Sweet dreams are made of this?
I must confess, I never played the original NiGHTS into Dreams back in 1996, but always wanted to and was overjoyed when I heard it was coming to PSN and XBLA as a full HD remake, with a classic Saturn mode for those who prefer the untouched original.
It’s hard to work out what NiGHTS is all about when you first start playing, you go around and around a level going through hoops (or links as they are called) a number of times, but the layout changes on each lap and the challenge increases, plus there’s a time limit to contend with. The controls do take a little getting used to, but it’s pretty straightforward once you master them.
There are also boss battles and they are tough because you have to beat them before the clock hits zero, which can be tricky when you have no idea how to beat it. I came so close with one boss, but ran out of time and had to redo the entire level before the boss itself, which was a little frustrating…
But at its heart, NiGHTS is a great game by the legendary Sonic Team, I personally hope they make a sequel for the next-generation. The story itself is a little basic, but it is memorable in its own way as you try and stop Wizeman the Wicked and save Nightopia. The visuals have had a good re-mastering in this HD edition, but you can also switch back to the original looking game for no extra cost, plus there is also content from the Christmas version of the game.
NiGHTS is a nice looking game, both in its re-mastered format and in its original look. The music is pretty catchy too, in a manner of speaking. The load times are very small, while the framerate is consistent throughout.
The Verdict
NiGHTS into Dreams is a great remake of a classic Saturn game, it stands the test of time and still looks impressive to boot. Sweet dreams are definitely made of this…who am I to disagree?
