Talking about Dreams (“Dreams” in localization) is as difficult as starting to play it – you just don’t know how to approach it, it is so huge and varied.

Talking about Dreams (“Dreams” in localization) is as difficult as starting to play it – you just don’t know how to approach it, it is so huge and varied. Long-term construction from Media Molecule, even to pick a genre is not easy. What is it – a collection of games, a social network, a graphic editor, a musical instrument, a kind of engine, or something else? The answer is simple: Dreams is all of the above and something else.

The whole world of “Dreams” is divided into two large sections – a library where users post their work, and a workshop where you can create yourself. They are completely self-sufficient, but at the same time complement each other in an amazing way. Developments can always be shared with the community, and other people’s ideas invariably inspire and help create something of their own.

Daydreaming is a tool.

At first, in Dreams, one wonders: “Why is it generally called a game?” Indeed, despite the fact that her library is full of platformers, shooters and quests, they are only derivatives. First of all, Dreams is a set of tools for 3D modeling, recording music, animation and programming. However, it cannot be called an analogue of professional applications.

The difference between the conditional editor with a license for ₽10 thousand and Dreams is the same as between the secret government laboratory and the recruitment of a young chemist. The main thing is that the principles of work are similar, and with special skill both there and there you can achieve amazing results. Despite this, the ultimate goals and the way to achieve them are fundamentally different. Professional programs are mainly needed for work, and Dreams is a way of expressing oneself.

Of course, an experienced musician, artist or programmer will get used to the game much faster. But he will have to adapt. There is no keyboard, mouse or tablet – only a gamepad. And as if this were not enough, the orientation in space is carried out through a gyroscope. That is, to move an object, you need to move the DualShock itself in the desired direction.

Because of this, all the items you create are slightly curved and oblique. But, as the game itself says, individuality lurks in this imperfection. Any squiggle is literally made by hand and bears the imprint of the author. You can use a grid to create smooth sculptures, and there is a separate editor for polishing melodies played on a hunch.

Adobe masters and conservatory graduates will be able to find familiar characters and terms in the editor. Game designers will have to forget about the lines of code and turn to the basic algorithms. Scripts in Dreams are registered using simple logic blocks, and manipulating them resembles a child’s constructor. Even if your skills are limited to one Pascal lesson in high school, you can still build something workable.

Daydreaming is a community.

One of the biggest advantages of Dreams is that it allows you to create at any level. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or a pro, the main thing is desire. Do you want something clumsy, but very native? No problem. Abstract and incomprehensible? Even better. Verified to the smallest detail? It is also possible.

You can draw everything yourself – from a single brick to a whole city, pick up each note and personally prescribe the laws of physics. On the other hand, no one forbids taking the scenery that the developers offer, placing characters invented by other users in them and making something unique from all this.

This works not only for whole scenes and games, but also for individual elements. For example, you managed to record an excellent guitar solo, but the drum part is not given in any way. You can always look into the library and find the right material there, whether it’s a great rhythm section or a stunning hat that has nothing to do with the current task, but it is vitally important to keep it in reserve.

Developers are constantly looking for worthy creations and organize contests. Now, for example, work on love is being accepted. Users can like and tag – just like on a social network. There is even a separate site for this.

The most valuable thing in the works of others is that they inspire. So someone made Cyberpunk 2077 for the first PlayStation. Great idea, and I’ll try to create something similar for The Last of Us. And when you launch “Dream of Art” – a kind of story campaign – first you just enjoy the game, then you understand that you have all the tools for creating it, and in the end you are tempted to create on your own.

Daydreaming is “Daydreaming Art”

The final version of Dreams is not very different from early access – the developers corrected the interface and completely translated the game into Russian. The biggest innovation is “Dreams of Art”, which is called the story campaign, although this is not so.

In fact, “Dreams of Art” is one of many games created using Dreams. True, at the moment it is much larger than the rest. The plot tells the story of jazz musician Art, who had an argument with his band. The hero is tormented by uncertainty and fears, and he is trying to find the answer in his dreams.

The gameplay creation of Media Molecule is a combination of several games – there is a point-and-click quest, three-dimensional platformer, racing action and side-scrolling shooter. All of them depict the dreams of Art and how he decides to overcome his fears. Functionally, they demonstrate what Dreams is capable of. If at the very beginning the locations were straightforward, then towards the end they became demanding of the player’s reaction.

Daydreaming is a library

In addition to “Dream Art”, the Dreams library contains many other works created by developers and other users. If you borrow individual elements, and indeed create something you’ll get tired of yourself, you can always relax and switch from creativity to play and contemplation.

It will take a lot of time to make an RPG or first-person shooter, add text, health, a score system, weapons and mechanics more complicated than flying blocks. Do not expect that everything will turn out on the first try. Fortunately, Dreams has a very detailed training system, which can take more time to complete than some games. In addition, the library and YouTube have many different guides that help you understand almost every aspect: from blinking animation to creating the right atmosphere.

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Dreams gives you the opportunity to draw pictures, sculpt, create music, create cartoons and even entire games. Your creations can be light and uncomplicated or photorealistic and incredibly inventive. And despite the fact that Dreams consists of a set of games and tools for their development, it is not just the sum of its parts.

More than just a game, Dreams is a simulator of creativity, inspiration for it and a way to express it. It will not turn you overnight into an artist, musician or game designer, but it will help you take the first steps in the right direction.