Disney Dreamlight Valley is a game which will eventually be free to play some time next year but is currently available either through one of the purchasable founders packs or if you have Xbox Game Pass. I have a PS5 so I purchased a founders pack. There are three tiers to choose from and each come with various different cosmetics, pets and premium in game currency. I’d recommend that if you are interested in playing this game early you consider what the founders tiers have to offer and how much it really matters to you. If in game cosmetics and purchasable currency aren’t your priority then I would go for the lowest tier, but if there is something you really really want then go for a higher one. It’s completely your preference and budget limit, but remember it will eventually become free to play and is still in a bit of a test phase so if you’re happy to wait you have that option too.
Disney Dreamlight Valley drops you into a cursed land where you meet Merlin who explains there has been a curse and the ruler of the valley has disappeared. It’s up to you to work out what’s happened. The game is mostly farming, fishing, and crafting style with specific fetch quests for different characters. You can build relationships with characters by talking to them, bringing them along with you on your activities, or giving them gifts. You earn currency to unlock new areas, which helps you to meet new characters, build them houses and buy things to decorate the lands. You can earn coins and Dreamlight and both are pretty easy to come by either through selling items or completing daily tasks like talking to villagers or fishing.
There are also events which you can buy into with Moonlight, which is purchasable and you can also find about ten around your valley a day. The events work like a battle pass, where you have specific tasks and specific currency to spend to earn new motifs, clothing and items, often themed around a certain film series or characters.
As for characters, lots of fan favourites are already in the game like Goofy, Mickey, Ariel, Donald and Maui with promises of more characters to be added. Personally I am looking forward to the addition of Stitch to the game, he appears in the artwork so I remain hopeful. The more you build relationships with different characters the more tasks they have for you to do and the more tasks you do the more characters you can unlock and the more you can do in your village. You can also assign each character roles so they can help you on your chores, find more items and build your friendships.
There are collectable objects to find including the rulers old diary so that you can work out what has happened, and photographs and memories of what the valley used to be like. It’s also important to note that the valley time is the same as your real life time, so whilst most villagers stay awake late, at night time it seems a lot of them will be sleeping as they all have set routines….and you can’t bother them whilst they sleep.
This game is certainly not for everyone, if you like a challenge then this game isn’t the one for you. If you want everything to happen quickly, probably not for you either. But, if you’re a fan of slow paced cozy games and town and farm simulators who also happens to be a big fan of Disney then this game has probably got everything you need to unwind after a long day.
Written by Clarissa.