Nights Into Dreams HD review

[Dogg Thang]

Is the Winter Nights level in this? The non-Christmassy version of the Christmas Nights? I still have something to unlock so I'm guessing it's this but was surprised it wasn't in the Christmas mode.

[sj33]

Just gave this port a go, it's a great port made by a team who clearly understand the game.

For people who have never played the game and are playing for the first time, remember this - the game is about getting the highest score possible, getting as many 'links' as possible within the time limit - the game is not about completing the stage in the fastest time possible. This is about getting the highest score possible in spite of the time limit. And more importantly, just have fun - few game feel so relaxing and liberating to play, and yet so engaging.

I've never played the PS2 version, I assume the overall presentation is the same as the PS2 version. There's really not much more you could ask from this port though. In 720p, the game looks surprisingly nice given the resolution of the original game - it is a testament to the quality of the art style that the increase in resolution hasn't made the textures look drab like in so many other HD re-releases.

Content-wise, it's all here. Everything from Nights and Christmas Nights, bar the omissions that S3M mentioned - a shame that, makes it that little bit less 'definitive'. I've no idea if the game adjusts to the time of year like the original game (spring being slightly different to autumn and so forth), maybe somebody can confirm this. There is a high resolution mode as well as a 'Sega Saturn' mode, but I greatly doubt Sega would have put the effort into making a Saturn emulator for this (especially given they would have had to make the emulator for all three formats - PS3, 360 and PC). I assume it is just the game in it's original resolution and aspect ratio.

If I had to pick gripes, maybe the game should have been 60fps rather that 30fps, especially given the game is only 720p. In fact, there's no excuse for it to not be 1080p/60. But this does not detract from the game. And of course, this is easily solved by playing the PC version when it appears on Steam.

[dazza_cole]

Finally pumped some time into this last night, is a joy to play but I also find that the "saturn original" somehow feels less twitchy. My skills must have waned from the Saturn days though - am struggling to complete both characters 3rd levels *looks for rock to hide under* !

[mekanor]

keeping the FMV in 480 lends a nice retro feel to proceedings

I'm sure this is exactly the reason they're in 480p still...

[Judge]

Not that I've seen there's a sound test, but you can't alter the tunes yourself in the 360 version as you could in the Saturn version of Christmas Nights, unless I've not unlocked it yet

Ah, I see. Yeah, the absence of most of the 'Presents' from Christmas NiGHTS is annoying, defeating most of the point of the add-on. The Winter version also seems to be MIA, although completing Christmas unlocks some clock-derived quirks. Clear the bonus and play Mystic Forest, and you'll find NiGHTS and Claris in Halloween costumes.

[Dogg Thang]

Content-wise, it's all here. Everything from Nights and Christmas Nights, bar the omissions...

Well of course everything is here except for the stuff that isn't...

But I have seen a video of the Winter Nights level from the PS2 version so I'm guessing it's here somewhere. Maybe in early December the Christmas Nights level changes to the Winter Nights version?

[Judge]

I'm sure this is exactly the reason they're in 480p still...

Back when the PS2 port was being put together, there was a mass-email sent round Sega Japan asking if anyone still had the masters of the FMV sequences from the game. They'd been sent over from the production house on VHS cassettes, and had gone missing in the years since!

[DANGEROUS-3]

Being a Sega die hard I am having a ball on this right now, despite the fact that I am a bit crap at it.

Do I have to get at least C's on every stage to unlock the final stage/s?

Also 'Sega Saturn Dreams' does not look like the Saturn version to me, more like a PC port.

[Yakumo]

Yes, you need Cs on each stage to open up the final stage. And yes, that IS NOT the Saturn version of the game. I've done a side by side comparison for the next Retro Core that proves Sega are telling porky pies by saying it's the Saturn version. The actual Saturn version looks better.

[Judge]

The actual Saturn version looks better.

Not to mention the Saturn version being one of the first games to support widescreen. Displaying it in 4:3 is just odd.

[nakamura]

I finally get to play Nights and it's horrible! Not the game, it seems really good but the low frame rate of the HD port seems to do my eyes in.

[sj33]

The HD port is 30fps just like the original.

[Dogg Thang]

Not to mention the Saturn version being one of the first games to support widescreen. Displaying it in 4:3 is just odd.

You can change it to 16:9 in the options. Not sure why it would be 4:3 by default.

[bcass]

I finally get to play Nights and it's horrible! Not the game, it seems really good but the low frame rate of the HD port seems to do my eyes in.

Yep, same here. Looks pretty horrible in motion on my plasma, and my TV usually handles game motion really well. God knows why it's not 60Hz. Seems like a total rush job to me.

[nakamura]

The HD port is 30fps just like the original.

Which is fine, in 1996 on a much smaller CRT. Not knocking the game, but it just looks rough with the clean visuals mixed with a low frame rate. It actually hurt my eyes which is a shame as it is a game I have never had chance to have a proper go.