It’s a Peaceful Life in New Horizons
As businesses close and classes move online, more and more people are finding themselves stuck at home. Besides that pesky homework, it can be hard to stay busy; what better way to practice self-quarantine than to play video games on the big screen? The much-anticipated fifth installment in the popular Animal Crossing series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect way to calm those coronavirus worries, and keep you looking forward to tomorrow.
It has been eight years since the last Animal Crossing game, but New Horizons feels warm and welcoming. Following the Animal Crossing formula, New Horizons places the player on a deserted island, provides them with a few necessities, and tells them, “Go at it!” Accompanying them in this new life are the anthropomorphic animals that, save for the player, make up all the characters in the game. The virtual world changes in real time: seasons, events, and times of day are the same as the outside world, and this gives the player incentive to return each day and discover what is new about their little island.
Like any good franchise, New Horizons keeps the basics the same, but changes up the formula with new activities, features, and characters. Chopping trees? Of course. Using wood from those chopped down trees to craft your own furniture? Wow! New Horizons introduces a crafting mechanic, dubbed “DIY” in-game, that allows the player to make items (and save in-game money while they’re at it). As I play, new “DIY recipes” continue to pop up, keeping the mechanic fun and interesting. I especially like being able to make my own tools when my old ones break.
The second new feature in New Horizons is “Nook Miles,” a new point system named after the recurring raccoon salesman, Tom Nook. Nook Miles are earned by completing tasks, usually the things players would already be doing, like catching fish or planting flowers. These miles can then be exchanged for special items and upgrades. These small rewards help keep the player engaged and encourage them to live their Animal Crossing life to the fullest. Once I collected enough Nook Miles, I used them to buy a drawstring backpack that my in-game avatar now proudly wears.
Even with these new features, the best part about Animal Crossing is how simple it is. Aided by the new Nintendo Switch, the graphics of New Horizons are adorable and stunning; leaves now sway in the wind, and villagers can sit down and have a nap beneath the trees. These small details give the game a heart, and I believe that is what Animal Crossing is best at. Go fish for a while. Catch a few bugs. Take it slow. In New Horizons, you have all the time in the world.
