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The Comic Commish: NiGHTS into Dreams...

It's been a crazy June, between E3 and a week-long Atari ST daily series or two, but I'm ready for a nice relaxed July of digging into some of the games I bought during the Steam Summer Sale, checking out the new additions with the Terraria 1.3v patch, and barely staying conscious in the Summer heat. It's about to hit 80°F where I am in the North of England, which is probably small potatoes to most of you (both the temperature and the geographical location) but for me it's a significant shift from the unusually cold Spring. For some reason the weather in the UK seems to regulate temperatures the same way faulty showers do.

Anyway, we're not here to listen to an old man complain about the weather; we're here to watch him get utterly perplexed by another gag gift courtesy of a magnanimous pal of his. A time-honored tradition, buying gag gifts for your Steam friends during the sales is a way of communicating to them that while they're important to you, it's equally important (and fun) to watch them struggle in bemused discomfort in an effort to make a show of appreciating said gift. Like giving someone a sweater with arm holes that you've surreptitiously sewn closed. Or, I dunno, poison in their coffee. There's a reason I stopped trying to prank people with practical jokes turns out. A court-mandated one, even.

Harvester - Long Live the Queen - Luftrausers - Papers, Please. (I'm going to make it a habit of linking back to previous Commishes. If nothing else, I want to track just how many of these gifts appear to have been given in good faith.) (Let it be said that I still appreciate all and any gifts. In spite of my... well, spite.)

NiGHTS Into Dreams...

NiGHTS Into Dreams showed up on Steam around the same time as the Ultimate Genesis Collection (which was helpfully carved up into smaller bundles to make Sega more money) and the updated Dreamcast Collection which included such bangers as Sonic Adventure and a version of Crazy Taxi without the licensed music. It's the rare circumstance of a Saturn game getting some love, something that rarely occurred even when the system was still active, though one has to wonder if the nostalgia goggles aren't at least a little bit responsible. I hesitate to poke fun because I personally didn't grow up with the Saturn - I bought it long after the fact, like most of my Sega consoles - and I've been known to vouch for some very questionable N64 games in the past, which was the Saturn's contemporary both chronologically and in terms of its critical reception.

NiGHTS boils down to what is essentially a flying Sonic game. (Which is to say a Tails game?) The player, as one of two sleeping children, must team-up with the eponymous heel-turned-face agent of a nightmare-spewing mage in order to stop him from destroying the world of dreams, Nightopia. He's stolen a bunch of "Ideya" orbs, and the children and NiGHTS have to recover them all from their cages by whizzing around landscapes at high speed collecting things and being stylish within a strict time limit. I didn't want to read much more than that going into it: if it's as good as people say, that would mean the controls and goal targets are at least somewhat intuitive and logical, right?

Knowing exactly how certain staff members feel about this game, and how many others have felt differently in the past, I wanted to go into NiGHTS with an open mind. I refuse to sink (or rise (or loop-de-loop)) to Jeff's level with wholesale snark, but I wouldn't expect a particularly glowing report either. Whatever, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Don't mind me, just setting a precedent.
Don't mind me, just setting a precedent.
Welcome to NiGHTS into Dreams...! Is this the only game with an ellipsis in the title? Probably not, with games like Steins;Gate around. Screw punctuation marks and their intended purpose!
Welcome to NiGHTS into Dreams...! Is this the only game with an ellipsis in the title? Probably not, with games like Steins;Gate around. Screw punctuation marks and their intended purpose!
Here's a dilemma. Do I want to preserve the game as-is by sticking with the original Saturn version, or should I play the enhanced version? I'm not going to be able to recreate the feeling of playing this for the first time in 1996, but the enhanced version might get me a little closer.
Here's a dilemma. Do I want to preserve the game as-is by sticking with the original Saturn version, or should I play the enhanced version? I'm not going to be able to recreate the feeling of playing this for the first time in 1996, but the enhanced version might get me a little closer.
Well, Claris? Have the lambs stopped screaming?
Well, Claris? Have the lambs stopped screaming?
I mean, sure. That's a subtitle that makes sense. I'm getting Rez vibes already.
I mean, sure. That's a subtitle that makes sense. I'm getting Rez vibes already.
So almost immediately I transform into NiGHTS here. The controls are fairly simple to get the hang of, as the game is sensible enough to stick to a fixed 2D plane. It diverts and twists automatically, like the first Klonoa game, but all the player really has to worry about is the horizontal and vertical axes.
So almost immediately I transform into NiGHTS here. The controls are fairly simple to get the hang of, as the game is sensible enough to stick to a fixed 2D plane. It diverts and twists automatically, like the first Klonoa game, but all the player really has to worry about is the horizontal and vertical axes.
Most of the flying sequences appear to involve flying through hoops. I recall that being a big thing with video game mechanics in the 90s. Da hoop gawd.
Most of the flying sequences appear to involve flying through hoops. I recall that being a big thing with video game mechanics in the 90s. Da hoop gawd.
Our true goal is to collect a bunch of blue spheres and use them to deactivate these squid-like (they actually remind me of the bosses from the first stage of Sega's Fantasy Zone, which was probably deliberate) cages for the
Our true goal is to collect a bunch of blue spheres and use them to deactivate these squid-like (they actually remind me of the bosses from the first stage of Sega's Fantasy Zone, which was probably deliberate) cages for the "Ideyas" - orbs that represent positive traits. We need five of them to finish the stage, and start with one automatically (the red "Ideya of Courage", which is innate to the human duo and is why they're able to merge with NiGHTS).
There's also enemies, and the game moves too quick to notice them a lot of the time. The weird Porky Pig thing there is apparently an ally, but I've no idea how I summoned him or what he does. I played enough of this game to figure out most of it, but some elements still perplex (and perturb) me. I'll just assume they boost the score in some way, since it's important.
There's also enemies, and the game moves too quick to notice them a lot of the time. The weird Porky Pig thing there is apparently an ally, but I've no idea how I summoned him or what he does. I played enough of this game to figure out most of it, but some elements still perplex (and perturb) me. I'll just assume they boost the score in some way, since it's important.
Occasionally, the action slows down and you have a trailing golden line behind you. At this point you're expected to do tricks - loop de loops mostly - in order to earn a bunch of score boosts. I obviously had no idea what was going on; a state I maintained for much of my early playthrough.
Occasionally, the action slows down and you have a trailing golden line behind you. At this point you're expected to do tricks - loop de loops mostly - in order to earn a bunch of score boosts. I obviously had no idea what was going on; a state I maintained for much of my early playthrough.
This red thing I could barely see just grabbed my legs and is wasting my precious time (both in-game and out). Most of the enemies seem to either hurt you (which takes seconds off the timer) or will allow you to get a speed burst, depending on how adroitly you handle the encounter.
This red thing I could barely see just grabbed my legs and is wasting my precious time (both in-game and out). Most of the enemies seem to either hurt you (which takes seconds off the timer) or will allow you to get a speed burst, depending on how adroitly you handle the encounter.
You're scored after every
You're scored after every "mare" or wave, depending on how much time you spent, how many bonus orbs you found after recovering the Ideya and other score items and points made from performing tricks. A C rank is, from what I can tell, the lowest you can get while still qualifying for the final stage. Hooray for just scraping through!
Each zone also ends in a boss fight. In this one I just spin around in a circle contemplating this multicolored Disney monster.
Each zone also ends in a boss fight. In this one I just spin around in a circle contemplating this multicolored Disney monster.
Turns out approaching it anywhere where it has spikes is deleterious. It is, alas, entirely covered head to tail in spikes.
Turns out approaching it anywhere where it has spikes is deleterious. It is, alas, entirely covered head to tail in spikes.
Except for the top of its head, I guess. Maybe those were pointy ears instead of spikes. Every hit makes the wyrm a little shorter, but not to the extent that you'd expect (or hope). Looks like I need to whack it about a dozen times.
Except for the top of its head, I guess. Maybe those were pointy ears instead of spikes. Every hit makes the wyrm a little shorter, but not to the extent that you'd expect (or hope). Looks like I need to whack it about a dozen times.
Which, yeah, doesn't happen with the amount of time required to figure this boss out. Ah well, at least we'll reload to just before the fight and I can have another spin at it.
Which, yeah, doesn't happen with the amount of time required to figure this boss out. Ah well, at least we'll reload to just before the fight and I can have another spin at it.
Or the game could go all the way back to the start of the level, because we've established by now that this is literally a nightmare world.
Or the game could go all the way back to the start of the level, because we've established by now that this is literally a nightmare world.
Curiously, the human Claris can reach a few of the power-ups just ambling around the landscape on foot. There's no timer for these parts, so theoretically I could get a bunch of free points/orbs that are close enough to the ground. It certainly sounds thrilling, but I think I'll backtrack to where NiGHTS is.
Curiously, the human Claris can reach a few of the power-ups just ambling around the landscape on foot. There's no timer for these parts, so theoretically I could get a bunch of free points/orbs that are close enough to the ground. It certainly sounds thrilling, but I think I'll backtrack to where NiGHTS is.
Or I could spare you all (and myself) from repeating the last fifteen minutes and try the other kid for a change. I'm getting the hang of this by now, at least. Still not getting used to these ridiculous intro screens.
Or I could spare you all (and myself) from repeating the last fifteen minutes and try the other kid for a change. I'm getting the hang of this by now, at least. Still not getting used to these ridiculous intro screens.
If you do loop-de-loops outside of those trick-performing sequences, you'll suck up all the balls (AMA about sucking up balls) in the near vicinity. As half of these marbles are just out of reach due to the game's insistence on fixed 2D planes, it's the only way to actually reach them.
If you do loop-de-loops outside of those trick-performing sequences, you'll suck up all the balls (AMA about sucking up balls) in the near vicinity. As half of these marbles are just out of reach due to the game's insistence on fixed 2D planes, it's the only way to actually reach them.
This stage is a lot more interesting than Claris's one. For instance, these water bubbles won't let you move up or down once you've entered one, so you have to pick your trajectory through them carefully.
This stage is a lot more interesting than Claris's one. For instance, these water bubbles won't let you move up or down once you've entered one, so you have to pick your trajectory through them carefully.
This part goes all top-down on us, like the mazes in Banjo Kazooie. Unlike those mazes, it's almost impossible to see where you're going because the camera's still zoomed in so close. At least there's more loops down here.
This part goes all top-down on us, like the mazes in Banjo Kazooie. Unlike those mazes, it's almost impossible to see where you're going because the camera's still zoomed in so close. At least there's more loops down here.
Oddly enough, these underwater sequences control exactly the same as the flying ones do, suggesting that in this dream world the properties of air and water are less rigidly determined than they are in the waking world. So what's with the bubbles?
Oddly enough, these underwater sequences control exactly the same as the flying ones do, suggesting that in this dream world the properties of air and water are less rigidly determined than they are in the waking world. So what's with the bubbles?
Here's the boss of this area, a cross between Jynx from Pokemon and Bowser's Clown Copter.
Here's the boss of this area, a cross between Jynx from Pokemon and Bowser's Clown Copter.
I'll say this much: these bosses have been fairly imaginative. The goal with this one is to push her through various destructible barriers to the end of the stage. You can charge at her from a distance, or get in close for this grab attack that lets you pick which direction you want to fire her in. Also maybe I should've stated
I'll say this much: these bosses have been fairly imaginative. The goal with this one is to push her through various destructible barriers to the end of the stage. You can charge at her from a distance, or get in close for this grab attack that lets you pick which direction you want to fire her in. Also maybe I should've stated "NSFW" somewhere before starting this.
Finally, the spherical seductress is safely ensconced behind whatever this is, and the first world is finally complete!
Finally, the spherical seductress is safely ensconced behind whatever this is, and the first world is finally complete!
Suck it, Sonic. I wasn't aware that Sonic had his extended posse at this point in time, but there's Amy's name below Sonic, Knuckles and the one character from the early Sonic games that could actually fly. I guess Amy must've debuted in 1993's Sonic 3D, huh.
Suck it, Sonic. I wasn't aware that Sonic had his extended posse at this point in time, but there's Amy's name below Sonic, Knuckles and the one character from the early Sonic games that could actually fly. I guess Amy must've debuted in 1993's Sonic 3D, huh.

That's enough flying through the sky so fancy-free for now. I feel like I got the gist of the game fairly quickly, though a lot of aspects still elude me. I'd imagine that's a natural part of getting better at the game, however: the game's progression is built like a number of shoot 'em ups I can think of, which makes sense given that you've moving a flying character around a 2D screen in a style similar to a Vic Viper or a Pentarou. The core growth mechanic of a shoot 'em up (and NiGHTS by extension) is entirely on the player rather than the game; it comes through practice, memorization, learning how the deeper scoring mechanics function and having enough skill to recover from the occasional mistake. That the game is heavily focused on earning high scores would corroborate with this assessment.

As someone who doesn't care for flying through hoops sequences in action-adventure games, or for the whole shoot 'em up genre, I'm not sure NiGHTS is the game for me. I can certainly appreciate how this wowed people back in 1996 though. At the time, there were still only a handful of console games that had taken to polygonal graphics, and most of those featured ambulatory colored blocks of Plasticine attempting to perform poses in grotesque mockeries of human locomotion. However, given how often Sega games were developed with an Arcade mindset, I wonder just how much longevity a game like this can really purport to have.

But hey, I did a loop-de-loop and got an A, so I guess we're all done here. Thanks for stopping by, and watch out for some more articles later in the week. (And thanks again to @teflonbilly for the gift, regardless of any ill intention.)

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