this was my first animal crossing, and like the entire world i picked it up during covid. like tiger king and zoom call jokes, i've become sick of the thought of new horizons. its too deep a reminder of a horrible, terrifying, migraine-inducing, boring, awful time in history.

also, can we talk about how the game itself almost feels like a social media app? the one thing I would say that really killed this game for me was the constant comparison. I would be told by people that there was no "wrong" way to play animal crossing, that you can take it at your own pace, do what you like...but then I would go online and there was just page after page of people bragging about how aesthetically pleasing their islands looked and how they'd made everything so beautiful. and it filled me with envy! I grinded to make a pretty island using ideas I had taken from other people, but halfway through I just gave up. it wasn't my vision, I just wanted to exert whatever control I had into making my virtual world look good to other people. maybe that was my fault. but it feels like the kind of game where the whole point is for it to look good. I don't think "fun" is the main driving idea of NH, I think its "pretty". I just can't get into a game that's all about appearances, especially not in a time where that obsession is everywhere. video games (and DEFINITELY kids games) are supposed to be an escape from the pressures of society, a way to relax and have fun. I could not relax, and I could not have fun with new horizons. I don't know whose fault that is.

this is maybe my favourite game of all time. if I played it now I would probably enjoy it, but i wouldn't love it the way I did on my first playthrough. this is the only game i can think of that would benefit from an age cap, an ERSB "18 -". I played this game as an awkward, gay, teenage girl and this is the ideal experience. it molded and shaped me, and I would be a different person if I had never played it.

is it a good game? ummm...well....what's your definition of good? is the story thought out? sort of. is the choice mechanic well put together and does it have intended consequences on the rest of the gameplay? yes, sometimes. other times it doesn't matter at all what you choose. how's the writing? depends on the scene. how's the dialogue? whoo baby.

the atmosphere is what ties everything together. its hard to get caught up in questions about continuity and character motivations when the scenery of arcadia bay in its varying states is just so goddamn beautiful. I still listen to the music all the time, and the way the soundtrack is paired with environments is stellar.

I loved this game because I am max caulfield and life is strange. you might not. oh well, your loss!