I only played one other Animal Crossing game and that was back on the Nintendo Gamecube. I was young and at the time was most interested in RPGs and first person shooters. Fast forward to current day 2022, I am still very much interested in those genres but are also more inclined to try games outside my comfort zone. Which brings me to the world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a lovely game that lets your imagination run wild on an island far away.
Story
The story of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is simple: you have won the opportunity to move to a deserted island and build a new home for yourself. Upon landing at your destination, you are introduced to Tom Nook who needs your help to revamp the island to bring together a community of animals (aka residents) to spend the rest of their lives. From there, the story ends basically as it is up to you to form the island to ensure new residents want to move there.
Gameplay
Like other Animal Crossing games, the gameplay revolves around the every day life on the island. Each day, you wake up to island announcements by either Mr. Nook or his assistant and from there you go about your day scavenging for items, sell sea shells, plant flowers and fruit trees, and discover fossils which can be displayed on the island museum. There are other activities you can partake in but these will be majority of your chores. Scavenging the island is the biggest part of the game. In order to create items such as axes, shovels and other equipment to better roam the island, you will need to craft them with items you scavenge around the island, such as tree branches, pieces of stones, and clay. If you have done all the scavenging you can on the island and looking for more, you can purchase airline tickets to take you to other remote islands to continue your efforts and even discover other fish, bugs, and plants to bring back to your island.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons also gives you the option to play online and visit other people's islands. While I do not have the Online account with Nintendo, I was able to local play with my girlfriend and explore her island (and steal all the fruits I was missing on my island :) ). It's a fun addition that I'm sure adds to the overall experience of the game when you have the ability to play online with others outside of your small local area.
Outside of scavenging and crafting items, you have the ability to shape the island how you see fit. Once you get far enough into the game, you have the ability to build bridges and stairs to access other areas of the island. Once you "complete" the game, which surrounds getting a famous signer to visit your island, you will have the ability to change the dynamics of the island itself. This includes building lakes and waterfalls and building different pavements into the island. This is where the game shines as it lets your imagination take control. While it seems like there are endless opportunities for you to build your island, you may be disappointed in some aspects. For instance, you cannot build new stores (such as restaurants, a gym, etc.), which is a little disappointing. So badly I wanted to add a restaurant or a gift shop but after 50+ hours in the game, I have yet to see it come through. You are able to upgrade your house though, which is a fine mechanic.
While I was not able to experience it for my review, I understand the game also shifts seasons relative to your geographical area in the world. While I may not play this game all year, I may jump in during the Summer, Fall, and Winter seasons to see what new wildlife I can capture or grow on my island.
Graphics & Audio
The game does look quite nice on the Switch OLED model. The environment is bright and colorful on a sunny day and gray and dull during a rainstorm. The audio is less than exciting. The characters speak in an irritating high squeak that, while cute at first, gets old after a few hours into the game. I mainly played the game with no volume, which should explain my thoughts on this part of the game.
Verdict
Overall, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fun game to play. The level of entertainment you experience will be based on how much time and effort you put into the chores of developing your island to what you want it to be. It has been fun to add my residential neighborhood, my town square and, most importantly, relocate my house to the top of the island so I may oversee all the hard work my character has put into the island. It's not a game for everyone but for those who are willing to try something that requires time and patience, should give this one a try.
Score: 8/10