NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii)

Way back in 1996, Sega's original Nights into Dreams... for Sega Saturn famously faced off against Nintendo's N64 killer app Super Mario 64...and was inarguably trounced. While Mario's expansive level design, pinpoint controls, and solid presentation established the ground rules for a new era of 3D platformers, Nights' quirky take on airborne trickery inspired no such imitators, fading into obscurity after fostering only a hardcore, cult-classic following. But that doesn't mean that Sonic Team's dreamy harlequin had nothing to offer -- Nights' refined aesthetics and nuanced gameplay definitely deserve another shot at success. And although the Wii-exclusive Journey of Dreams arrives unfashionably late to the proceedings (and squarely in the shadow of yet another genre-redefining Mario offering), it's once again not without its charms.

Journey feels slavishly faithful to its predecessor in every respect, from the parallel mission structure for its two preteen protagonists to its eminently hummable Enya-meets-Disney soundtrack. This time, you assume the roles of William and Helen, two new tykes sucked into the dreamworld of Nightopia in order to better cope with the very modern pressure of living with unloving, often-absent parents. Unfortunately, you'll actually get to know these kids a little too intimately, thanks to an overabundance of heavy-handed, talky cut-scenes that assault the eyes (and ears) with amateurish production values. We definitely liked Nights when he/she was an enigmatic, laconic benefactor 10 years ago...now that it's more of a corny purple Mary Poppins that won't shut up, we're considerably less enamored. None of the game's real-time cinemas impress, and a lengthy, unskippable tutorial (that you're forced to play through even after you've already beaten the other kid's story) feels almost criminally obtuse and outdated.

The other additions that Sega makes to this Nights fail to have much of an impact, either. You earn masks that transform the titular clown into new forms (a rocket, dolphin, and dragon), but these abilities all feel gimmicky and underutilized...you'll likely only bust them out when bosses demand it. And a revamped take on the Saturn original's "A-Life" virtual pet technology manages to seem just as half-baked and uninteresting as it did in 1996, thanks to a still-dreadful interface. At least the new multiplayer online modes focus on playing to the game's strength: flying circles around your friends.

For serious Nights fans, Journey offers a bittersweet reunion that reminds us of what was so singularly special about Sega's airborne dreamweaver. Unfortunately, attempting to evolve the formula creates a host of new problems and issues that ultimately diminish the game's overall appeal. That said, this still represents one of the finest original third-party games available for Wii, and younger players will find a lot to love in this gameplay-rich adventure.

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