy for adults. It involves your character being pulled into a world that has been broken by The Forgetting. You can join forces with Disney characters to repair the world and restore harmony and comfort to everyone.
At first glance, DVD seemed to remind me of Kingdom Hearts. The comparison is easy to make since Manea Castet, the game manager, showed me a dark, overgrown world with ugly-looking vines. Only the main character, however, could remove them with her magic. Castet stated that DDV was not a Kingdom Hearts comparison. Instead, he said DDV got its inspiration from adventure games like Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. Instead of fighting for your goals, you will be given non-combat tasks such as fishing and crafting.
YOU HAVE NEVER, HAD A FRIEND LIKE ME!
The game has a strong social component. Every Disney character that you meet has a story. You can only make progress with them if you build friendships. Castet, the character in this demo, made friends with Goofy by fishing with him. You will earn more stories and friendship points if you fish more with Goofy.
DVD has many characters you can befriend, each with its perks that you unlock as they progress through their individual stories. Scrooge McDuck is an example of a local general store that sells cosmetics. Remy manages the restaurant, where you can try new recipes and share them with your friends.
These perks are only possible if you have the friendship of the characters. Castet explained that the Disney characters fled their shared world during The Forgetting and returned to the safety of their homeworlds. Ariel went back to Under The Sea, Simba returned to Pride Rock, and so on. You must travel to their world to solve puzzles and bring them home. Castet took Castet to a trash-strewn world to meet Wall-E, who was frightened and cautious. Castet explained that most characters will have puzzles that you need to solve to win their trust and bring them home. Also, unlike Kingdom Hearts you won’t experience a repeat of Disney movies, but rather, these worlds will allow you to discover completely new stories that were created by Disney.
HI-HO! HI-HO! HIM!
Disney Dreamlight Valley has many other activities for you to enjoy if you aren’t adventuring with Wall E or fishing with Goofy. Your guide Merlin shows you how to fix up, add on and decorate your home in the demo.
To find tools for crafting, you need to explore the globe. This is Minecraft-like. You can make anything you want, but you can also buy what you don’t have. This seems to be the endgame vision of Dreamlight Valley. After all Disney characters have been rescued, the world will be restored to its former glory, and your job as an interior and exterior decorator. Castet showed me his world in its final state. It was full of oodles of things he had placed to make the Disneyland of his dreams.
Decorations are not limited to the outside world. Your character can also be used as a blank canvas to express your style. There are many options for clothes and cosmetics, as well as hairstyles and a system that allows you to design your clothes.
I GOT VOODOO and I GOT HOODOO. I GOT THINGS THAT I HAVEN’T EVER TRY! AND FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SUITE
I have to admit that I was skeptical about the idea of Dreamlight Valley. Disney is a global entertainment monopoly that has unlimited money and the worst possible political praxis. I think it would be more beneficial to spend my time exploring new things than to be influenced by a company that seems to exist to purchase every scrap of pop culture and sell it to consumers ad nauseam. There are reasons Animal Crossing or The Sims have become as much as they are. Disney Dreamlight Valley is a captivating attraction that even I, a semi-Disney adult, can see.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is available for early access on PlayStation 3, Xbox Game Pass, and PC this summer. A free-to-play release will be made in 2023.