Nights: Journey of Dreams (released in America on December 18th 2007 and in Europe on January 25th 2008) is the follow-up to the classic Sega Saturn game called Nights: Into Dreams, considered by many to be a cult classic and a game that was developed by Sonic Team and produced and programmed by Yuji Naka (who was lead programmer), the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog. The newest entry in that classic series is built for play with the innovative Wii Remote to allow gamers to experience a heightened sense of gliding, spiraling, and looping through a variety of mystical dream worlds packed with high-flying adventure.
As a fantasy jester called NiGHTS, players will fly through Nightopia, a rich and vibrant world where dreams come to life. Players must find inventive ways to confront the “Nightmarens” from the neighboring dark world of Nightmare using amazing acrobatic skills, freedom of flight, and other special abilities to protect Nightopia. NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is an adventure filled with courage, hope and inspiration as well as some beautiful, dreamy visuals.
So does Nights: Journey of Dreams live up to the name of the Saturn classic? Does it do the Nights brand justice? And most of all, is the game any good? Watch the Nights: Journey of Dreams video review to find out.
To quote the video review: “Why is it that players beg for sequels to some games and never get them, while there are other franchises that get sequels when no one wants them? Nights into Dreams for the Sega Saturn was of the former category—a game so steeped in nostalgic bliss that many forgot just how much games have moved on in the 11 years since its release. Nevertheless, Sonic Team finally listened to the plaintiff cries of fans for a sequel and it’s finally here with NiGHTS Journey of Dreams for the Wii. Is this follow-up a dream come true or a total nightmare?
The original Nights was a psychedelic ride through the mind’s eye. Journey of Dreams has its moments, but for the most part the environments are about as boring as dreams can possibly be. Why two little kids would have dreams about Las Vegas is anyone’s guess, but considering the latitude developers have to come up with outlandish landscapes when someone’s dreams represent the setting, the imagination on display is disappointing. The game’s look could best be described as garish, and from a technical perspective things aren’t much better. Textures are blurry and the polygon count falls on the low side.
In typical Sonic Team fashion the music is totally hit or miss. There are some incredibly atmospheric tracks [use the music I recorded in the My Dream area], and then the typical bloop and bleep compositions that have been invading ear drums since the Genesis days.
Nights: Journey of Dreams is total fan service. If you fell in love with the original all those years ago and are all right with more of the same then its content makes it worth your cash. If you have no attachment to the series then proceed with caution. The Wii controls are pointless, and the levels are short, but there’s no denying that there’s familiar fun to be had while guiding Nights through the sky.”
Story: 7.5
Design: 7.0
Gameplay: 6.5
Presentation: 7.0
Overall: 7.0