The Belgian comic book icon conceived by Peyo in the late 1950s and now a staple of pop culture, The Smurfs, is managed by Microids for video game adaptations. Since 2021, it has become an annual license that explores various genres, including platform and kart racing games. Following two episodes developed by the Lyon-based studio OSome, it’s now Ocellus’s turn to contribute. A studio also located in the 69 department, Ocellus is far from being obscure, as evidenced by their 2021 game Marsupilami: The Secret of the Sarcophagus, which impressed with its platforming qualities. Will the little blue beings receive the same production quality as the imaginary animal created by André Franquin? Spoiler: yes, despite not being perfect.
SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)
In its structure, “The Smurfs: Episode of Dreams” does not aim for originality but revisits elements that have proven successful in the genre. The adventure begins in the Smurf village where players can explore peacefully, though with a complete lack of interactivity. This quickly transitions to a constellation, representing the sleep into which the blue elves fall after Gargamel poisons their berries. Fortunately, some Smurfs managed to avoid falling asleep due to the legendary balding alchemist, and it falls on these survivors to save the village. This involves waking them up by catapulting pillows into an astral map that serves as a zone where levels can be chosen. As expected, players find both main missions and secondary levels that become unlocked with progress and according to the number of blue mushrooms collected. While the main levels are relatively varied, featuring distinct themes such as the pastry world, jungle, mirror realm, and prison, the rest of the game adheres to a minimalistic approach with similar visual elements: yellow sand structures on a purple starry background. This is appealing at first but becomes repetitive after 8-10 hours of gameplay, especially since there were opportunities for interaction with other Smurfs (such as the tailor, farmer, painter, and glasses wearer) who each deserved their own themed levels. One imagines that the budget constraints limited further development possibilities. It is unfortunate.
CLEAN & SQUARE
The Smurfs: The Epic of Dreams, despite its lack of diversity, compensates with a commendable execution. Ocellus Services, the developers behind this game, demonstrated their graphical prowess with Marsupilami: The Sarcophagus Secret, distinguishing themselves from other studios working with Microids. This talent is evident once again in this title. Not only is The Smurfs: The Epic of Dreams visually appealing, featuring detailed textures, vibrant colors, and appreciated details such as vegetation bending underfoot, attractive effects throughout, and expressive Schtroumpf animations according to situations, but it also offers smooth and straightforward gameplay.
Furthermore, while the initial levels are relatively accessible, the difficulty escalates significantly, which may challenge children. However, these challenges are manageable and allow them to push their limits, though patience will be necessary, particularly when playing cooperatively with them. As we progress through the game, we notice that our Smurfs have gadgets at their disposal, enabling some impressive maneuvers. Although the gun and hammer are fairly conventional in principle, the lamp that reveals or makes certain platforms disappear adds an intriguing twist to level design. These gadgets available in specific levels introduce variety, allowing developers to showcase their creativity fully. Among the most memorable moments in Smurfs: Episode of Dreams is the level featuring mirrors (similar to the recent Neva), and the freefall sequence where you transform into Tetris pieces, requiring the correct shape to navigate obstacles. Additionally, there is a stealth section that demands avoiding detection by giant, glowing-eyed Smurfs, which is crucial for success. Overall, these elements make the game quite enjoyable, although it could benefit from more consistent pacing.
The Smurfs: Episode of Dreams, developed by Ocellus, is a video game inspired by the well-known Belgian comic book series. The game adheres to a conventional structure, reusing successful elements from previous titles rather than introducing new innovations. Players navigate through dream-themed levels after Gargamel poisons the Smurfs’ food, causing them to fall asleep. The game includes main missions and optional side levels; however, the visual variety is somewhat limited, with repetitive backgrounds despite different level themes. Graphically, the game excels with detailed textures, vibrant colors, and engaging animations, reflecting Ocellus’s demonstrated skill from their previous work on Marsupilami: The Secret of the Sarcophagus. Gameplay is clear and straightforward but gradually increases in difficulty, requiring patience and cooperative play. Smurfs acquire unique gadgets such as a lamp to move platforms or transform into Tetris pieces for certain sequences, adding diversity and interesting level design. Notable moments include mirror-themed levels, freefall sections that require precise shape recognition, and stealth segments avoiding detection by giant, glowing Smurfs. Overall, while the game could benefit from improved pacing and more varied environments, it offers a solid experience with appealing visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics.
Certainly, the levels tend to extend in length, connected by rail phases that serve little purpose. It would have been preferable to opt for shorter levels but more numerous ones rather than aiming for length to create a sense of abundance or generosity. One imagines this is a response to criticism from the Marsupilami game three years ago, which offered only 4-5 hours of gameplay. Finding the right balance is not always straightforward. In terms of game duration, The Smurfs: Episode of Dreams doubles that of Marsupilami, requiring 8 hours to complete the adventure, which is acceptable for the genre. This review concludes by praising the developers for the representation of a few impressive boss characters at the end of certain worlds. They are massive, visually striking, and offer interesting game design ideas, unlike the bestiary, unfortunately sparse (the number of different enemies can be counted on one hand missing fingers) with predictable patterns posing no threat. This too seems to be a matter of balance. However, knowing that children aged 8-10, especially mine, are now capable of platinum Astro Bot, it is clear that it’s time to push the knobs further…
