The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) was a console that had its shortcomings, but arguably was abandoned before it’s time. Sony Interactive Entertainment has never had much like going up against Nintendo in the handheld market – no have any other competitors, for that matter – but the PS Vita had it’s fair share of classic titles. One such game was Reverie. A one-time PS Vita exclusive that now comes to modern consoles as Reverie: Sweet As Edition. Considered a cult classic, this Reverie: Sweet As Edition review will tell you if the new editions can live up to the hype.
For the uninitiated, Reverie has actually already seen additional releases. A muted PlayStation 4 launch garnered very little attention. The debut of Reverie: Sweet As Edition on Nintendo Switch is now being supported with a new physical release. In reality, it’s merely the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that are seeing Reverie for the very first time in Reverie: Sweet As Edition.
Reverie wears its influences on its sleeve. Much like the recent UnderDungeon, this is a game that’s trough-and-through inspired by classic The Legend of Zelda. Which is great, as rarely do modern Xbox or PlayStation consoles see these kinds of titles, and now there seems to be a steady stream of them coming. Perhaps it the influence from the success of Tunic? Whatever it may be, it’s certainly welcome.
For a game that looks sweet and innocent, Reverie sure does begin with a sinister tone. Four brother go fishing at sea, but are unable to catch anything. In a last attempt, one of the brothers baits his hook and manages to pull an island up from the depths of the sea. The other brothers, consumed with jealousy, throw him from the boat. As he sinks to the depths, he curses his treacherous kin. A great storm washes them upon the barren island, and they spend the rest of their days wandering endlessly until starvation takes them one-by-one. Nice.
As the game begins true, you learn it’s your mother telling you this as a folk tale. You’re about to leave for Toromi Island – the island from the story – to visit your grandparents. It turns out, as little surprise to anyone, that the story is true. Upon destroying a possessed tumble dryer in the basement, you’re set on a quest to free the spirits of each of the brothers.
As stated above, the gameplay is reminiscent of classic The Legend of Zelda titles. Not simply ‘inspired by’, as with the aforementioned Tunic, but rather carbon copies. The overworld map will hide numerous dungeons, each of which contain a map to find and a boss key. Some will have rooms with switches that need to be activated to progress. Others won’t unlock until you’ve defeated every enemy in the room. You’ll gain a health boost for defeating the boss in each dungeon, and be told where your adventure will lead you next. They do say ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’, and in Reverie Nintendo must be blushing.
So what does the ‘sweet as’ add to the formula? In truth, not a great deal. A new difficulty and some quality of life modifications. A little additional dialogue and some updated sprites. It’s nice for sure, but whether it’s worth investing in if you’ve already played the original is certainly dependent on how big a fan you were back in 2018.
If you’re new to Reverie, whether or not the new release is worth purchasing hinges on just one thing. In case you haven’t guessed from this Reverie: Sweet As Edition review; do you like classic Zelda games? If the answer is ‘yes’, don’t hesitate. Reverie: Sweet As Edition is worth every moment of your time. It does take a while to get going – presumably to ease in newcomers to the formula – but once it hits its stride Reverie: Sweet As Edition is hard to put down.
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