Animal Crossing: New Horizons ranks among the top-selling video games globally, yet it unfortunately features one of the most tedious elements in its crafting system. Although the game promotes a hands-on approach—encouraging players to create items from resources collected in their environment—it simultaneously imposes an exasperating animation that players must endure every time they craft an item. This slow-paced DIY crafting mechanism quickly becomes a source of frustration.
In contrast to many other games that utilize an item collection and crafting framework, New Horizons’ system stands out as particularly irksome. Instead of allowing players to produce multiple unit crafts in a single process, the game requires them to repeat the same crafting steps each time, regardless of the quantity needed. While it might be too late for the developers to address these shortcomings in New Horizons, future installments of Animal Crossing would greatly benefit from incorporating enhanced quality-of-life features.
A Closer Look at Crafting Frustrations
Crafting: A Cycle of Repetition
DIY recipes are integral to the gameplay of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Players engage with their surroundings—gathering resources from trees, rocks, and through interactions with villagers—to assemble various items, ranging from furniture to food, and even clothing. New recipes appear regularly, either gifted from villagers or obtained from balloon presents, and play a pivotal role in personalizing and decorating their islands.
To earn a coveted five-star island rating, players are required to incorporate a set number of DIY decorations. Thus, creating and accumulating a variety of crafted items is vital. Given the importance of crafting within the game, one would expect a streamlined and efficient system to facilitate this activity. However, the reality of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is that the crafting process is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Every time a player wishes to create an item—be it a simple chair or a more elaborate piece of furniture—they must navigate through the crafting menu, wait through an animation, and then receive the item alongside a line of dialogue. For those undertaking the task of making multiple items, like bait for fishing, this experience becomes frustratingly repetitive, leading to fatigue with the crafting mechanism.
Opportunities for Improvement
Minor Hassles Compound Over Time
The introduction of a batch crafting feature could have significantly enhanced the gameplay experience right from the game’s launch or during its first major update. Unfortunately, this is not the sole missing quality-of-life enhancement in New Horizons. Additional minor inconveniences, such as limits on the number of bridges and inclines a player can construct, tend to frustrate dedicated players who invest extensive time in curating their islands.
Following delays that pushed its release to March 2020, the most recent official update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons occurred in November 2021. This extended development phase left players with the impression that the game would feature a refined product. However, persistent issues within essential gameplay mechanics raise concerns about whether the crafting system received adequate attention and polish before launch.
Advocating for Enhanced Features in Future Titles
Streamlined Processes for Greater Enjoyment
Though the chance to rectify these issues in New Horizons may have passed, it serves as a case study for the features that should be prioritized in the next Animal Crossing title. Should crafting remain a central mechanic, future games ought to incorporate a batch crafting option for frequently used items. Nobody enjoys sitting through the same lengthy animation multiple times for items they will consume shortly after.
The repetitiveness embedded in the player experience stems from the interaction required with numerous gameplay features, such as visiting friends’ islands or crafting consumables, all of which are hindered by excessive dialogue and lengthy processes. With the development of the next installment following in the footsteps of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it’s crucial that developers minimize these repetitive elements, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience for long-time players.
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