Random Rambles - The Identity Crisis and Contradictory Design of Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out in March 2020 after being uncharacteristically delayed a few months. It took the world by storm, helped by the global pandemic locking down everyone at home. It became a way for a lot of people to both socialize and dissociate from reality for a while, and it felt impossible to avoid, at least in gaming circles. While I wasn't planning on getting it immediately, I remember going "ah, why the hell not" and buying it, because I'm an Animal Crossing fan anyway, and it'd give me something to play with my friends. Plus, it brought about an intriguing new twist to the series, placing the player on a deserted island instead of a random village. Within a few weeks, I found myself completely dropping it, and my thoughts about it haven't changed since then, but I'd like to actually analyze why I feel that way.