New Horizons: Failing From Success
The Irish Dino・41 minutes read
A Japanese man named Katsuya Aguchi created Animal Crossing to turn his lonely experiences into a charming game for kids, leading to its popularity worldwide. Despite its success, Animal Crossing: New Horizons faced mixed reviews from fans due to issues like lack of villager depth, excessive dialogue, and focus on customization over traditional charm.
Insights
- Katsuya Aguchi, a Japanese man in Kyoto, Japan, created Animal Crossing to transform his loneliness into a charming game for children, capturing a sense of optimistic loneliness.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released in 2020, gained immense popularity but faced criticism for excessive dialogue, lack of varied personalities among villagers, and a shift towards town-building, losing some of the original essence that made older games special.
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Recent questions
What is Animal Crossing?
A game created by Katsuya Aguchi in Japan.
When was Animal Crossing: New Horizons released?
In 2020.
What are some criticisms of Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Excessive dialogue and lack of varied personalities among villagers.
What new features were introduced in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Island customization and terraforming.
How did the Animal Crossing community react to New Horizons?
Mixed reviews and controversies.
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Summary
00:00
Animal Crossing: From Creation to Criticism
- A Japanese man in Kyoto, Japan, named Katsuya Aguchi, created Animal Crossing while feeling lonely in the city.
- Aguchi wanted to turn his somber experiences into an enjoyable game for kids, ensuring it was charming and unique.
- Animal Crossing was released in Japan in 2001 and later in America, Australia, and Europe, becoming popular.
- The game, often seen as animals talking and anthropomorphic, captures a sense of optimistic loneliness.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released in 2020, gained immense popularity during a time of limited social interactions.
- Fans requested an early release of New Horizons, showcasing the game's high anticipation and demand.
- Despite its success, New Horizons faced mixed reviews from fans, prompting discussions on its shortcomings.
- New Horizons introduced a plot and goals, unlike previous Animal Crossing games, leading to potential boredom after completion.
- Villagers in New Horizons are criticized for being overly nice and lacking the depth of previous games' characters.
- The game's excessive dialogue, repetitive interactions, and lack of varied personalities among villagers contribute to player dissatisfaction.
15:14
"New Horizons: Control and Limitations"
- In older Animal Crossing games, villagers could leave without notice, but in New Horizons, they must ask permission to leave.
- Villagers lack free will in New Horizons, needing approval to depart, which can feel dystopian.
- Customization in New Horizons allows for complete control over the island's layout and design.
- Players can now place items outside in New Horizons, a new feature not present in previous games.
- Terraforming in New Horizons permits players to reshape the land as desired, a significant addition to the game.
- In New Horizons, players are given the title of resident representative, granting them extensive control over the island.
- The game's focus on customization may detract from the original Animal Crossing charm, where towns were pre-established.
- Tools in New Horizons can break, a new feature that was not present in previous games, leading to frustration for players.
- DIY recipes in New Horizons allow players to craft items, but the sheer number of recipes and lack of organization can be overwhelming.
- The limited shop options in New Horizons, with only two shops available, pale in comparison to the variety in previous games like New Leaf.
29:30
"Animal Crossing: Balancing Old and New"
- The shop design on the deserted island lacks designer items, special furniture, and fertilizer, giving an underwhelming feel.
- Players can place various items like stalls, traffic lights, fans, and cars in the shop, but an update is needed for a visually appealing look in New Horizons.
- Upgrades in New Horizons should be longer to reflect the player's town-building progress, even after completing the KK Slider event.
- There should be an option to invite shopkeepers from Harris Island to the player's island for more building options and interactions.
- Retail in New Leaf was a secondhand store where players could buy items cheaper and sell their own items, fostering community interaction.
- In New Horizons, the owners Reese and Cyrus are reduced to furnishing items, losing the charm of the retail concept.
- The Animal Crossing community faced controversies like selling popular villagers like Raymond for real money and debates over hairstyles, leading to toxic behavior.
- Animal Crossing New Horizons, despite its financial success, lacked the charm and depth of previous games, focusing more on town-building and pleasing a wide range of fans.
- The game succeeded in attracting a larger fan base but lost some of the original essence that made older Animal Crossing games special, highlighting the need for a balance between old and new elements.
