Game review: Dreams Universe gives free rein to your imagination

Dreams provides the necessary tools for users to create a game with the PlayStation controller. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM PLAYSTATION ASIA/YOUTUBE

Anything you can imagine, you can create in Dreams Universe, a wildly ambitious game creation tool for the PlayStation 4 game console.

Dreams provides the necessary tools for users to create a game with the PlayStation controller. These built-in tools are extensive and remarkably powerful, covering the key aspects of game design, from the animation to the game logic and even the soundtrack.

It is like Minecraft, which lets users build their own game levels, but on steroids if you will.

Back in 2008, developer Media Molecule included in-game level editors in its LittleBigPlanet puzzle platform series of games, spawning a community of creators. But Dreams, which was first shown publicly in 2013, makes game creation its central premise.

A visually-stunning opening introduces you to a cute ball of fur - dubbed an imp - which is akin to a mouse cursor that lets you manipulate the game environment.

Not only is this imp used to craft the objects in the game, it is also used to "possess" a game character, which is then used to play test what you have just created.

After a while, you'll get used to this process of create and test. But there is quite a learning curve.

The controller, for one, is not as intuitive to me as the mouse and keyboard for tasks like resizing objects, rotating the 3-D view and moving them to the desired location. Imagine using Photoshop, but with a controller.

You can also use a pair of the wand-like Move controllers, though I found them even more difficult to control.

Media Molecule has done a superb job with their tutorials. They appear in picture-in-picture mode at the corner of the screen, so you can watch the instructions and execute them at the same time.

Dreams also comes with a substantial library of premade objects, most of which can be unlocked by going through the numerous tutorials and masterclasses in the game. This library means that you do not need to start from scratch for your game.

Besides creating your own game (Dream Shaping), you can also browse and experience games (Dream Surfing) and other assets created by other Dreams users. The latter can be reused and adapted by others in their own creations. Hence, it is perfectly fine if you are only interested in certain aspects of game design, like sculpting 3-D objects or creating music.

In fact, some of the most impressive user-created content is not even playable. For instance, there is a lovingly 3-D recreation of Pelican Town from the simulation role-playing game Stardew Valley, which can be explored, but without the actual game mechanics.

To inspire users and show them the potential of Dreams, Media Molecule has also created its own short game, Art's Dream, using the same tools available to users. It is a 2hr journey through several game genres with amazing visuals and music.

Of course, the majority of the content created by other, presumably amateur Dreams users is not as polished as Art's Dream.

But I still enjoyed playing some of these games, such as one that involved guiding a ball through an obstacle course, even if the graphics are rudimentary.

Those who have always been interested in game design will find Dreams Universe an excellent introduction to game creation. For those who lack the time or the inclination, they can still enjoy the diverse user creations.

FOR

Powerful game creation tool

Excellent tutorials

Varied and diverse user-created games

AGAINST

Quality of user-created games is hit and miss

Steep learning curve

SPECS

Price: $54.90

Genre: Sandbox, game creation system

Platform: PS4 only

RATING

9/10

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