Tag Archives: gaming

Disney Dreamlight Valley: Another feel-good game to get lost in.

Hey, fellow Disney and Pixar fans! Have you heard about the new game that lets you explore a world filled with the magic of your favorite characters? It’s called Disney Dreamlight Valley, and it’s now available in early access on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Game Pass.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a hybrid between a life-sim and an adventure game, where you can discover rich stories and build the perfect neighborhood alongside Disney and Pixar heroes and villains. You can also customize your avatar, decorate your home, collect items, craft recipes, and more.

The game takes place in Dreamlight Valley, a once-idyllic land where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony—until the Forgetting. The Forgetting is a mysterious force that erased the memories and personalities of the characters, leaving them in a state of confusion and despair.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help the characters remember who they are and restore the magic of Dreamlight Valley. You can do this by completing quests, exploring the valley, and collecting Dreamlights. Dreamlights are special orbs that contain fragments of the characters’ memories that you will be able to unlock as you progress with the gameplay.

The game features memorable characters from Mickey & Friends, Disney’s The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Moana, Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story, WALL•E, and more. You can interact with them, befriend them, or even romance them. You can also take selfies with them and share them on real-world social network sites. With regular updates, the developers are constantly bringing out new quests and characters, ideal for gamers who are always hungry for that little bit more.

The game is still in early access, which means that it’s not complete and may change further. The developers are committed to hearing player feedback and working to make sure all players feel included and represented. They also have plans for regular content updates and special events based on real-world Disney and Pixar events.

I’ve been playing the game for a few months now, and I have to say that I’m loving it. The graphics are stunning, the music is catchy, the gameplay is fun and engaging, and the story is touching and immersive. I feel like I’m living in a Disney and Pixar movie.

Another fun feature that is seen in the likes of games such as Fortnite, is a battle pass style rewards system called The Star Path. You have the option to complete time-bound quests in order to unlock exclusive rewards, celebratory items and even more moonstones, the currency used to purchase rewards if you don’t have the time to earn them the good old fashioned rise and grind way.

If you’re a fan of Disney and Pixar like me, you should definitely check out Disney Dreamlight Valley. It’s available to purchase on PC or Nintendo Switch or play it with Xbox Game Pass. Alternatively, the game is planned for a free-to-play release later this year if you’d rather wait. Either way, you won’t regret it. Trust me.

It Takes Two: A multiplayer gem.

Dear Readers,

Have I got a gem for you.

Picture this. It’s a cold Sunday morning in November. Heavy rain is beating against the window and you want nothing more than to retreat under a thick duvet and spend the day there. What’s your go to comfort? Maybe it’s flipping open that book you’ve been ‘getting around to’. Or possibly a crossword puzzle and a warm cuppa. For my partner and I, it’s the trusty Nintendo Switch. But what do we play? Eager to try something new, we headed to the Nintendo Shop to have a look for a new multiplayer game that we hadn’t already exhausted.

Through the masses of Mario games and farming simulators, we came across what I now believe was a hidden gem. It takes two. And let me tell you, we were both blown away.

Without giving too much away, the main narrative within the game addresses the hardships of getting along and the impact they can have on those around you. I’m sure this is something that we can all relate to.

You and your friend will play as either Cody or May, parents to Rose, and spoiler alert – you’re not having the best of times. Thrown into a genre-bending world, you’re forced to work together through a variety of locations, game styles and areas. All whilst being miniature in size! Have you ever wondered what a child’s bedroom would look like if you were the size of a wooden doll? Or how you might navigate if you found yourself inside a vacuum cleaner? It Takes Two will quench those curiosities for you.

Like any blockbuster movie, the story begins with Rose overhearing her parents having an argument and wishes that they would become friends again. The next thing we know, mum and dad are waking up in the bodies of a clay figurine and a wooden doll. We’ve all been there, right?

Enter the ‘Book of Love’ – a talking counselling book purchased by Rose who will help guide you back to your daughter, but not first without making you collaborate in a somewhat annoying fashion.

Working together, you must complete puzzles, overcome obstacles and even use squirrel tech (yup, you heard that right) to make your way back to Rose and somehow transform back into human beings.

With an average playthrough time of 10-15 hours, this is a game that you don’t need to rush – nor is it overwhelming with hundreds of collectibles and areas to explore. If you find yourself finishing the game and wanting more, you can play through again as the character you didn’t choose the first time around! Each character has unique abilities throughout the game, so you really have to work together to navigate your way through the story.

If you have the game and your friend doesn’t they can download the friend’s pass at no cost and complete the playthrough with you! After all, sharing is caring! 🤍

Animal Crossing: Garden of Eden

Dear Readers,

It’s Thursday! The weekend is nearly here and my week off work is drawing to a close. It’s been the perfect opportunity for me to wind down and recuperate after such a busy first week of the store being open. I’ve spent a lot of time rekindling my love for Animal Crossing which I haven’t played much of recently as I felt a bit burnt out. However, with the spring updates meaning players can get an additional 50 custom design slots, my island was screaming for some titivation.

I decided to take the time to go with a bit more of a spring vibe for my island, meaning I spent hours digging up flowers and shrubs that weren’t ‘spring colours’ and replacing them with beautiful yellows, greens and refreshing whites. I’ve found that Instagram has an abundance of Animal Crossing Fan Accounts which showcase some amazing work, sometimes I don’t believe we’re playing the same game! Anyway, I decided that I wanted in on this little bit of fun. After all, I am a photographer at heart. The creative freedom within this game allows me to stage my own virtual photographs, which I have fallen in love with doing. I love showcasing my adorable little furry villagers and imagining what their day to day lives would possibly be like on an island getaway.

I decided to set up my own Animal Crossing Instagram account which I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, but I thought I would share some of my work with you on here too. I recently discovered some in game tricks to add to the different ways I could capture the shots I wanted. I then used instagram to give my photos the sense that they’d been taken on a vintage film camera and I absolutely LOVE the outcome.

A camera trick I learnt to get close up angled shots. – Eden

In a world where we move at 100 miles an hour every day, I love that I can capture moments like this that allow me to feel like I can have a breath of fresh air. It’s a miniature escape for me, even if only for a few minutes and from behind the screen of a Nintendo Switch.

Using the daydream emote outside Nook’s Cranny. – Eden

As you can see, the game is extremely interactive and like I’ve already said there is a vast amount of creative freedom. You have almost total control over the game, you can play at your own pace and for as long or as little at a time as you want. There’s nothing worse than when you’re playing a game and you want to take a break from it, going into the menu to save the game only to get the dreaded ‘unable to save right now’ message. With Animal Crossing, there’s none of that. If you’re an OG player, you may still have PTSD from Ressetti the Mole. If you know, you know. At least the game now has an auto-save feature and you no longer have to spell out ‘I am a loser’.

For me, Animal Crossing has allowed me to connect with a completely new community of people who all have the same love for the game, it is a very wholesome community and the amount of talent some people have when designing their islands is inspiring. You may not be interested at all in this game, and if that’s the case I’m sorry for rambling on about it! If I’ve peaked your interest or if you’re already an Animal Crossing fanatic like myself, I’d love to introduce you to my little safe space.

Welcome to Eden.

H x

https://www.instagram.com/eden.crossings/