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video game reviews

Game Review: Disney Dreamlight Valley

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I got Disney Dreamlight Valley because I thought the art was cool, and I was in the market for a relaxing game that didn’t require much investment. Dreamlight Valley is a Disney Themed village life simulator available for all major consoles and pc. This review will be based on the Nintendo Switch version. 

Pictures are screenshots from the game

There is a simple story to Disney Dreamlight Valley that isn’t too important to the experience. A mysterious curse has fallen over the town, and its iconic citizens have gone missing. It is up to you to clean up Dreamlight Valley and bring it back to its former glory. Some sidequests add a bit of flavor and world-building, but you aren’t playing this game for its deep story. 

The main draw to this game is the village building. You use magic, gather materials, craft, and do quests to fix up your town. This game has a lot of room for creativity starting with an impressive character creator. You customize your home from a vast collection of furniture that you can craft, buy, or unlock through quests. There are so many cosmetics that I am sure you will find a combination that will fit your aesthetic. The town is fully customizable, and it is where I assume most of your time and efforts will be going. 

There is a lot to do in this game. You can farm materials, make a farm, complete quests, unlock more parts of the town, upgrade your buildings, or become better friends with your citizens. The tasks and quests do get a bit repetitive after a while, but that is the nature of the genre. One positive is that I never felt like I was waiting around too long for things to happen. I kept busy and felt like I was consistently progressing towards my goals without feeling bogged down by timers or busy work.

This game was incredibly relaxing. I enjoyed the repetition of tasks like fishing and crafting, but I could only play this game for a few hours before losing interest. That said, I would find myself making goals and planning my tasks to meet them. I loved watching the town grow nicer as it grew and seeing it fill up with Disney characters. 

I can only play these types of games for so long before I give up on them. While I won’t be daily driving this game by any means, it will be a title I will keep coming back to when I want to kick back and relax. If you are a fan of the genre, Dreamlight Valley is a fantastic title to add to your collection. The gameplay is solid, and the art is fantastic. If you don’t have it already, you can buy it for the Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC.

Now for a shameless plug, check out Canva. If you need a quick and easy photo or video editor that works in your browser, try Canva. It is free, easy to use, and you get access to a wide selection of templates for those who are like me and aren’t that creative. Check out my affiliate link today!

Image By Gameloft / The Walt Disney Company – https://disneydreamlightvalley.com/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71936058

video game reviews

Game Review: Way of the Hunter

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I want to start by saying that I received this game as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let that sway my opinion. This will be an honest review of the game. I stream every game I review on my Twitch and Youtube. Check out my Twitch for an up-to-date schedule. 

All images are screenshots from the game. There are no animals because I am a terrible hunter

I played this game on PC, but it is also available on PS5 and Xbox. Way of the Hunter is a hunting simulator game that aims for realism. You can track animals, pick up job requests, and there is an overarching story that you unlock as you play. It is easy to get lost in this game because it is so beautifully immersive.

The graphics in this game are pretty solid, but it is a few updates from being perfect. I encountered a few visual glitches like floating rocks and trees that affected immersion, but none of them was game-breaking. Someone in my twitch chat mentioned the art was too grainy, I didn’t have a problem with it but keep that in mind. My only issue with the visuals was the grass would get too busy, and I would lose myself trying to find the kills. My playthrough is littered with countless unclaimed carcasses because I couldn’t find them in the brush. This seems like a personal problem, but it is something to keep in mind.

The game has a story, but it acts more as flavor. You can also accept jobs to make more money that requires you to hunt specific animals. Gameplay isn’t limited to quests. You have free reign to hunt whatever you like, granted you have the right equipment. Make sure you use the money you earn to purchase the appropriate tools. 

The map is huge and will involve a lot of driving and walking to unlock all of it. There is fast travel available to keep you from making the long treks twice. My favorite part of this game was the sound. It is incredibly immersive. You can hear bugs zip by your ear, the babbling brooks, the birds in the trees, and other animal calls in the wild. I now know what a mule deer sounds like, and I can track it by just its call.

Hunting is fun, but it requires a lot of patience. If you spook the animals, you will have to spend time tracking them down or waiting till they come back. There is a detective mode that helps with tracking, but a spooked animal can easily disappear in the tree line. I have zero patience and as a result, this game became a hiking simulator. This isn’t a criticism because I enjoyed my virtual hikes. I had a favorite spot I would go to just to listen to the stream and the birds while I waited for prey. It is easy to get lost in this game as you relax and enjoy it for what it is.

My one complaint about hunting is that not all of the AI is perfect. Some animals are smart, and tracking them is fun. Others will get stuck running loops or stop making them easy targets. Some animals didn’t leave blood splatter or trails, making them impossible to track. These cases were rare, but they are something I can’t overlook.

Way of the Hunter is one of the most relaxing games I have ever played. I recommend it if you like simulator games and don’t mind waiting around for hours. I am very impatient and still enjoyed every minute. One of my favorite parts of this game is the tips you get as you play that give the players practical hunting advice not just for the game but also for real life. This game goes out of its way to teach sustainable hunting practices, and I appreciate the effort.

This game isn’t for everyone, but it is worth consideration. Check it out on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.

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