Smurf-tastic
If you grew up with The Smurfs, you had an awesome childhood. I still hum the theme song to this day. As far as video games go, they have had their ups and downs. So, when I heard a new Smurfs game was on the horizon and was being compared to Super Mario, I was excited. That is a lofty comparison, but if there is one property that it could work for, it might be The Smurfs. Dreams is a top-down 3D platformer that just works. It won’t make you forget about Nintendo’s plumber, but it is a great alternative for those that enjoy that genre.
The story reminds me of a Saturday morning episode back in the day. Once again Gargamel is up to no good and has poisoned all the SmurfBerries with a sleeping potion. This causes all the Smurfs to fall asleep, hey that explains the title! You assume the role of a generic Smurf, and are out to wake up your friends while also traversing through some truly wild dreams. The concept is sound and works to move players through the wildly designed levels.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
As mentioned, the levels are played out in the dreams of other Smurfs. This opens up the variety to some truly unique design. I loved the amount of color and details in each one, and the themes were great. The perspective makes it feel more akin to Super Mario 3D World, where controlling the camera is less of a focus. This can be an issue if not done correctly, but developer Ocellus Studios has done an excellent job here. There are hidden items and areas off to the sides, obscured just enough off-screen to make me feel smart when I find them. The level design is really well done.
Early on the game is relatively simple, maybe a little too simple. The first handful of areas feels like a hand-holdy kids game. Don’t let that deceive you though, the longer it goes on, the more the difficulty ramps up. Some of the later levels are extremely challenging. The issue is that there just isn’t enough here to feel like a solid curve. The core game only lasts around 8 hours, which means the difficulty spike feels quick and punishing. Still everything around it is so well-executed, it is easy to forgive.
With any good platformer, there is plenty to collect here. Each level has a few different things to pick up, with a handy counter onscreen to let you know what you missed. These go in order, so the first time I missed one, I restarted the level because I have issues. The levels are all broken down in the menu though, which makes going back to tidy up collectibles a breeze. The levels are also short enough that it never feels like a chore to revisit them.
Visually the game looks good. It is very colorful, and the level themes are really well done. The performance is solid, and the music is whimsical and familiar. The isometric perspective can be an issue at times with planning jumps, but it works for the most part. Developer Ocellus has done a really great job at mimicking the best in the business when it comes to just about every facet of the game.
Smurfs Dreams was truly a surprise. Comparing yourself to the king of platform games usually ends in tragedy, but here it actually feels warranted. Licensed games are rarely as good as the titles they impersonate. Smurfs Dreams manages to do this while bringing a little bit of its own flavor. If you have any love for that genre, I highly recommend this title. It is better than it has any right to be, and I had fun spending some time with childhood friends.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.