A timeless classic resonating ipseity, distinction, and perfection.
NiGHTS into Dreams is the culmination of uniqueness in gaming, folks. Never before 1996 had a game meshed 2D and 3D elements into one unified masterpiece like this. Heck, it might even be truthful to state that hardly any games since this game's commencement have blended these two dimensions so flawlessly, including NiGHTS into Dreams' sequel, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams. Read on to understand the reasons behind why I awarded this beautiful title with a perfect score, and why it's such an unmatchable, unparalleled experience...
--------------------------------------- The Thought on Plot ----------------------------------------
During the entire course of plot in NiGHTS into Dreams, dialogue is almost completely absent. There are several cutscenes, but all of them rely on the expressions and actions of the characters found within them. Nevertheless, the story is brilliantly remarkable and unforgettable, and can be associated with at least one aspect of every person's life. The game levels themselves hold a representation of Claris' and Elliot's lives, and don't exist simply to display creative design, which, by the way, the game also excels in.
Now, in a more modern age, many might taunt the story as being too cutesy and overly saccharine. Those who say so proclaim such a horrible fallacy! Quite the opposite, NiD's storyline is balanced of both touching and heartwarming moments, yet conveys the amount of evil that's afoot in the dream world as well.
------------------------------------------ Critical Analysis ------------------------------------------
Indeed, NiGHTS into Dreams really IS a dream. Incredibly unique, addictive, amazing, extraordinary… *insert all words pertaining to "awesome" here* There's simply no other experience that can match it. It's formulated a genre all to itself with a gigantic banner stating its dominance of exclusive perfection. Of course, all of this flawlessness needs some explaining. A standalone "10 out of 10" isn't enough to convince without the reasons behind it.
Direct from the start, you're pressed to drop your jaw to the floor from the gorgeous animated intro. Well, perhaps the result won't prove to be THAT extreme, but in 1996 it was. After this wondrous visual delight, you'll be taken to the title screen, and then you'll choose which save slot you wish to use. Once chosen, six levels are free to explore instantaneously, with the other two locked until all the rest are completed with a "C" ranking or higher. Select a level, and the dream begins.
You'll start off on foot with either Claris or Elliot. An inevitable and unavoidable attack from a group of Nightmarens swipes your Ideyas from you, so now you need to retrieve them in order to confront the Nightmaren boss. Conveniently, NiGHTS is near your character's location. Simply approach, and your character will automatically merge with him.
Certainly, this is where the fun begins. Your goal is to collect twenty blue chips dispersed around the course of a lap and enter the Ideya Capture to destroy it, thus freeing the Ideya inside and progressing your completion of the level. You'll perform this process four times (one for each lap), all the while racing against a predetermined amount of time. Along the way, you can gain points by flying through rings, collecting golden stars, showing off your acrobatic aerial skills, and by utilizing special tokens. As your knowledge of the level increases, you'll find yourself zooming like mad, discovering new areas and more advantageous chip locations.
Once you've laid waste to the four Ideya Captures, prepare yourself for the impending boss battle. In truth, most of them aren't very challenging, but what they lack in difficulty, they make up for in imaginative creativity. They look incredibly weird and bizarre as well, adding their share to the game's atmosphere. Indeed, these boss battles are crucial to NiGHTS into Dreams' prolonged distinctiveness.
The game also encourages a more relaxed approach to gameplay, via the artificial life system ("A-Life"). Nightopia's residents, the Nightopians, can be hatched and nurtured, resulting in revolutionary BGM transformations. Dependant on the Nightopians' mood, the music actually changes with how they feel. For instance, if you decide that the local population has reached "undesired" heights, you may decide to "dispose" of some citizens by "paralooping" around them. As a result, the BGM adopts a different, slightly capricious tone. (For further Nightopian goodness, your collection of them can actually be seen in the holiday sampler, Christmas NiGHTS!)
No matter the variation, the background music is absolutely marvelous, and a huge pleasure to listen to, from television speakers to personal headphones. Some tracks are so masterfully and wonderfully composed, that they welcome tears of joy due to their sheer brilliance. It's no wonder that NiGHTS into Dreams' soundtrack is considered the best of the best in gaming. No matter who you are, you'll never, ever, ever, get weary of NiD's BGM, because it offers a wide variety of musical styles, from the blare of an electric guitar to the serene tranquility of a flute. It's timeless. The game's sound effects are perfect, and compliment every imaginable aspect possible. Cheers to the folks involved with NiGHTS into Dreams' audio. They rock in more ways than one.
Something immediately noticeable is NiD's heavenly graphical appearance. For the Saturn, and the 32-bit era in general, this amazement simply provides a "wow" factor to an already exquisite game. From the 3D cutscenes to the smooth framerate, everything just looks unbelievable and advanced, especially when considering that this game was produced in the mid-90s. Really, the only criticism that can be targeted is that on a few occasions, slowdown reveals itself, but only in spots that does NOT affect the gameplay in any manner whatsoever. As a whole, NiD's graphics shine radiantly, and share the spotlight with the many other attributes already established.
Believe it or not, with only eight levels, NiGHTS into Dreams flourishes in the replayability department, quashing any thought of lack of value. The experience is so much fun, so very addicting, and so perfectly meshed together, that it forces you to play, either for pure enjoyment or for a score attack. You can tweak some gameplay settings for extra variability, observe what the Nightopians are up to, or go head-to-head with another player in a NiGHTS vs. Reala showdown. Anyone who gives the game a chance will find it incredibly immersive and criminally captivating.
--------------------------------------------- Conclusion ---------------------------------------------
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Value----------| ~~~~~~~~~~
Overall--------| ~~~~~~~~~~
Gameplay | 10 | Unique and addicting, intense yet relaxed, this game packs a serious punch in the gameplay department. Something the other guys simply can't identify with. Keep in mind, though, that it might not prove to be an instant hit with you at first. Once you become accustomed with the general flow and objectives for moving on, NiD begins to pick up the pace, guaranteed. Be sure to pick up the essential analog controller for maximum enjoyment.
Graphics | 10 | Impressive and revolutionary for its day, and perhaps even more importantly, the game still looks amazing now. It's evident that the Saturn was pushed to its limit and hardly beyond it.
Audio | 10 | BGM is still as fresh and uplifting as it was back in 1996, and offers up a huge variety of musical genres, all performed without a hitch. The fact that the music can actually change to represent how the Nightopians feel is just too cool. Sound effects are crisp, plentiful, and magical. (Place the game disc in your favorite CD player to listen to the bosses' tunes!)
Value | 10 | NiD's replayability keeps going and going, and will have you playing long after you've scored "A's" on every level, whether it's just for fun or for a race against your high scores. Experiment with Nightopians to extend replayability even further!
Overall | 10 | Perfect and flawless in every imaginable way, that is, unless you enjoy slamming a game for its insignificant, impalpable faults. If you own a Sega Saturn but don't own a copy of NiGHTS into Dreams, are you truly a Saturn owner at all? If you're looking to purchase a Saturn, introduce yourself to the grandeur of this great platform with NiD. The total package is worth the price of admission for NiGHTS into Dreams alone.
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You might also be interested in...
- Christmas NiGHTS
- NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
- NiGHTS into Dreams... (PlayStation 2 port / remake)
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