Game Review: Nights: Journey Of Dreams

Game: Nights: Journey Of Dreams
Console: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Sonic Team
Release Date: 18th January 2008

As the first game in the Nights series for 11 years, Nights: Journey of Dreams had no real obligation to keep the gameplay or ideas of the game particularly similar to Nights Into Dreams. Luckily though, the core concept stayed much the same, with flying being the main focus of most levels, interspersed with sections where Nights takes a different form, or the two main characters must continue onfoot in order to complete the level.

The story follows two kids; Will and Helen, both experiencing worry and transferring it into their dreams, where it manifests in certain ways which influence the world around them. Nights and the two main characters must save Nightopia, the dreamworld in order for things to go right in the children's waking lives. While their stories are played separately, the overall plot intertwines their experiences and features a secret ending, as long as players get a C rank or above on every stage in the game.

The gameplay is unique to the Nights series, as players control a dualized form of Nights, who has merged with one of the main characters. The goal of flying levels is to fly through rings and collect blue orbs, to catch up with another character, or solve a puzzle. There are a few types of recurring levels; chase levels see Nights imprisoned at the start, needing to chase down enemies with keys to set himself free, Octopaw levels have combo goals where flying through an amount of rings is necessary to pass the level. Usually there's a level which involves saving Nightopians from danger, and there's also some levels where Nights must transform, or the kids must progress on foot.

The problem is that in the game's 4 worlds, each level appears once, with two forms of its boss fight. Over the course of the two stories this means that each type of level is played 8 times at least, which can get pretty repetitive, especially with the similarity between the two children's stories, and the fact that the game repeats its tutorial levels and explanations for things already unlocked in the other character's dream.

Graphically the game looks very nice in its cutscenes, and nearly as good in its gameplay. The characters might look a little strangely designed, but the world has some nice details, and is impressive for a Wii title. The music featured is good at times, but didn't impress me as much as any Sonic soundtrack or other Sonic Team creation.

Overall Nights: Journey of Dreams is definitely a fun game initially, avoiding excessive use of motion controls as long as you have a nunchuk or Gamecube controller handy, but depending on how quickly you tire of its repetition, concept, or slight design flaws, it may be a shortlived sense of enjoyment.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C