Play the Game Everybody's Talking about: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
By: Kai Neuberger
Beginning in an uninhabited island, this new Animal Crossing perfectly captures the social distancing lifestyle that we currently live. In the first night alone, you’re greeted with a bonfire, the two other generated islanders, and the Nooks who brought you to the island (Timmy, Tommy, and Tom).
Throughout island gameplay, these three will guide your endeavors. From promoting the island life to gain new residents, to hosting visitors, to curating a museum, and more. Interestingly enough, while catching animals for your museum, it teaches you factual tid-bits of information on them.
In time, you’ll gain the ability to travel to other islands to meet other NPC’s (non player characters) who can join your island, or even give you abilities you didn’t have before. Through these visitations and other NPC’s coming to your island, the isolation isn’t so lonely. Occasionally, when talking to other characters, they’ll say things like: “Uh...didn’t I just see you over there, ya know? You don’t have a twin, do you?”
The most exciting part, though, is that you can play with your friends! If you don’t have online, it’s only $4 more per month for Switch players. While not every feature is available while they’re there, such as donations, you can still gather materials, go fishing, and check out features! For having to be so far apart from one another, this is a great way to be able to get together for some fun! My personal favorite activity is to hide from my visitor in places they can’t reach yet.
Each player can make their own unique character to represent them in this world. From outfits, to hair— even reactions. Every little detail is controlled by you. You get your own house to decorate as you want, complete with expansions. The world as you see it around you can be molded to your will as you hand-pick every location.
This game is so peaceful, and once you grow an place in it, can be a stark but welcome difference from the world around us. Taking about $60 for the switch adaptation of the game, it is absolutely worth it. From smiling friendly NPC’s, staying up to ungodly hours to finish tasks, and online play with your friends, you will never be bored. Luckily, the game flows on real time and forces you to pace yourself. This may sound like it’s not a big deal now, but I’ve found myself playing late into the night many times.
