Summary
The villagers ofAnimal Crossingare a vital aspect of the series, and one change could make interacting with them significantly more immersive. Players will likely spend more time with them than they will NPCs from most games, so it’s important for the developers to take special care with them.Animal Crossinghas made a habit of reinventing itself in several ways, withAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsfeaturing the latest new developments for the series. There’s still much more that can be done, especially regarding the villagers, so the nextAnimal Crossingshould seek to make some new developments.
The concept ofbefriending villagers inAnimal Crossingcan be argued as a reason for players to get invested in the games. Every town starts with a small handful of villagers, but as the player goes through the game, more will move in, and occasionally some can move out. While villagers only have a small pool of personalities to choose from, each of them has a unique design, as well as a house designed to reflect their individual character. Players can find them roaming around and taking part in various abilities around town, helping the world ofAnimal Crossingfeel like a full, lively place.
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Animal Crossing’s Villagers Could Be Better With More Emotions
While there is a selection ofpersonality types inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, there is a lot of room to expand. While each villager has their own touches of individuality, they can feel a bit limited at times. Once the player figures out a villager’s personality, they know how that villager will act more or less all the time. They are certainly fun characters, but there is only so much that can be done with the set of personality traits that are available to them. Thankfully, there is a way to change this for the next game and make dailyAnimal Crossinglife more interesting.
One tactic that Nintendo could use in order togive villagers more personality inAnimalCrossingwould be to give them a mood setting. Essentially, things that happen throughout the day could have some effect on the villagers. Villagers would be content by default, but that could change easily. For example, if two villagers get into a fight, they could be angry in the aftermath. If the player doesn’t interact with a villager for a long time, they could become lonely or sad. Getting a gift could make them happy. There is a wide array of emotions thatAnimal Crossing’s villagers could exhibit.
Expanding the role of villagers by giving them changing moods would be anew direction forAnimal Crossing, but a highly interesting one. A villager’s mood could have a significant effect on their interactions. For example, a sad or lonely villager may be less inclined to autonomously perform leisure activities, but the player could make them feel better by hanging out with them for a while. Likewise, angry villagers could stay away from other villagers, but the player could help them by solving what made them angry in the first place. Keeping the villagers happy and content could be the angle that the nextAnimal Crossingcould work with.
The laid-back and relaxing nature ofAnimal Crossingmakes it one of themost heartwarming Nintendo games, and incorporating villager moods could strengthen that. There would be satisfaction to be had in not only having happy villagers tell the player how much they love their town or value their friendship, but also in helping unhappy villagers feel better. It would add a more personal touch to the game, and make each villager feel more lively. Giving the villagers emotions may be the next big step thatAnimal Crossingcould make.
