Animal Crossing: The Perfect Quarantine Companion
Coronavirus has undeniably defined this year. We are currently in the third month of quarantine, and though some states have begun to relax regulations, we are far from the end of this crisis with no vaccine as of yet available. With all that in mind, it can be easy to get depressed and anxious over the state of the country. I myself would have undoubtedly succumbed to this despair months ago had it not been for one thing – Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Released just as quarantines were put into full effect at the end of March, New Horizons is the latest release in the Animal Crossing series, which has been around since the Nintendo GameCube for us here in the US, and since the Nintendo 64 for Japan. Until 2020, I had never played Animal Crossing for myself, dismissing it as “a chore simulator” and seeing tons of internet memes about being stuck in debt to a shady raccoon. Back then, I saw no merit in playing a game that had me doing daily chores, forced to come back every day otherwise the villagers you shared space with would be upset with you. And yet, despite all of that, I picked it up, and it’s been a true saving grace in the time I’ve spent trapped here at home. That’s why I’m proud to say I’ve come to love Animal Crossing, thanks to its atmosphere and community.
Animal Crossing Raccoons
The first big hurdle for me to clear was the idea that this series was little more than a chore simulator. While at first there are a lot of weeds to be picked from the ground of the island that you move to, so long as you get them all they don’t come back for a few actual days. That and any weeds you pick can be sold for money to use in the game, so it never feels like simple busywork. Additionally, while I’m not the biggest fan of gardening in real life, doing it in the game provides a real sense of accomplishment as you see trees and flowers you planted flourish and bring life and color to your island.
Secondly, while it is true that after a while the game falls into a routine, this proved to be quite good for me during quarantine. Most days I’d be sleeping until noon, feeling directionless and having little to do from day to day. New Horizons brought me back to a proper routine, waking up in the morning to see what was new at the shops, digging up fossils and seeing what new fish and bugs I could find. I’ve even started waking up early on Sundays just to meet the turnip seller Daisy Mae before she leaves at noon! Many people decry the daily cycle Animal Crossing works on, with you only being able to do a certain amount of things before the shops close for the day or your villagers go to sleep, but I highly disagree. The attention to time makes New Horizons feel that much more immersive, like you’re really on an island getaway (which, let’s face it, we could all use right about now). Animal Crossing gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning, something no other video game has done for me.
Animal Crossing New Horizons Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1! from ZackScottGames
New Horizons’ atmosphere is some of the most relaxing, tranquil gameplay I’ve ever experienced. You have total freedom to create whatever you want wherever you want on your island, and even freedom to choose who lives with you there. There are hundreds of cute animals you can invite to live on your island, and each and every one of them adores you and wants to be your friend. In a time where social distancing keeps us from seeing our real friends in person, it’s nice to be able to socialize every day, even if these characters aren’t real.
One of the greatest strengths of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is its atmosphere. The calm strumming guitar music is something you could absolutely use to fall asleep to. Being able to fish all over my island brought me back to the days when I would fish with my grandfather and brother on the Delaware River. The museum, once constructed, allows you to see all of the things you collected in a deeply satisfying way. One of my favorite things to do in Animal Crossing is to enter the aquarium late at night and watch the fish go by as I listen to the fantastic ambient music. It’s been a long time since I played a game that was this relaxing.
Animal Crossing Soundtrack - Composed by Yasuaki Iwata, Yumi Takahashi, Shinobu Nagata, Sayako Doi, Masato Ohashi - Provided by Cevan (Play While Reading)
By far, the best part of this game is its communal nature. My friends and I have spent nights coming to each other’s islands and looking at what we’ve built, giving each other new crafting recipes and items to better our own island lives. On nights where there are meteor showers, we gather together to wish on the stars. You can design your own custom clothing, both to wear yourself and to post online for others to enjoy! The game also has seasonal events to participate in, like the currently active May Day or the now-infamous Bunny Day of last month, notorious for populating players’ islands with an over-abundance of Easter Eggs. My friends and I send each other letters just to keep in contact – it’s a great way to bridge the social gap left by the quarantine.
Animal Crossing: Inventory Space……Issues
That’s not to say that the game isn’t without its flaws. Chief among them is inventory management and menu navigation. Inventory works on seemingly arbitrary rules, allowing you to carry 99 clumps of weeds in one inventory slot, but only allowing for 10 pieces of fruit in another. This sort of inconsistency can get your pockets full before you know it. If the system were properly optimized this wouldn’t happen nearly as much. Menu navigation can also be clunky at times. When buying something in bulk, you can only buy a maximum of 5 at a time, meaning if you want more than that you’ll have to cycle through the entire shop dialogue sequence multiple times if you want to buy multiple items. Buying clothes in the Able Sisters’ fitting room only allows you to buy one item of each type at a time, so if you see more than one shirt you want, you’ll have to cycle through dialogue again. Additionally, if the clothes you’re buying are a gift for a villager and not something you’ll wear immediately, the clothes get sent to your house’s storage instead of your pockets. So once you buy the dress you want to give to your villager, you have to walk out of the shop, get to your house, open up storage, put the dress in your pockets then go back out and find the villager and talk to them so you can give them the gift. This sort of thing doesn’t ruin the game for me, but it does affect the flow of things. A simple patch could streamline this process easily.
All that being said, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has absolutely helped to keep me happy in this difficult time, and I truly can’t thank this franchise enough for that. Will I continue to play, even after COVID-19 is behind us? Only time will tell.
Overall:
Gameplay: 4/5
The gameplay is repetitive, but enjoyable in its routine. The excess of menus when connecting online or purchasing multiple items can be irritating, but does not take away from the overall lovely and Zen gaming experience.
Graphics: 5/5
Animal Crossing has always had a distinct visual style, one that has reached a new standard thanks to the graphical capabilities of the Nintendo Switch. It’s not the most breathtaking game to exist, but it’s exactly what it needs to be.
Difficulty: 1/5
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is exceptionally easy to understand and enjoy. Anyone can pick up and play the game and experience it to the fullest. The toughest thing in the game is placing objects outside exactly where you want them, which can take a bit of trial and error.
Replay-Ability: 5/5
By the time the credits roll in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’re really only half done with the game. The ability to craft new items to decorate with, to build your own mountains or rivers and find new villagers to have on your island has kept me coming back day after day, and is sure to keep me hooked for a very long time.
