Media Molecule’s ‘Dreams’ has almost infinite potential
A critically-acclaimed studio might be about to set itself a new standard
On a Christmas morning roughly 10 years ago, I woke up on Christmas morning to a PlayStation 3 and a small collection of games to go with it. Sadly, to my teenage self, this collection didn’t include the latest Call of Duty game (something I would soon attempt to remedy). It did include LittleBigPlanet though, a landmark game created exclusively for the Playstation 3 by developer Media Molecule.
LittleBigPlanet was remarkable for a number of reasons. First of all, it opted for a cutesy, handcrafted, colorful design that couldn’t possibly be more different from the grim battlefields of Call of Duty and Halo that dominated most sales charts. Secondly, it was fantastic. The two-dimensional platformer garnered rave reviews (it has a 95 on Metacritic), which established Media Molecule as one of Sony’s premier studios alongside heavy-hitters like Insomniac or Naughty Dog. Most importantly though, LittleBigPlanet included a level editor that allowed players to create a near-infinite amount of levels. This gave players reason to return to the game for months on end — even for the uncreative types, the promise of countless levels from an active community was an intoxicating proposition.
This week, Media Molecule released a new trailer for its upcoming game, Dreams (embedded below). The publisher has been quiet for the last few years, and the lack of an original creation on the PlayStation 4 (which is now four years old) means that expectations for this beloved studio rise higher every year. This trailer does nothing to dampen excitement, promising an experience much like the original LittleBigPlanet in terms of creation and excitement. Because it expands the vision of its predecessor to three dimensions though, Dreams has the potential to be even more than its predecessor. With its next title, Media Molecule has the opportunity to release a game that will push boundaries unlike anything before it.
The trailer itself is beautiful and charming, even as it depicts three vastly different worlds. The two-minute video depicts woodland creatures, a forest damaged by a virus, and a man drawn into what looks like a noir-detective story. The exact contours of each story aren’t what draws viewers in, however, but rather the contrast between each section. That contrast demonstrates the variety of stories that players will experience in this game, and Media Molecule’s pedigree suggests that the designed levels will be fascinating and innovative.
As the trailer promises, one of the biggest draws of Dreams is the level-editor tools that players will be able to use upon release. Kotaku’s Keza MacDonald wrote about a gameplay demo, and had plenty of positive things to say about the creation tools. She writes:
Another impressive demonstration: A Media Molecule level designer started from scratch, this time with a DualShock controller, and put together a simple platforming level from assets that other people have made, in the space of about twenty minutes. It was a woodland scene, with waterfalls and moving platforms, a cute little animal character, even a boss at the end. It was a heck of a lot more impressive than anything you could make in Unity in 20 minutes.
Obviously, the game’s true accessibility to players is unknowable until it’s released. It’s one thing for a Media Molecule employee to construct a level, and quite another for players who are unfamiliar with the platform. LittleBigPlanet’s success lends confidence to this proposition, however, as its suite of tools was fairly simple after players spent time with it.
Dreams also has its own distinctive style, much like LittleBigPlanet in this aspect (though the specific art directions are much different). Everything looks hand-painted and almost imaginary, which should go a long way toward insuring that creations in Dreams are markedly unique from nearly anything else in the video-game industry. However, even within this paradigm, Media Molecule promises plenty of room for choice and creativity. The trailer shows this well, as some of the later parts showcase drastically different-looking scenes.
It’s difficult to overstate the promise and potential that Dreams has. If LittleBigPlanet allowed for creativity and customization within a two-dimensional, side-scrolling world, that same idea applied to three dimensions is stunning in its ambition. The ability to create a full world, with as much or as little detail as players want, usually only exists in the hands of those versed enough in multiple code languages to build games. Dreams promises to allow anyone with a creative vision the ability to build their creations within its framework.
When I think about Dreams, I’m reminded of another recent, fantastic game: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These two games are vastly different, but both are trying to completely redefine and reimagine some part of video games. Breath of the Wild offered nearly limitless freedom within a massive world, creating an open-world experience that was far more open and ambitious than many before it. Dreams promises the ability to create worlds like 2017’s Hyrule. I don’t mean to suggest that creation of this scale is possible in Dreams (though I hope it is), or that any player who picks up PS4 controller can even come close to Nintendo’s masterpiece, but the parallel of newfound freedom and exploration exists (or at least has the potential to) in each title.
Dreams doesn’t have release date outside of “2018,” and it’s important not to build expectations too high. Many ambitious games fail to meet their promises, even those from well-respected developers. It’s also possible that a game of this impressive size and ambition will be difficult to finish, and that it might not actually come out until some time in 2019. Relentless hype can build up expectations that impossible to match, and it would be a shame to see that happen to Dreams.
When I saw this trailer though, I went from “casually interested” to “extremely excited” by the time its two-minute runtime was over. I love video game trailers, and this game captures the feeling of joy and excitement that LittleBigPlanet evoked so long ago. Beyond their video-editing skills, the pedigree and experience that Media Molecule owns suggests that their latest effort will be well worth the wait and investment. This game has the potential to be truly amazing, and a future where players continue to play this game for years on end is quite imaginable. If the level-creation tools live up to their promise, I can’t wait to explore the worlds that other players create. I also want to create my own, even if my own imagination is somewhat lacking.
Creativity, imagination, exploration, and sheer joy are all words that we used to describe LittleBigPlanet. That vision is alive and well with Media Molecule, and Dreams promises something that no other game has ever delivered. I loved playing Call of Duty when I got a Playstation 3, but Media Molecule’s creation was by far the better game. Now that they’re on the horizon again, I can’t wait to see this game in action.
I agree with MacDonald when she concludes:
I can say without hyperbole that I have never seen anything remotely like Dreams in the 12 years that I’ve been visiting game studios. It has the potential to inspire millions in the art of game creation, in a way that goes much deeper than LittleBigPlanet or even Minecraft. On a less grandiose, but perhaps just as important level, it’s a way for any player to reconnect with their creativity, on as big or small a scale as they like.
