A new life-sim game entitled Disney Dreamlight Valley has just been announced, and it appears to be rather similar to other popular sim games like Stardew Valley. This subgenre of game is best known for its casual and relaxed gameplay, personalization options, and charm, often taking after classics like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon.
Casual gaming has exploded in popularity over the last few years, in part thanks to the success of AAA games like Nintendo Switch's Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but games like Stardew Valley have also played a major part in that. In Stardew, players can start their own farm, own pets and livestock, and even get married to NPCs, making the game very true to the description of "life simulator." This foundation is one that will likely be expanded upon in the Stardew Valley dev's next game The Haunted Chocolatier. Other games like those in the famous The Sims franchise can also fall into this category, as the focus of the game is player-created characters in a low-stakes setting, rather than something like combat.
Disney will be joining the life-sim ranks with Disney Dreamlight Valley. Announced on the PlayStation blog, Disney Dreamlight Valley is described as a "life-simulation adventure game," wherein players will take control of a custom avatar and make their way through a narrative story-driven experience featuring popular Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, as well as Pixar favorites. The customization and progression systems players might expect from games in this genre are also set to appear, as new areas, cosmetics, and other unlockable content will become available as players remove the malignant Night Thorns plaguing the game's world.
Beyond the obvious similarity between the names of these games, Disney Dreamlight Valley shows cozy gameplay reminiscent of Stardew Valley and other laid-back titles. Perhaps the biggest point of difference present in Disney Dreamlight Valley is the inclusion of iconic characters from both classic and contemporary Disney films. This integration of world-famous fictional characters has worked to great effect in games like Kingdom Hearts, so it will be interesting to see how this approach pans out in a game that is not centered around combat.
Disney Dreamlight Valley's announcement notes that the game will receive regular updates and new content, so time will tell if this game turns out to be more of a live-service experience or a traditional, straightforward game. Hopefully, this game will be one that can deliver gratifying and unique content worthy of the Disney and Pixar legacies. Something like Disney Dreamlight Valley certainly has a bigger budget and more resources than other Stardew Valley clones like Harvest Days, so the potential for this game is sky-high.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is currently set for an official launch in 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and Mac.
Source: PlayStation