Disney Dreamlight Valley: A Rift in Time Review

It's been almost a year since the first DLC for Disney Dreamlight Valley came out: A Rift in Time, and I just finished watching the credits roll on the story. If you've been wondering if this is something you'd like, let's talk about my experiences and what I think about it now that it's over.

Let's start with the story. In A Rift in Time, one of Disney's most recognizable villains — Jafar — makes his way to Eternity Isle, and there, he tries to use an ancient relic to make himself even more powerful. It's up to us and our new tool, the Hourglass, to help bring balance back and undo all the trouble he's caused before it gets worse. 

This new area gives us more than just a whole handful of new Pixar and Disney characters to interact with and befriend: we get new areas to explore, each with new materials to gather, new decoration items, new missions, and even a new in-game board game to play with the villagers! 

Before I go on to the quests and new content, I'd like to talk about the new zone. As someone who isn't very keen on change, I wasn't overly smitten by the new area because it was too different from The Valley. Unlike the previous biomes, which were very enticing to decorate to a Disney and fantasy fan, I didn't feel inspiration here. The first place felt cramped and tight, with a nigh post-apocalyptic vibe, and the other two were a desert and a jungle. I couldn't picture how I'd make of these places something I'd be genuinely proud of, unlike in the base game, and it didn't help I didn't have the items for it, either. Thankfully, as the months went on and I returned time and again to finish missions and Star Paths, I became more familiar with Eternity Isle, and just like in the original Valley, the ideas eventually flooded in!

This is one of the great things about the expansion pass — the way it drip-fed content kept me coming back but never burning out. I familiarised myself with Eternity Isle through little bits here and there, giving me time to finish my business in The Valley and feel more at home in the new biomes. This was, in great part, thanks to all the quests and things to do, which were so great that I didn't even mind the place was a mess.

A Rift in Time feels a lot like the base game, but it brings a lot more charm with it. Truth be told, I came into the expansion with a lot of scepticism because I wasn't excited to decorate the new areas, and I didn't care for most of the characters that were being added. It was the charming quests and the obvious improvements to the experience that got me coming back, and the more I got to do, the more excited I became!

This is, in part, thanks to the humour behind the dialogue and tasks. Gaston was a fantastic addition, and the missions felt more satisfying and polished than the ones over at The Valley. This is especially true the deeper you go, as the budget brings in some great cutscenes that breathe life into the experience, unlike in the base game, where most things would fade to black and let you do all the imagining. 

Aside from him, you’ll also get to meet EVE, Rapunzel, Oswald, and Jafar, each with their Friend Quests (and the rewards that come with these) and overall involvement in missions. While my time with Gaston was fun because I’m always up for some humorous dialogue, Oswald takes first place for the most unique tasks in general! Not only is his introduction different from the others (I won’t explain how to avoid spoilers), but the quests felt like ones you might find in an adventure title! Despite not having their own realms, I didn’t feel like there was anything lacking — if anything, my escapade with the monochrome rabbit just got me pumped to see what else came next!

Another mechanic I thoroughly ended up enjoying is the Hourglass. With this new tool, you'll be able to get your hands on all sorts of new materials, aside from the new ones in the biomes. While you can craft items with them — really beautiful ones that honour the movies — you can also just plop them down as decoration. A great example is Rapunzel's lantern and Jack Skellington's viles! Depending on what villagers you take, you'll get to pull out different items from the time rifts, and they're essential for some of the coolest furniture.

While I adore decorating, however, I think my favourite aspect of the new crafting system and items are the Ancient Machines. In total, there are three types: one that cooks, one that gardens, and one that gathers. As someone who doesn't have a lot of time to log in every day and get things done, I was starting to fall behind, causing me to feel overwhelmed when I had to grind for materials. I was also running low on Coins because I didn't have time to farm, either. Now, as long as I dedicate some time to gathering Mist (the new Dreamlight), I can automate everything else, which keeps me stocked up on meals for energy or selling, as well as crops and materials. 

In its own way, this has also brought more life to the game. I took it upon myself to decorate restaurants around Eternity Isle and The Valley before placing an Ancient Cooker in them. While the places still remain empty, I have a reason to go into buildings and spruce them up inside! I also don't have to waste time trying to collect the rarer resources, such as the dreaded Dry Wood.

A Rift in Time feels very different from the base game, and while I didn't like the idea at first, it ended up being what sold me on it. I ended up having a blast decorating the new areas and stepping outside of my comfort zone, breaking the mundaneness of always making cutesy, classy, fantasy themes. Now, I've packed the jungle with tents and set up a whole adventure there, and in the desert, I have a marketplace I love visiting! The same goes for the characters: while I didn't care much for them at first, Gaston ended up being one of my favourites!

With more polish, tons of new content and items, and more of everything that makes Disney Dreamlight Valley such a great experience, I just don't see why any fan shouldn't get A Rift in Time. It might not be up your alley at first, but it offers a whole new horizon to explore, as well as numerous new quests, items, and challenges! For those just coming to Disney Dreamlight Valley, however, I’d say to wait (unless you’re desperate for the Ancient Machines; I wouldn’t blame you). While A Rift in Time is a fantastic experience, it’s better played after The Forgotten storyline. Truth be told, I cannot wait for the next expansion.