For almost two decades, Animal Crossing has been a bit inviting to find people who want to take a break from the rush and the explosions. Heck, aside from the occasional stabbing, the series is less controversial; Life at Animal Crossing is all about relaxing and living at your own pace, all in real time. Crossing the Animals: New Horizons is an all-inclusive package that captures the best of the future and adds sensible improvements for returning and newcomers who are curious. Looking for a refreshing salvation in these difficult times? Welcome home.
The first mold of the New Horizons is to sign up for a Tom Nook planning trip to an abandoned island (you no longer visit the established zoo). Here, he sets up roots and eventually builds a new community of animal companions. There was a happy-go-to-have-together set of obstacles, which is a fun change of pace from being a new kid in town. The first hours almost play like a survival game, even if you don't have epilepsy or death. However, you are treating your future in some important new ways. You choose where you want to place your home, and you also find and design landmarks for other residents and services. I liked being able to control the fate of my island, especially since I had my own idea of the best way to increase the look of a random one. A large part of your island may be limited when you begin, due to the abundance of rivers and turtles. It made me happy to find tools to cross those areas, and I was even happier when I was able to put in place endless solutions such as mangoes and bridges.
That idea of managing your destiny is at the core of New York. Need a fishing pole? You will have to make your own furniture, at least in advance. Fabrication is one of your first tasks, and you can use materials such as rocks and sticks in DIY tables to make tools, furniture and other materials. Your home-made tools are enough, but they break down after a few uses. You find ways to convert powerful species before too long, but get used to watching your creations disappear when you smoke. I'm obsessed with these weak tools, because I like the way they guide new players into the mold. On the other hand, I got tired of creating about one hundred fishing rods at a time before preparing for longer participation times. There are a lot of design elements that replace broken tools, creating a problem about scarcity and more about filling time – which I never had a problem with in Animal Crossing.
Whether you like decorating your home, designing new outfits, or simply filling a museum, a large part of your enjoyment of those previous games depended on how well you change your goals. On the flipside side, if you didn't get in right away, Animal Crossing would feel aimless. Tom Nook apparently heard those complaints, and addressed them with the new Nook Miles program. Basically, almost everything you do in the game is rewarding you with miles – picking fruit, talking to neighbors, visiting other players' islands, and more. These miles can be replaced with gameplay updates, such as extra inventory space, tool wheel, jewelry, or fashion accessories that you can put in your city to promote. I love the mile system, and I appreciate how it rewards you for simply going about your day. Everything is tracked with the app on your new game phone, which is a very useful piece of technology. I've always been referring to its Crititterpedia in particular, which is a logical collection that tracks all the bugs and fish you've collected, as well as details of where they came from and where they came from. If you think about the vast majority of critics in the world, this is especially helpful.
There has always been a good collection of works on Animal Crossing, and New Horizons adds a great deal of depth to most of it. I enthusiastically gave the first sign of all the objections I found in the museum, which now looks like a real museum instead of a large, empty room. The pattern designer has so many options, which allow budding creators to design patterns for specific wardrobes, from different types of shirts, sweaters, dresses and hats. I never really got into costume designs, but now that I can regain my wardrobe, it's a very contentious way. And you can eventually map the land, guide the roads and change the course of rivers and wetlands as you see fit.
However you choose to spend your time, surrounded by a healthy group of animals that go with their simple lives. I look forward to seeing what kinds of surprises it will bring, whether it was a new piece of furniture for my house or one of the few icons for my home. Don't expect any in-depth storytelling; it's not what Animal Crossing has ever experienced. I was watching the face of Mac's morning dog in the morning, as I scanned past the pink gorilla Rocket whenever it came near because, for whatever reason, I think it's a big weirdo.
You don't just live next to your pet neighbors. You can also play a local co-op, share screen with up to four players, but I don't recommend it. The playing space is very tight, and only one designated player can access his collection at any time. It's fake, and my family can't get out of the way fast enough. A wireless co-op is a better option, where players can invite their friends to visit. I consider this an attractive way to play a role, but I was interested in selling things and reaching for items in my friend's store that are not in the current rotation of my island. Newonsons will support online gaming for up to eight players, but I was unable to test that since the operation was not yet launched.
Another way to play the Animal Crossing staple, where multiple players share an island on the same console. This is still a good thing, and I loved sending items and books to my family. A word of warning: If you plan to play this way, make sure the first player is someone to stick with, especially in the first few weeks. Tom Nook appoints the player as a representative of the community, and the island's great progress depends on their participation.
New Horizons has so much to see and do, and so much happiness comes from discovering it yourself. I still find out when it comes to real-time stuff, such as how the day-to-day construction work takes the time of the actual day to finish, or how various vendors keep real-time shop hours. That little conversation keeps me happy to look back to when I end each time. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has something new to discover on a daily basis, and, most of all, it is built on a foundation of happiness and supremacy that is extremely rare. If the tradoff is that I have to draw a few fishing poles, then I think it's worth it in the end.
