A dream come true?

When Sega went multiformat publisher, it looked like anything was possible. Surely Sonic would conquer the world; Phantasy Star would rewrite online gaming; Virtua Tennis would become an annual success; next-gen Shenmue would emerge; and celebrated 1996 cult Saturn classic NiGHTS: Into Dreams would get the acclaimed mainstream sequel it deserved.

Sadly, most haven’t happened. Sonic’s efforts have been hit-and-miss; PSU was a comfortable more-of-the-same; Virtua Tennis 3 was the first home-system VT since 2001; and Shenmue III simply hasn’t transpired. Luckily, with Wii NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, we’ve got one of our wishes. But can it live up to twelve years of expectations?

Hardcore fans of the first NiGHTS will find NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams to be familiar and fun, if nowhere near as fresh as the original. Everybody else will discover an enjoyable, if inconsistent gliding-platformer with all the hallmarks – good and bad – of Sonic Team’s recent releases.

Most obviously, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams has bags of charm. A buoyant, busy sensory assault of trippy bright colours, sweeping string orchestra, cutesy characters and sheer childlike fantasy, Journey of Dreams stylistically does Sonic Team proud.

It’s a great start to what, at its best, is an elegant, enrapturing and surprisingly diverse title. NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams sees you entering the dreams of twelve year-olds Will and Helen and undertaking three different styles of play; traditional NiGHTS free-floating play where you control the titular androgynous jester, boss battles, and platforming where you control whichever of the kids whose story you’re playing.

In flight, NiGHTS is an utter joy – providing you don’t go for the Wiimote-only controls. The Endless Ocean-style Mindsight pointer method is shockingly oversensitive, and you’ll do best using the Nunchuk to move – or, preferably, a Classic or GameCube controller.

Whimsical fairytale

These levels see you chase three birds through three different on-rails laps of a whimsical fairytale – collecting orbs, gliding through hoops to maintain your boost meter, circling enemies, sometimes changing into different forms, occasionally controlling NiGHTS from a behind-the-character view, and generally trying to get the fastest time and best score possible. It’s every bit as addicting and replayable as the Saturn original, and if NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams contained a solid ten hours of this, it would be an instant Wii classic.

Sadly, it doesn’t. Indeed, the execution of the rest of Journey of Dreams can’t help but leave you wondering what Sonic Team were thinking.

Getting to a boss in NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is both a blessing and a curse. They’re amongst the most interesting you’ll see outside of a Zelda game, but run out of time and you’ll not restart the boss itself, but actually do the entire level again to get to that point. Frustrating isn’t the word.

If that’s annoying for NiGHTS fans, Journey of Dreams’ platform levels will be a little soul crushing. Frankly, they’re uninspired and dull, but you’ll persevere with them – as well as bearing with the kiddy story, hammy dialogue and surprising frequency of lengthy cutscenes – just to get to that ever-playable gliding gameplay.

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams’ other features are novel, though not necessarily essential additions. Multiplayer is made up of races and battles, but is an interesting diversion at best that true NiGHTS fans will get more from than everyone else. The My Dream area, meanwhile, is a nice touch – especially the weather mimicking – but is utterly ancillary to Journey of Dreams’ main game – which is sadly over within 6-8 hours, with only the ever-elusive A grades on each level for completists to pursue thereafter.

What it comes down to, then, is uniqueness. The original NiGHTS was often called a "Sky-based Sonic", and considered at the time to be one of the most original titles around. Twelve years on and that’s an apt summing up of Journey of Dreams, too. Thankfully, it’s a darn sight better than the spiny speedster’s recent releases, and – despite the brevity and a few old school gaming quirks – will be a title, much like its forebear, that some players may not 'get', but all should sample. Sweet dreams for Sega fans, then; and not a nightmare for anyone else, either.

GAME's Verdict

• Classic time-attacking gliding NiGHTS gameplay.
• Wonderful, bright, vibrant visuals, as you'd expect from Sonic Team.
• Brilliant bosses.

• Platforming levels aren't anywhere near as enjoyable as the flying ones.
• Having to replay an entire level because you failed to beat a boss.
• At 6-8 hours for the two kid's stories, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams isn't an epic.

Review by: Mark 'Sleepalot' Scott
Version Tested: Wii
Review Published: 25.01.08

Sega’s Wii-vamped Saturn sequel soars into view...

Gaming’s going through a throwback phase right now. Looking through our recent content, Mass Effect harks back to 2003’s KoTOR, Silent Hill Origins makes traditional survival horror big on the PSP’s small screen, Umbrella Chronicles is a Resi fan's nostalgic Wii wet dream and Mario Galaxy may just be the title to top the plumber’s seminal decade-old first 3D outing.

Not to be outdone, Sonic Team are muscling in on the retro respect with what, it’s fair to say, is console gaming’s most overdue sequel. Finally following up one of the Saturn’s most special games, Nights: Journey of Dreams will be a welcome, joyously colourful gameplay celebration for Sega fans, whilst also promising one of the Wii’s most unique experiences yet.

Indeed, the twisty, gliding gameplay of 1996’s free-flying Nights: Into Dreams should be a perfect fit for the console’s tip-and-dip Wiimote control – with Nights: Journey of Dreams seeing your character, a little like in Endless Ocean, moving to wherever your point the on-screen cursor, with a feature called Mindsight.

Unlike the system’s tranquil cut-price swim sim, however, the levels in Nights: Journey of Dreams will be fast-paced races-against time, so some players might rather use the Nunchuk to manoeuvre their maniacal mid-air jester – while Saturn old-schoolers will appreciate the option to use a GameCube pad or Classic Controller instead.

Nights’ gameplay, as with the eleven year old original, revolves around flying through dreamlike levels, soaring through hoops, collecting orbs, running rings around enemies and, in Journey of Dreams, chasing birds to grab the keys needed to progress, before ending up in an end-of-level boss battle against various surreal oversized enemies – including, from what we’ve seen, a giant bouncing clown ball and an enormous floating fish.

Magical

What Nights did so successfully on the Saturn was present a gorgeous 3D world with the illusion of freedom, but gave the gamer a focused 2D style of gameplay, driving you down a pre-set path and never stopping with the rainbow-bright sensory assault.

Nights: Journey of Dreams promises to refine this with a far greater sense of scale; it’s not complicated, but it’s looking quick, compelling, addictive and magical, mixing the best elements of platform games and arcade flight titles with a wondrously vibrant, visually arresting fantasy setting. On top of that, the gameplay might be diverse enough to surprise even Saturn owners, letting you change into a dragon, dolphin or rocket at the press of a button, and even become a river raft at certain sections of the game.

The story is typical family-friendly nonsense of course, but has a certain charm that makes an odd sort of sense. In Nights: Journey of Dreams, you enter the dreams of teenagers Will and Helen – each with their own singleplayer story – and play as them through the platform-like Dream Gate hub levels, saving the titular Night – a purple-clad floating jester – before switching to the main free-flying hook; rescuing the residents of Nightopia on a quest to defeat the evil Wizeman and his dream-corrupting nightmares.

Being a Wii exclusive, Sega has made sure Nights: Journey of Dreams takes advantage of the console’s unique features. You’ll have access to the My Garden area, which will not only develop based on your progress in the main game – filling up with Nightmare’s or helpful Nightopians and becoming a dark, or lively, lovely place for it – but will actually mimic real-world weather with the Wii weather channel. Moreover, Nights: Journey of Dreams also looks set to be one of the system’s better multiplayer games, giving players the chance to race through levels online, do the same offline, or play an addicting split-screen battle mode.

Journey of Dreams should be hardcore Sega lovers’ longest-held desires finally made good, but will also be worth checking out for many a Wii owner. Riding the star stream of Mario Galaxy, this new Nights could be THE Wii title to look out for in the New Year and one of the best series updates of recent months.

Preview by: Mark 'Floaty Bloaty' Scott
Preview Published: 30.11.07