GAME REVIEW: ‘NiGHTS Into Dreams’
In the mid 1990s, the “Console Wars” between Sega, Nintendo, and Sony were proceeding at a rapid clip. Hardware had become more advanced with the coming of new game systems, and 3D was no longer just a gimmick in a video game: it had become the standard. The Playstation launched with games such as “Battle Arena Toshinden” and “Ridge Racer,” the Nintendo 64 with “Super Mario 64,” and the Sega Saturn, which ran a distant third in the console race, had yet to acquire a true killer app. Developer Sonic Team answered with “NiGHTS Into Dreams…” in 1996, and the results were quite spectacular then. Today, though a bit on the short side, the game definitely retains most of its charm.
The story is a bit complex. Two children, named Claris and Elliot, fall into the dream world Nightopia, where all human dreams are played out each night. There, they discover an androgynous-looking purple jester named Nights, who is trapped in a gazebo-like structure called an ideya palace. They must free Nights in order to battle his evil creator Wizeman, who seeks to steal ideya (blue orbs of energy) from dreamers to seize control of Nightopia. Only by entering an ideya palace can the children take flight as Nights and fight back against Wizeman’s nefarious plans.
As muddled as NiGHTS sounds, the story takes a backseat to the flight mechanics of the game, which are an absolute dream (no pun intended). Analog control on the Xbox 360 works just as well as the flight controller designed specifically for the game back in 1996. When playing as Nights, the goal is to collect as many blue orbs and golden stars as possible to break open robotic spheres in the allotted time. Doing so will allow the player to continue onto other predetermined flight paths to repeat the procedure. It is also possible to fly loops around orbs and pick them up all at once.
While it may sound repetitive, the paths change perspectives occasionally from side to side, overhead, and behind, and the effect can look rather spectacular. Everything is widely varied and designed to keep the game engrossing and intriguing. Nights sometimes even turns into a mermaid to dash through water.
The visuals are nothing short of luscious. NiGHTS was a visual treat during the Saturn’s heyday with a 16×9 TV mode, a novelty back then. Now on Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network, the game looks better than ever. No longer are characters mere polygons with pixels for grins and blocks for eyes. Edges are better defined than any gamer in the 1990s could have ever hoped for, and the foliage in trees and the dips in valleys pop off the screen in more than adequate detail.
Sharp-eyed gamers will even notice additional little touches such as train crossing signs and rushing streams that populate the already busy scenery. Plus, the boss battles offer something creative and surprising from one stage to another. Kudos to Sega for working to make this port as eye-catching as it is.
The soundtrack is memorable and upbeat, which matches the intensity of the visuals and anarchy of c
ollecting orbs in a quick manner. Don’t be surprised to find yourself humming along to the tunes as the game progresses and coming back to the same stages later to improve individual high scores while listening to the catchy tunes. And be aware of the dreaded game over screen, which will give off the distinct feeling of failing Nightopia.
Although marketed as a true 3D, free flight game upon release, NiGHTS overall plays more like a highly stylized racing game with a unique set of play mechanics modern games lack. It harkens back to classic 2D games a la the Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo, and breaking away from stage routes is impossible. Still, the implementation of the simple controls works so well, the player does get the sensation of freedom and actual flight when bobbing and weaving around enemies and soaring through chasms and waterfalls.
“NiGHTS Into Dreams…” remains an extremely simple and playable, albeit not necessarily accessible experience. For those who can get past its slightly dated exterior and weird story and don’t mind replaying stages multiple times, this surreal and fun little romp through a luminous dream world filled with quirky characters, large locations, and gargantuan dragons that want to eat you shouldn’t be missed.
Dream on, gamers. Don’t let the night be over.
(“NiGHTS Into Dreams” is available for download on Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network for 800 MS points/$9.99)