Disney's latest video game, Disney Dreamlight Valley, has finally opened its doors for people to dive in and enjoy the beta. And where the live service game will go afterwards, nobody knows, but it does look set to be a fun time for Disney fans.
The game features many activities that players will surely enjoy, some that might even be familiar from other iconic real life simulation games. But one thing's for certain, the Disney magic sprinkled on them just might potentially make them more entertaining than some may initially expect.
Mining
Some may already be familiar with mining in games like Harvest Moon. This feature acts much in the same way, as the player can mine locations to clear certain paths, but it can also be used to uncover rare items that can only be found by grabbing a pickaxe and digging.
However, what can make this a fun time in this Disney game is uncovering the many gems scattered around, which can be sold for lots of gold coins. With many cosmetic items available to purchase from Scrooge McDuck, this can make the grind worth it to get the desired items, especially when you can recruit a Disney character to do the task for or with you.
Gardening
Another staple common in real life sim games, gardening will give the player the opportunity to gain ingredients for the many dishes they can cook. But the fruit and veg players can grow can also be sold to Goofy in order to earn some money. Perhaps this game might appeal to plant lovers as much as fans of the studio's animated classics.
This activity can be fun if players seek out and bring back plants from the different realms, giving more options to make anyone's dream garden come true from these unique items. And being able to use your skills can help make wonderful connections with other characters, especially with Wall-E as he can give you extra crops for helping him with his garden.
Crafting
With so many materials to collect in the game, they can be put to good use to craft and create new items. Whether it's for decorations and furniture for the interior of the home or new structures for the Valley, players are very much encouraged to collect as many resources as possible.
It may already be a fun experience for many for similar titles in the genre, the developers took it up a notch with how quick and easy it is, not having to worry about going through many menus to select the necessary materials. Add to that and the many Disney and Pixar inspired items anyone can make and they can have their dream house in no time.
Fishing
For some, this can be a fun side activity during their grand adventures in games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. For others, this may bring nightmarish flashbacks to Big the Cat and Froggy from Sonic Adventure.
But fishing in Disney Dreamlight Valley can be a fun and relaxing experience as not also are there many types of fish to collect, but the catch can be traded for coins, used to cook multiple meals available to unlock, and can even be given out as gifts to the characters who inhabit the world. With so many ways to use the catches of the day, it can be a fun and rewarding activity with lots of benefits that even some of the best fishing video games may not have done.
Cooking
Believe it or not, there are many meals to unlock throughout the game, and that's just from the launch of the beta. By accessing a stove, anyone can then start to use their collected ingredients to start making these wonderful dishes.
What makes cooking so much fun is the multiple approaches that can eventually unlock more meals, and its simplicity, avoiding unnecessary grinding from similar cooking side activities in other titles. Whether it's assisting Remy from Ratatouille or hunting ingredients within multiple hiding spots, the player can cook at their own pace and in their own way.
Interior Decorating
One of the biggest selling points of the game that has seen many already impressed by it, is the amount of customization available. With many items to craft, receive, and purchase, it's possible that no one house will ever look the same.
Many may have been able to do this in other games before, but the team behind it were able to make it fun with the options to layer items on top of one another and change the layout in the blink of an eye. And with the potential of new cosmetics that can open up in the future, many might sink hours upon hours to become fine virtual Disney interior decorators.
Change The Valley
Many may have enjoyed the recent Animal Crossing game on the Switch for being able to transform the island to the players' content, something that they couldn't quite do before. And it looks like it might have even inspired this game after fans of the hit Nintendo game terraformed their islands a bit too far.
It is possible to move any building and architecture to any suitable piece of the landscape that gives anyone the unlimited potential to make the town they want. And with so many characters to find and bring back to the Valley and cosmetic items to make the area shine, anyone can build their dream Disney town as much as their dream Disney home.
Character Customization
When everyone boots up the game for the first time, they will need to create a custom avatar character. And as the trailers and gameplay videos suggest, there are a lot of options to bring anyone into the game.
Even before starting the game, there are many features where the player can bring themselves into the game, no matter how they decide to represent themselves. But with many costumes to unlock, like Goofy's hat if you become good friends, players' virtual wardrobes can be as expansive as any other customization feature in the game. It could even rival the best character customizations from massive RPGs.
Photo Mode
Many games have seen their fair share of brilliant photo modes to create stunning images from fans and see it in a whole new light. And Disney Dreamlight Valley features it too, although with a great magical twist.
After gaining a phone, players can take selfies with the many Disney and Pixar characters who inhabit the world, with each one doing a unique pose or action just for the occasion. But you can also use the camera to complete numerous quests too, making it an equally fun and practical tool.
Befriending and Recruiting Characters
Easily among the highlights of the game is the ability to interact with the many characters who inhabit the magical worlds surrounding the Valley. From iconic villains from classic movies to heroines from recent hits, anyone will surely bump into their favorite characters.
And best of all, anyone can become friends with them, giving you rewards the more you hang out and spend time with them. Once the friendship level grows to a certain point, the player can even recruit them in order to help rake in more rewards as gamers get busy completing quests from other familiar faces.