Released Today! Combine Tools and Create the Game You Imagined PS4 "Dreams Universe" Review

Dreams Universe was released today, Friday, February 14, 2020. Dreams Universe" is a game creation platform created over the past seven years by Media Molecule, the studio behind "LittleBigPlanet" and "Tearaway: Adventures in a World Gone Wild". This review will introduce the platform, which allows users to create the game of their dreams using a variety of tools.

When one thinks of "making a game," the image that comes to mind is of a person silently programming away at a computer. The rows and rows of alphanumeric characters that fill the room make my eyes hurt just looking at them, but with this game, all you have to do is combine multiple tools. It's almost like creating a puzzle game.

However, it is not necessarily true that people who like games are also good at making games; I have played more than 300 consumer games, but I have never thought about how to make games, much less how to create them, and I am not good with numbers. However, this game has an extensive tutorial, perhaps because it emphasizes the ease with which even beginners can create games.

In the tutorial, a narrator teaches you how to use the tools with the help of videos. Starting with the basics of game creation, such as creating the stage and operating characters, moving scaffolding and other gimmicks, the tutorial also explains how to paint trees and rocks, how to set up staging and props to change the atmosphere of the surroundings, how to shoot camera work to be inserted as events, how to sculpt 3D model characters, how to create dramatic scenes, and more. The explanation is varied.

The explanations are divided into easy, normal, and hard levels according to difficulty, allowing the player to learn the techniques step by step. In parallel with the narration, the player also practices the operations instructed, so the information obtained can be formed on the spot and easily memorized. In addition, the menu screen teaches the operation method for using the corresponding tool each time without omission, so there is no confusion if the player accidentally forgets to use it.

You can start creating games from "Dream Making," but you will not be able to create games unless you have learned the basics, so we recommend that you at least play "Dream Beginnings. You will learn the basic elements of game creation, such as moving the viewpoint, manipulating objects, resizing, and creating copies, in about one to two hours. Even though the techniques are simple, it is fun to use them and shape the game with your own hands. Perhaps because it uses existing materials, rather than entering code, the creation process is reflected in real time, which makes for a good tempo.

There are other tutorials available to teach the techniques mentioned above, but after mastering each item, it is recommended to try out the technique until you are satisfied with it and familiarize yourself with it before moving on to the next. If you have a halfway understanding, you will be confused when new information is introduced. The author stopped the tutorial halfway through and started creating a full-fledged game, and was frustrated when he was unable to express the world as he had imagined it. If I had done a poor job, I might have lost motivation and given up. It will take some time to master the tutorial, but you should learn it for later. There is no way to know for sure whether or not you have the talent to create unless you know the techniques for creating.

As you learn how to utilize the tools, you will realize that all stage tricks and staging are composed of theory and technique. They are triggered by the player's movements, and when the conditions are met, they are activated and move in a predetermined manner. And you get the creator's point of view. You can realize that if you apply the technology available for making games, you can also make movies and music videos. Creating a world by combining one's ideals and tools is a real thrill that can only be experienced by making things.

Dream Surfing" allows users to play other players' creations, and there are many variations, including 2D scrolling RPGs, FPS shooters, and "atmospheric games" that allow users to explore the landscape. The reason for this is that even as I write this and you read this article, people all over the world are creating and sharing games. There is no limit to the number of games available, but rather the number is increasing, and all of them can be played for free. It's a bit like using the subscription streaming game service PlayStation Now.

The atmosphere, texture, and worldview are all different for each creator. If you find yourself stuck in the "Dream Making" process, it's a good idea to play other people's titles for a break and to get some inspiration. Some of them may be professionals, but the majority of people playing this game are ordinary people, so-called indies. Many indie games have an edgy style that is different and more stimulating than commercially available games.

You can "like" the games you like and follow the game creators and their works. Also, from the "archive," the materials used in the work can be viewed, so players can try to create the same work or arrange it by adding their own elements.

This title also has a story mode called "Dreams of Art," in which artworks are created by the production studio Media Molecule using the Dreams Universe, but the real thrill of this title is that players from the Dreams Universe community around the world can create their own original works of art. The real thrill of this work lies in the creation of original works of art by players from the Dreams Universe community around the world. Therefore, the game is best suited for those who can patiently learn the tutorial and those who have always loved to create. However, anyone can create any kind of game as long as they learn the techniques. If only there was such a game," or "It's an interesting title, but it could be better if it were like this. In a sense, "Dreams Universe" is a dream game for gamers who have been familiar with games, not creators.
(Text: Natsuyoshi Natsuyamashi)

Summary of the game
Dreams Universe
Genre: Game creative platform
Compatibility: PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 4 Pro
Players: 1 player online (1 to 4 players offline)
Release date: February 14, 2020 (Friday)
Price:
Package version: 4,900 yen + tax / Download version: 5,390 yen (tax included)
CERO: B (for ages 12 and up)
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

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