I can only imagine that given the staggering financial success of franchises like Animal Crossing and multiple farming sims out there, executives at Disney had to be beside themselves wondering why they weren’t in on that gig. Typically, the cynic in me would say that to try to throw the massive Disney IP juggernaut in that direction would end in disaster, but having spent quite a few hours exploring this massive world they’ve created I have to tip my hat (or would that be ears?) to them. Rather than being a carbon copy of any of the above, Dreamlight really feels like a successful meeting point of them all, borrowing liberally but then remixing many elements from each and then stacking them up with characters and content only Disney could provide. Best of all? As much content as the game already has in it (explore the castle and understand every door is to another unique environment with its own character(s) and it makes your head spin), the way it has been set up they could easily continue to expand it. While at first I was a bit surprised something like this didn’t go the free-to-play direction I actually respect the decision now, since once you see all of the themed clothing, furniture, and gear you understand that would have been a nickle-and-dime microtransaction nightmare. Instead, aside from the pieces you’ll discover as you explore and maintain the world, there are events and opportunities to earn in-game currencies through simply playing and then you can choose to invest those as you please. Walking in I was expecting something charming but derivative, but I’m now a bit hooked on its mix of familiarity, getting to meet with new characters, and simply exploring and unlocking the world’s secrets.