The heartwarming and charming Disney Dreamlight Valley is the answer to cozy gamers’ longing to recreate their 2020 Animal Crossing lockdown experience. Brimming with childhood nostalgia and whimsical magic, the early access game is already off to a strong start. Combining the best aspects of Animal Crossing: New Horizons with new, refreshing gameplay, Disney Dreamlight Valley early access is a must-get for your Steam wishlist.
An Animal Crossing Fan’s Dream
Any gamer who owned a Nintendo Switch in March 2020 can well remember the delight of cozying up in bed all day completing tasks for Tom Nook and adding some personal flair and style to the island resort. Was there a better way to push away the anxieties of the pandemic lockdown, even just for a few hours? Disney Dreamlight Valley brings those feelings back, and players will find themselves sinking just as many hours into the game, if not more.
Some of the most mellow aspects of Animal Crossing: New Horizons have squirreled their way into this game. From easy-going fishing to farming and digging up treasure — relaxing tasks are definitely an integral part of the gameplay.
Love the decorating and customizing creativity of Animal Crossing? Gamers won’t be disappointed with the wide range of furniture and clothing in Disney Dreamlight Valley. There are over 1000 items to collect, and that is just in early access. It’s quite a bit of fun adding decorations around the village from iconic Disney movies and dressing your avatar as if you’re bound for a day at Disney World. Mickey ears and a Dole Whip, anyone?
A controversial add-on to Disney Dreamlight Valley is the game’s battle pass, “Star Path”. This battle pass gives the player a list of challenges and tasks in order to unlock premium content. The player can unlock items like Lightning McQueen’s racing jacket and Mr. Incredible’s retro suit display. The great thing about this is that it doesn’t diminish the wide amount of content available outside of it. It’s a nice option to grab, but you’re not going to have any FOMO if you decide to pass on it. Plus, there’s the free track of items to try and go for as well. As long as developers don’t skimp out on the free content outside of this premium option as time goes on, the addition isn’t anything to scoff at quite yet.
Disney Dreamlight Valley gameplay includes farming and fishing.
How Disney Dreamlight Valley Sets Itself Apart
All things said though, Disney Dreamlight Valley is absolutely not an Animal Crossing knockoff. Where Animal Crossing: New Horizons thrives in daily tasks and creative decorating, Disney Dreamlight Valley thrives in storytelling.
In Animal Crossing, once the player completes Tom Nook’s main storyline and fully unlocks the island’s buildings and resources, the story is over. This can easily be done within just a couple of weeks of first getting the game. While daily tasks, chatting with the villagers and decorating the island can add some more playability, there is only so much the player can squeeze out of the game before it starts to get repetitive.
This is where Disney Dreamlight Valley differs. The great thing about the game is that there is always a new storyline to explore. Once you finish one, another pops up and draws you in for a few more hours of gameplay. From exploring the apocalyptic realm of WALL-E’s world to helping heartbroken Mickey Mouse reunite with his love Minnie, there is always something to do outside the usual fishing and farming.
Is Paying for Early Access Worth It?
The game will be free-to-play as early as 2023. However, gamers can pick up the early access version now for $30. Is Disney Dreamlight Valley early access worth buying? With the long-term playability and wide range of content already available, the answer is a definite yes. The game is very engaging, the graphics and music are great, and the lack of excessive pay-to-play microtransactions makes it a very appealing grab. So go forth mingling with Mickey Mouse and collecting Disney Princess gowns, you won’t regret it.
