I don't know what it is but this entry in the series feels more like a chore than previous games. Maybe its the crafting slowing everything down, or making it more of a slow progression more than "instant" gratification, but I could not get into it like I did new leaf. Still, it's animal crossing, it's relaxing, cozy, and the gameplay loop by nature is addictive. I will say the customization options for the island really add to this game and make it worth a try over others in the series, even if I personally could not get into it as much.

One of the most laid-back farming sims that has a very charming core but not much beyond that unless treated like a social gathering hub.
+ super approachable family game from any angle
+ remarkable multiplayer integration
+ significant cosmetic customization opportunities
+ cute art style and fittingly subdued soundtrack
+ quite long-lasting content for collectors
- simplistic, mostly time-gated progression
- no real relationship system for NPCs or any interesting dialogue, even
- slow and repetitive UI design everywhere (tedious inventory management and equippable tools, needless confirmations, resetting camera, and many more)

part of this might just be that i dont like how most animal crossing games make me have to play at earlier hours than I'd like but also having played this game when it first came out and looking at it even now it feels like Nintendo dropped this game before it had a chance to become more than it could've. all of the villagers feel less like actual neighbors and more like cookie cutter dolls with 3 lines of dialogue, the way the online works is once again filled with nintendoisms that make it more inconvenient than it needs to be. the new features this game adds are very good but it doesn't make up for the fact that it feels like half of what animal crossing is at its core is missing, and while the crafting is a really fun addition it also just feels very unintuitive at the same time.