REVIEW: A magical pastime with your favorite characters in Disney Dreamlight Valley

O new disney game is a life simulator very similar to Animal Crossing, where you can customize your avatar and create your little virtual paradise, but with a universe that only the company can provide. Developed by Gameloft Montreal, disney dreamlight valley lets gamers live alongside their favorite Disney characters, from the classic Mickey crowd to the contemporary crowd of Pixar's latest productions.

For more details, check out our full review of early access!

Oblivion plagues the residents of Dreamlight Valley

disney dreamlight valley starts with creating the avatar that the player will use. For those who play and love titles like Animal Crossing e The Sims, the experience can be exciting, but it is in people who enjoy the life simulation genre and, at the same time, are passionate about Disney productions, that the game will get emotional.

Because in addition to being that kind of comforting, de-stressing and visually cute game, the whole atmosphere is created to envelop you to the point that your journey looks like a big ride in the Disney park. Nostalgia transports you inside the screen when a cutscene explains that her avatar returned to her childhood home during a vacation from work. There, we discovered that much of the house and surroundings are in ruins.

Soon after, we appeared in dreamlight valley, where the wizard Merlin, of The Sword Was the Law, welcomes us. It is at this point that the game's plot comes to the fore: the place inhabited by the diverse creatures we have known throughout our lives watching Disney movies, once vivid and full of magic, is now taken over by dark vines and lingering nights, which cause Oblivion. Many of the residents have abandoned the valley, while those who remain have their memory increasingly affected, living more and more without purpose. It's up to the player regain those memories and the magic that was lost.

Quality of life in customization

Like the top life simulation titles, Disney Dreamlight Valley offers many customization options, with different body types, hairstyles, makeup and even cultural clothes, a very cool and important act of inclusion. With this, we were already able to achieve a high level of customization from the beginning. As the player progresses through the story and is rewarded with coins, unique items are unlocked. In 3 hours, I did five outfit changes!

To manage resources and keep Oblivion out of the valley, you need to find the three real tools that the former ruler left behind. They are a pickaxe, a fishing rod, a watering can and a shovel. Thus, new missions arise from new encounters, and can be completed in random order. Far from being near the end, 40 hours of main story are promised.

Among the initial quests to recover the valley's magic is the Reopening of Uncle Scrooge's store, an establishment where you can look for items to leave your home, space given by Merlin at the beginning, with your face. Mine already has an espresso machine! Ah, that's what the game requires, that you be active in the community. So take care of the individual and build relationships!

Well, so far, the quality of life in Dreamlight Valley is great! However, we need to talk about the gameplay, remembering that we are in early access, the global launch takes place in 2023. A feature that can be better worked on is the camera articulation when customizing the environment.

Fun puzzles in hidden realms

As stated earlier, there are special rewards depending on the friendship levels with each character. Realms hidden behind doors in the dream castle are unlocked by accumulating magic crystals. The first time this happens, we must choose between an uninhabited planet with a shy robot (Wall-e), a restaurant with a little big chef (Ratatouille) and an ocean with a demigod (Moana).

In these mini-universes, new characters await us with fun puzzles. The cook mouse, Remy, was my choice and it couldn't have been better. By following his instructions or even using basic cooking knowledge, you can help him in the kitchen with amazing dishes to please the restaurant critic.

A magical time in Disney Dreamlight Valley

disney dreamlight valley is quite competent for life simulator players, whether you're a Disney fan or not. Time is the necessary investment, as you'll need to complete numerous quests, but it's a prized bargaining chip for incredible nostalgic immersion. THE Gameloft Montreal has until March 2023 to adjust some gameplay details, the game's global release period. Until then, this hobby is still magical. It's inevitable to have a smile on your face when helping and befriending iconic characters.

The game is available for PC on Steam and Epic Games, for Switch, Playstation and Xbox (Game Pass).

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