Animal Crossing with Disney characters? Disney Dreamlight Valley is laid-back, fan service fun

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SHOULD I PLAY DISNEY DREAMLIGHT VALLEY?

Disney fans should definitely check it out, especially if they like quest-filled crafting and gathering games like Animal Crossing. Dreamlight Valley is a life sim set in a fantasy world where characters from various Disney franchises live side by side—or at least, they used to. The land has been struck by a curse called the Forgetting, and its inhabitants have either lost their memories or disappeared from the realm entirely. It’s your job to break this curse and bring the valley back to life.

TIME PLAYED

I played approximately five hours of Dreamlight Valley. During that time, I got my character to level ten, befriended classic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Goofy, made some much-needed upgrades to the titular town, and even convinced characters like Moana and Remy the Rat to move in. This is a chill, play-at-your-own pace sort of game, but it’s stuffed with quests, characters, and other things to do. I can easily see myself playing this for fifty hours or more.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT DISNEY DREAMLIGHT VALLEY?

• It’s jam-packed with quests. If you get a little dopamine hit every time you successfully complete a quest, you’ll love Dreamlight Valley. Not only does the game have plenty of large-scale quests, but it also gives you lots of small tasks that are designed to be completed quickly, like catching a couple of fish or picking a few vegetables. The game can definitely get a little grindy, but as someone who’s motivated by goals and rewards, I found the system to be ridiculously addictive.

• Tons of customization options. Nearly everything in Dreamlight Valley can be customized, from your character to your home decor to the general aesthetic of the town. Many of these pieces are themed around specific Disney properties, like The Little Mermaid or Frozen, so you can make the entire game look like your favorite Disney movie.

Not only is there a huge selection of cosmetics, but you can unlock new items every single day. Scrooge McDuck runs an item shop that’s synced to the real world clock, and he updates his inventory on a daily basis. It’s basically Tom Nook’s shop with Disney goods, and I’m really looking forward to checking it each morning to see what’s in stock.

• Awesome Disney soundtrack. As I played Dreamlight Valley, I was treated to a terrific assortment of tunes, including original music and plenty of classic Disney songs. The music regularly changes based on the characters around you. When Mickey was around, I’d hear an instrumental version of the Mickey Mouse Club Theme. If Moana was nearby, “How Far I’ll Go” would start to play. I don’t listen to Disney music all that often, but hearing some of these tracks made me very nostalgic.

• Fantastic Disney fan service. Obviously, Dreamlight Valley is tailor-made for Disney lovers, but I really appreciated the way the game included small details from my favorite Disney movies. When I was fishing near Goofy, I spotted him doing the perfect cast from A Goofy Movie, which instantly put a smile on my face. When Wall-E was looking at a pair of boots in the shop, he took out his plant boot for comparison, and it was probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT DISNEY DREAMLIGHT VALLEY?

• Storage is a huge headache. Dreamlight Valley barely gave me any storage space to start with, which was pretty frustrating in a game that’s all about collecting and crafting different items. I was able to increase my inventory space pretty quickly, but it took a lot of grinding. Look, I adore inventory management, but I don’t want to have to worry about it in a game like this. I just want to chill out and pick up every item I see.

• Pricey microtransactions. It’s definitely possible to play and enjoy Dreamlight Valley without spending money on microtransactions, but if you love Disney costumes and decor, it could do a serious number on your wallet. There’s a premium currency called Moonstones that you can spend on a rotating selection of cosmetics in the item shop. The prices aren’t outrageous, but they feel a little high for a paid game. Dreamlight Valley was originally going to be free-to-play , and the microtransactions feel like a relic of the game’s initial monetization strategy.

PLATFORM TESTED

PC via Steam.