Score: 9/10 | Play your way| Create | Community sharing
“ Media Molecule have delivered one of Playstation’s best original titles in years ”
Take the idea of create, play & share and mix it with the high end processing power of the Playstation 4 console and you are onto a winner. Media Molecule are finally back after the hiatus from their successful Little Big Planet franchise, coming in swinging with the most advanced game maker we have seen. The game’s biggest feature is the shared community it is creating where you can upload your creations, see what creations are trending and brush up on your skills as a creator. Using the word ambitious is a bit of an understatement when it comes to what MM have delivered here.
When I loaded up the game for the first time it was a bit overwhelming. The idea of having to create a whole game from scratch with only the dual shock controller seemed like an irritating and frustrating task. Fortunately this was definitely not the case. There are options for the DS4 including motion control and analogue sticks for precision. If you are feeling extra crafty you can hook up your Playstation Move controllers and use them to really hone your skills. The game has tutorials, so SO many tutorials you will always be up to speed on what you need to do to create the masterpiece of your dreams.
If you don’t like the idea of watching a full on tutorial, Media Molecule have curbed this by crafting a three hour story mode that incorporates the tutorials so you never feel like it is getting tedious. This mode follows the story of Art – a musician who goes on a quest through three distinct areas including a digital looking forest complete with LED owls and a fairy-tale area. Most story modes in games like this feel like a tack on to appeal to all gamers, fortunately though in this case it is a entertaining way to get through the tutorials and learn the basics of creation while having fun.
The creation mode is something that I have only lightly dabbled in. Even after doing the tutorials, my desire to create a whole new world was fairly limited. Sure I got the hang of the basics and drifting between motion controls and using the joysticks. While the motion controls were fun, the joysticks really provided precision and allow you to dive into the nitty gritty of getting every colour and line perfectly filled in and crafted. Apart from motion you can also create a cut scene to integrate into a game or simply just a movie to be enjoyed. If painting is more your thing, you can create a painting and add some background music. Creating something from scratch can be daunting and you are like me you can utilise a template from Media Molecule. There are a couple of different options like a first person shooter and puzzle game that you can use as the bones and import other items and creations from Dreamers or create something new entirely.
All of the creations in Dreams have a Dream-like effect in that the lines and curves have an effect that should alleviate any copyright complaints from creations based on existing properties.This is where the game gets ridiculously fun. In my first few hours in the Dream Surfing mode I played creations of P.T, Spiderman, various Sonic The Hedgehog titles and Final Fantasy. While the game has been in early access mode for a few months, the full game has only just opened up and I can’t wait to see what incredible things the community comes up with over the coming months and years of this games lifecycle.
Tweaking with the audio options allows you to create music with virtual instruments and import voice audio clips to create the perfect scene. While this is something I am still playing around with in conjunction with creation mode, I will be updating the review later on when I have a better grasp on it. When you are in Dream Surf mode there is a Autosurf option that will choose a random selection of creator inspired levels that will offer up something new every time. It is yet to be seen if your previous preferences are taken into effect in this selection, as I use it more I should be able to report back.
Visually Dreams is unlike anything else on offer at the moment. The wave effect on creations give the game a distinct feel. There are times where inspiration seems to be drawn from Little Big Planet and even Tearaway, particularly the cuteness of your Imp, the icon pointer like creature that allows you to posses items inside the games and create masterpieces. While the base of the game is solid, it really does come down to the players imagination as to how far you can take this. There are some incredibly life-like creations made in the game so far. Check out some of my favourites below
There really is no limit to what you can create and to the same effect what you can play. As proven by their previous games and now with this title, it is fair to say that Media Molecule are game changers. They have delivered a game that truly innovates what a game can be and at the same time created a community of creators that will hopefully inspire the next generation of game creators. The tools provided to anyone who has this game are endless and with an intuitive and easy to learn control system, you will be creating the game of your dreams in no time at all. Media Molecule have delivered one of Playstation’s best original titles in years and is worth picking up whether you are a player or creator.
