Review: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is not a terrible game.
Conceptually, it’s got a lot of promise! Flying around, doing loops, having fun - who can’t get behind that, right? Where Journey of Dreams gets bogged down is in everything that’s not flying around, doing loops and having fun. And there’s a lot of it.
But let’s touch on the flying first! JoD shares a basic control scheme and concept with its predecessor, but somewhere along the line during production, a series of decisions was made that ended up somewhat crippling the gameplay. First, there’s the level design.
While excellent in some places, quite often awkwardly placed tree branches and the like will make for irksome obstructions. They might not be as annoying if they weren’t placed in areas that require deft directional work and a good look at where NiGHTS is on the screen, but they are.
Speaking of directing our hero, there are four different options when it comes to controlling NiGHTS. Hopefully you’ve still got a Gamecube controller lying around, because it’s by far the most enjoyable. However, there’s a surprising problem with all the joystick options (Classic, GC, and nunchuck+wiimote combination): the eight corners into which the stick will traditionally slide when pressed in one of the cardinal (and semi-cardinal) directions.
While nothing will replicate exactly the Saturn 3D pad that came with the original NiGHTS, both the Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers would’ve been far better choices as far as traditional control is concerned. This is because they (like the 3D pad) have circular surroundings for their analog pads, which make it much easier to make exacting, on the fly directional changes mid-flight than the cornered Nintendo pads allow. This may sound like nitpicking, but in practice it makes a surprising amount of difference.
As far as strictly wiimote control goes, to put it delicately: don’t use it. It’s awkward, glitchy, and makes smaller paraloops (circles that you can fly to take out enemies and gather blue spheres) practically impossible.
Then there’s the camera.
Placed slightly behind NiGHTS instead of directly at the jester’s side, the position of the camera causes a disconnect between the direction pushed on the analog and the direction of movement. It never really goes away thanks to the fact that the camera will occasionally shift a little bit forward toward the more traditional viewpoint, then back behind NiGHTS.
The view works well with the wiimote control, though, and upon closer inspection the game actually seems to be designed largely around this unfortunate control scheme.
[youtube _6GtNjkwfOA]
Graphics! There’s not really much to say about JoD’s graphics, other than that they don’t even approach those seen in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Actually, the PS2 remake of the original NiGHTS is looking better than Journey of Dreams. Ouch.
Taking into consideration the impressive heights reached since then (see: Mario Galaxy) it’s hard to excuse the shoddy looking characters and dead, lifeless eyes (and freakishly long necks) of the game’s young protagonists. Stylistically, JoD is a mixed bag, and while art design is excellent in some places, others look uninspired and dull.
I’ve reserved a special place for the owl character whose name I have refused to commit to memory. He not only looks awful, but is completely unnecessary as far as the story is concerned. Plus, he’s completely and utterly annoying in every way imaginable. If he shows up, go make a sandwich. He’ll probably be done blathering by the time you’ve finished eating.
The story is generally a pain to listen/sit through, and lacks the restraint and subtlety of the original (which showed an elegant minimalism for its time). There’s also a lot of it - sometimes a level will start, show a long cutscene, then boot you out to the hub world. You’ll then have to enter the level again before starting the mission.
But enough about real levels and flight! Like every Sonic Team game since 1999, Journey of Dreams takes the simple, enjoyable formula of the original and pads it out with a bunch of mediocre segments based around alternate gameplay styles.
Instead of actual levels, many of the game’s missions will have you going for odd objectives. An early example of this is paralooping a bunch of Nightopians (the dream world’s frighteningly low-poly inhabitants) before they’re sucked into a black hole. Par for the game’s course, this is preceded by a 2-minute cutscene about how Will has abandonment issues.
Bosses follow the more traditional levels of the game, but also get an additional, extended fight at the end of each area’s mission list. Those based on the original game’s bosses are less intuitive and badly designed, and original encounters are confusing and generally un-fun.
Then there’s the platforming levels. They’re mediocre and boring in the extreme, and the exact opposite of the free-flying experience one would expect from a NiGHTS game. Again, in light of other excellent platformers on the Wii (cougcoughGalaxycoughcough) they only serve to highlight the lack of thought that went into some of the game’s segments.
Another segment that feels particularly tacked-on is the My Dream feature, which feels like a budget version of the Chao raising found in the Sonic Adventure series.
Low detail models make the Nightopians you raise in My Dream look like cancer babies, and the actual point of the mode is vague and hard to work out. Visiting with fellow JoD owners is a muddled affair thanks to the symbol chat system, and nightmaren you paraloop in levels show up in the garden, threatening to eat your little ‘Pians unless you knock them out.
The most promising addition comes in the form of persona masks. While the dolphin mask doesn’t bring anything new to the table (the ability to ‘fly’ underwater debuted in the first game), the dragon and rocket masks are genuinely fun to use, though largely underutilized in the main game.
The game’s excellent score also deserves a nod. When things click, however rare, the accompanying music always serves to heighten the fun.
Possibly the saddest part of the entire game is the fundamental changes made to the original’s high-score oriented gameplay. In the first NiGHTS players collected blue chips and deposited them in an Ideya, a fancy way of establishing a nonrestrictive endpoint in a level. Once enough blue chips were put into the Ideya, it would collapse, and the game would change into a high score run.
Players would circle the route they were on, flying through loops and collecting now gold (worth twice as much as blue) chips in quick succession to string together ‘links’ for scores that rocketed ever higher as skill and flow naturally increased with playtime.
It was basically a time attack, but it was amazing in that it was actually enjoyable. The higher the score, the more fun one had. It was at once both a huge leap forward in design and a throwback to the days of the arcade, where high score was king.
[youtube 0danX6sjcsg]
Journey of Dreams abandons this principal, and has you chasing birds for a key to go from route to route in a level. Once a key is obtained one has to proceed to the next bird chase thanks to a large chain that stops NiGHTS from flying multiple runs of any one course.
In essence this kills the intent of the original game - a baffling design choice made especially disheartening whenever the level design shines brightest, warranting an immediate (and impossible) second fly-through.
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams isn’t all bad! Unfortunately it’s nowhere near as enjoyable as the original, and hard to justify as a purchase when looking at other excellent titles available this holiday season. Perhaps best as a bargain purchase, or received as a Christmas gift, the overall quality of JoD makes it hard to justify a $50 price tag.
Score: 6/10
To ask more about the game or compare impressions, post below in the comments section! To talk about why I’m wrong (and clearly I am!), go to the forums where a very special thread awaits your seething hate.
Tags: NiGHTS: Journey of DreamsPOSTED IN: News, Nintendo Wii, Review
21 opinions for Review: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
CaptainUlt
Dec 22, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Yay! Nintendo Power was right.
Striker
Dec 22, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I could not possibly agree less. :D
Hudson
Dec 22, 2007 at 6:42 pm
And you can explain exactly why in a special forum thread!
We are all about community at Sega Nerds, yo.
V1L3
Dec 22, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Oh dear God.
“Once a key is obtained one has to proceed to the next bird chase thanks to a large chain that stops NiGHTS from flying multiple runs of any one course.”
Why is it none of the other reviews mentioned this??
From the other reviews, it actually sounded like the flying segments would at least compare to the original, but this coupled with the unsuitable controller and “disconnect between the direction pushed on the analog and the direction of movement,” makes it sound utterly broken.
There was never any way that a Wii version of the game was going to live up to fans’ expectations, either way, with control issues, graphics and the inevitable focus on the younger demographic involved. I’d rather see an HD streamlined score-attack-based version on the PSN or XBLA.
JOie
Dec 22, 2007 at 7:41 pm
GOD DAMN, IM SO DISSAPOINTED IN SEGA, WHERE IS THE SEGA THAT I ONCE KNEW WITH critically acclaimed notoriaty.
Aki-at
Dec 22, 2007 at 7:45 pm
“GOD DAMN, IM SO DISSAPOINTED IN SEGA, WHERE IS THE SEGA THAT I ONCE KNEW WITH critically acclaimed notoriaty”
Stop playing Sonic Team games, go play other SEGA games and you’ll see their still there. Don’t let Sonic Team’s current cok ups be the judge of SEGA’s ability as a whole.
shadow1w2
Dec 22, 2007 at 10:12 pm
SonicTeam did it again.
Tough its not all too bad.
I like the music and the control is good enough, but the game really feels like it needed some more polishing first.
Why oh why didnt they delay the game more?
It feels like it was a quick attempt to make a new nights based on the rigonals limits.
Like three stages per charecter.
The mission modes break it up too much too, though there is atleast a ring challenge mode.
Just a shame they took away that fun little part from the origonal.
The story wasnt too bad I think, it fills in some gaps the other doesnt.
Though gameplay overall I found the game too easy.
The viewe didnt hinder any control for me but rather helped me more and its rather easy to do high link counts now.
Gone also is Night’s winning pose at the end of boss battles and Im not sure if L and R together does a stop/slow down motion or just a weird useless trick. Its a bit too hard to pull off as well.
I do like that they atleast added some Online play, but I think the best part is the art design and the music. Everything else clearly needed more time.
I agree, the game isnt worth fifty bucks. Its a better bargain game.
Though Im glad theres still some secrets to uncover, so with the good music its something to mess with.
Lets hope any more Nights games end up being better somehow.
No excuse for the graphics and lag issues. Hmm, Ghost Squad has lag issues at times too. They musta reused the same engine or something.
paly
Dec 22, 2007 at 11:43 pm
jmmmm i would give it a 7 not all the graphics are bad at all the dog boss look really really good all the bosses look amazing also the first stage of almost every door looks good with impressive effects .. the only things that look horrible are the dream gate almost all child missions and in motion story its not bad i think the we have a lot of crap and this is worth it more than lots of other games for the wii and is much better than sonic for xbx360 an ps3 …
Saphion
Dec 23, 2007 at 2:23 am
This bit: “Low detail models make the Nightopians you raise in My Dream look like cancer babies” made me laugh out loud. I’m a terrible person.
Ryan
Dec 23, 2007 at 8:23 am
For the love of all things holy someone disband Sonic Team USA!
jopamine
Dec 23, 2007 at 10:11 am
http://gonintendo.com/?p=32170#comments
it’s an article from Gonintendo.com about a guy that “grinded” his nunchuck to take out the 8-way restrictions.
i wouldn’t mind such a nunchuck.
Sad tho, that quality has been going down with some great games. Where are all the testers? Although, I have yet to try Journey of Dreams, the changes that have been made are a little disappointing. But I’m still excited to try it out.
From the game play videos I’ve seen, I like how you can see more of the course, but it doesn’t feel as fast paced as the first one did.
alimn
Dec 23, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I hope Shenmue III doesn’t receive reviews like NiGHTS:JOD.
(Since it will be another SEGA game beside Golden Axe which
both are going to back after yearssss!!!….(U know that III hasn’t been confirmed yet but if they announce it even right now we can easily say
that it is going to back after more than 7 years)
However, since SEGA has tried to bring back a lovely franchise like NiGHTS (after more than 10 years) I still love to get it and I will advertise for it’s positive points too…it’s still many better than many of those weak titles.
Regards-Alimn
Reset
Dec 23, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Hey, don’t blame the testers :) It’s not their fault that this is another rushed Sonic Team game with questionable design choices.
jopamine
Dec 23, 2007 at 7:28 pm
i have been tooshay-ed.
Sorry to the testers. Boo to sonic team. Where’s the kind of quality we saw in the DC days?!
Yeah, i miss the original NiGHTS design.
I feel like Capcom really listens to what their community wants, esp with the new SSFIIT HD coming out. Does SEGA have something equivalent?
Machenstein
Dec 24, 2007 at 6:56 am
To be fair, SEGA has their hand at interacting with the NiGHTS community prior to the release of this game. The problem was it was too late. Sonic Team started development of this game somewhere around November 2006 meaning the design was already long in place. Why are there no Ideya Captures? Why give Will and Helen platforming stages? Why the extraneous crap?
That’s the problem with Sonic Team. Instead of focusing on one game with one gameplay style throughout, they make a bunch of short, unpolished games with multiple gameplay styles. Instead of honing the core gameplay and making a whole game around it, they decide to spend their extra development time adding in shit that doesn’t even fit with the main game while leaving the core gameplay to rot. In fact it’s like that with many games today. I miss the days when developers used one gameplay style and stuck with it. I don’t see any levels in Super Mario Bros. where you have to search for X amount of items to proceed, for example.
I haven’t played Journey of Dreams yet, but I will today since it’s Christmas Eve. I know it will be a fun game, it’s just disappointing because the NiGHTS sequel seems to suffer from the same problems all Sonic Team games have lately, problems that shouldn’t happen in a NiGHTS sequel of all things. But whatever. There’s always NiGHTS 3. :\
Hudson
Dec 24, 2007 at 9:03 pm
More importantly, there’s always NiGHTS into Dreams, where they got it right the first time.
A rant by yours truly on Sonic Team’s current problems, some covered in Machenstein’s above post, is available here.
Dache
Dec 30, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Wait, hang on. You say “it’s not a bad game,” and then proceed to critically slam it in almost every single area and talk about how stuff doesn’t work, is badly designed or otherwise broken. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense and from the review text it sounds to me like it’s pretty goddamn awful. As expected.
Hudson
Dec 30, 2007 at 10:32 pm
I said is wasn’t ALL bad. The actual flying segments, for instance, can be really enjoyable. The game is utterly mediocre because it makes you fly through countless loops (the bad, figurative kind) and sit through awful, unskippable cinemas to get to anything that a normal person would deem ‘enjoyable’. It’s not, for instance, on the same level as games like Ninjabread Man or any one of the Wii’s various shitty minigame collections. It is, however, totally underwhelming, especially in light of its source material.
And I’m still baffled by Iizuka’s decision to destroy the original game’s gameplay concept by preventing multiple runs of each route. What was he thinking!?
CaptainUlt
Jan 2, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I got the game for Christmas, and I’m enjoying it. It’s isn’t the revival of NiGHTS though. It should have had more speed in it, and the flying sequences get annyoying, plus the Wiimote (without Nunchuk) control is awful. But, we at least have the PS2 port coming soon.
Let’s hope NiGHTS 3 on the PS3 / Xbox 360, or NiGHTS DS does better.
trueBLUE
Apr 3, 2008 at 9:48 am
Hello Hudson, I am a forum user from NiGHTS Into Dreams (dot) com. I loved your review, because it’s the first I’ve read that pointed out the massive flaw of the Chase missions: that fucking bird. The design of the chase missions just beg for another run, but that damn bird! >(
Is it ok if I link your review on our forum?
pedrotheporcupine
Apr 11, 2008 at 10:49 am
good gameplay
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