It's kind of disheartening hearing so much criticism of this game lately...

[TheKryptoKnight]

Is it just me or is there a lot of negativity lately?

A lot of my favorite content creators have switched to a bit of a negative focus... Talking about if the game is unfinished or if there's nothing to do. Sometimes, they even end up concluding that, no, they're happy with the game, and the video was more of a thought experiment, but that doesn't change that they just spent 10 minutes being harshly critical, even if just as devil's advocate...

There's a lot of focus on what ISN'T in the game. And I get it to an extent. There are things I want to see return too. But there's almost too little focus on what IS in the game? I'm playing new horizons and new leaf concurrently, so I can accurately compare them without rose tinted glasses, and I enjoy my time in New Horizons much more. The base game, the mechanics (breaking tools aside), terraforming, and most importantly the ability to decorate outside, are just astronomical improvements to the series. I also like the update model they're using. I don't expect everyone to agree with that... But I almost feel like I'm living in some other dimension, because my experience with NH is overwhelmingly positive.

The only big complaint I agree with is that we need more furniture... But we know for a fact that that's coming... So I guess it just doesn't bother me that much. I can be patient and enjoy what's there.

I don't know what exactly I'm getting at with this thread. I am not trying to change anyone's mind. But I am also bummed out because I want to engage with the community, but it feels like everyone is looking at the glass half empty.

 

[Tobyjgv]

hi!! yeah, i totally understand what you mean. i think that lately a lot of people have started to get burned out, and have taken that out on the game. I will agree, it does feel unfinished in some ways, and I wish there was a bit more to do, but then again, that's why they are having updates. I'm honestly really enjoying the game as well, and just take breaks whenever I feel burn-out. It's a well-designed game, but because of the current situation (corona), people have a lot of time on their hands, causing them to progress much faster than usual. (like, some people have hundreds and even thousands of hours already!!)

 

[Pyoopi]

No, it's normal. It's part of having a form of art published to the world. It helps a game grow, the developers grow, the whole company grow even if the feedback is relatively harsh or positive. If they don't take this feedback seriously, then they're dumbos.

As long as people aren't giving death threats or being complete psychos where they're acting like their life is ruined because the lack of material in this game, then any other form of critique is important. Harsh feedback will always surface before positive feedback because it's easier to complain and to remember.

Nintendo is being held to higher standards than like a indie company, or a one man team. I think it's understandable that people are a bit shocked how bare bones this game started as. It's more a sandbox farming game. People view that as a lot of work than relaxing.

I love this game but I'm more confused why they didn't add this XYZ mechanic. My perspective is as a game dev and so I'm perplexed why certain thing wasn't added in or why did they choose to code it that way etc.

Also too, a lot of the audience don't carry the necessary information why XYZ didn't make the cut. Unfortunately game devs are not the ones who make the final decision in a large company structure. The higher ups and the business side are the ones who decide what stays. It's a bit tiring to see how over and over "developers are lazy". No the product manager is one of the buttholes who said "nah".

 

[NatsumiSummer]

hi!! yeah, i totally understand what you mean. i think that lately a lot of people have started to get burned out, and have taken that out on the game. I will agree, it does feel unfinished in some ways, and I wish there was a bit more to do, but then again, that's why they are having updates. I'm honestly really enjoying the game as well, and just take breaks whenever I feel burn-out. It's a well-designed game, but because of the current situation (corona), people have a lot of time on their hands, causing them to progress much faster than usual. (like, some people have hundreds and even thousands of hours already!!)

I completely agree with you. I also think that time traveling has a part to play with how negative people are to this game. They "completed" this game way too early, so they really didn't enjoy this game the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

 

[TheKryptoKnight]

hi!! yeah, i totally understand what you mean. i think that lately a lot of people have started to get burned out, and have taken that out on the game. I will agree, it does feel unfinished in some ways, and I wish there was a bit more to do, but then again, that's why they are having updates. I'm honestly really enjoying the game as well, and just take breaks whenever I feel burn-out. It's a well-designed game, but because of the current situation (corona), people have a lot of time on their hands, causing them to progress much faster than usual. (like, some people have hundreds and even thousands of hours already!!)

Yeah, I'm at over 400 hours myself, which is just absolutely insane. 4 months into new leaf, I would be surprised if I had even half of that.

I guess I struggle to understand how people can accuse something that you've put hundreds of hours into as having no content. I want this to eventually be the "Smash Ultimate" of Animal Crossing too... I'm not arguing the game is perfect... But I just feel completely out of touch with the pessimism.

 

[Tobyjgv]

The surplus of time spent on the game has caused people to do everything they've wanted, making them run out of things to do, and causing them to ask for more. I think that there have been some valid complaints though, like dry character conversations/dialogue, not much to do outside of decorating (no minigames or any cool multiplayer aspects yet).. I was reading through some comments on a video about this game being "unfinished", and someone said that people are reaching "end game" within three months, even without time-travelling (which I is evident for many players). Overall, I agree, the negativity sucks, but it also brings up the fact that a lot of people are still unhappy with how this game is currently (me included), and that more content is needed to keep the playerbase hooked. I hope that nintendo will be able to take this feedback and start releasing more content updates. This game was a huge success for them, but they need to keep it up.

 

[Licorice]

I love this game so much idk what everyone is on about

 

[Tobyjgv]

I will admit, it does feel like a bit of a downgrade from new leaf. the new graphics are great, the terraforming is great, the outdoor decorating is great, but that's honestly all that feels new. In the new updates, they have just been adding things that have been in previous games. We are all begging for the Cafe, the Dream Suite, but these are things that were in the base game of new leaf. I feel like if they were to release more content that is "never-seen-before", and not just a small event for an update, it would really help.

 

[Noel_in_Sunrise]

I don't know what the solution is. Maybe we can all try to remember that people feel differently about positivity/negativity and they are trying to do what feels right to them. I try to do this when other people mentioning that they hate negativity triggers some past trauma for me. I had very early onset depression as a child, and a father who would get abusive if you didn't look greatful/ happy. Relentless positivity makes me unhappy and feel broken, whereas the ability to criticize and hear criticism brings me peace. I have to remember that for some people it is the opposite.

As for New Horizons being better, I think that really depends on what you play the games for. I don't think it is definitvely better. I think that it is probably the best one for me too, but I can accept that this isn't the case for everyone.

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

I will admit, it does feel like a bit of a downgrade from new leaf. the new graphics are great, the terraforming is great, the outdoor decorating is great, but that's honestly all that feels new. In the new updates, they have just been adding things that have been in previous games. We are all begging for the Cafe, the Dream Suite, but these are things that were in the base game of new leaf. I feel like if they were to release more content that is "never-seen-before", and not just a small event for an update, it would really help.

The problem is that Nintendo wants early adopters to have a bit more of a spaced-out experience. I bet that in 2 years time a newcomer will be able to plow through everything they have/will brought/bring in about 3-6 months. I know it’s in the spirit of animal crossing so I’m willing to wait but I know not everyone is.

 

[NatsumiSummer]

The surplus of time spent on the game has caused people to do everything they've wanted, making them run out of things to do, and causing them to ask for more. I think that there have been some valid complaints though, like dry character conversations/dialogue, not much to do outside of decorating (no minigames or any cool multiplayer aspects yet).. I was reading through some comments on a video about this game being "unfinished", and someone said that people are reaching "end game" within three months, even without time-travelling (which I is evident for many players). Overall, I agree, the negativity sucks, but it also brings up the fact that a lot of people are still unhappy with how this game is currently (me included), and that more content is needed to keep the playerbase hooked. I hope that nintendo will be able to take this feedback and start releasing more content updates. This game was a huge success for them, but they need to keep it up.

There is an update coming in August, and I do hope that they add back the Dream Suite and The Roost at least. I mean both would give players something to do... especially the Dream Suite, since we could all spend hours visiting each other's islands through it.

 

[TheKryptoKnight]

The problem is that Nintendo wants early adopters to have a bit more of a spaced-out experience. I bet that in 2 years time a newcomer will be able to plow through everything they have/will brought/bring in about 3-6 months. I know it’s in the spirit of animal crossing so I’m willing to wait but I know not everyone is.

I have a second switch, and in 2-3 years, I intend to build a second island where things progress at a faster rate... So I understand what is appealing about that. But I'm also very willing to wait now. And there are things I enjoy a lot about this update model. In new leaf, I probably spent an hour diving in total. It was just one feature among many, and not a very fun one. In NH, I've spent probably 10-20 hours diving already, because it got its own time in the spotlight (and feels better). I like that the slow add forces me to really spend time with each feature in a way we were never guided to before? Idk, maybe I'm crazy.

 

[_Rainy_]

I don’t think people have a problem with releasing new content over time, I think it’s because they are releasing content that isn’t new to animal crossing. Since diving, dream suite, brewsters, etc have already been in past games; many feel that it should have been in the game from the start. People have a right to their opinions, but I can understand how it can be disheartening for others. If you enjoy the game that’s all that matters.

 

[Sharksheep]

Honestly, I think a lot of people just played it too much and they are just burned out on it. Like if you done with collecting for the month, there's not much left to do but to design the island or your house or go to Harv's island and play along. And if you don't like the designing part of this game, it's pretty boring. If you are done with designing your island and your house, then there's nothing left until the next update/event/month.

Some people rush for their dreamies so they can't island hunt.

I've been taking my time designing and redesigning my island so I have lots of stuff to do even though I'm done with the bugs, fish, and diving creatures. I've completed the art and fossils already.

Time travel does ruin a lot of it because now you are collecting stuff in the last half of the year and by the time the real dates come around, there's nothing to do.

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

Ya know, I’m kinda glad that they waited until they waited to open diving for a while. I ignored it mostly in NL because I hated it compared to fishing and bugging (swimming controls were finicky, shadows disappeared as quickly as they appeared and they could (and would) dip past the fence). Now that I think about it, I never used the cafe at all either other than decoration because they never clearly told me how to help Brewster. I’m sure I will be using the cafe a lot more in this game once they open it up if they give a good enough tutorial.

 

[Uffe]

I wonder if this game would have come out on March 20 if they decided to not go the updating route? They know it's an incomplete game, so there isn't really much you can do about it. Complaining about it isn't going to make updates come sooner.

 

[TheKryptoKnight]

Ya know, I’m kinda glad that they waited until they waited to open diving for a while. I ignored it mostly in NL because I hated it compared to fishing and bugging (swimming controls were finicky, shadows disappeared as quickly as they appeared and they could (and would) dip past the fence). Now that I think about it, I never used the cafe at all either other than decoration because they never clearly told me how to help Brewster. I’m sure I will be using the cafe a lot more in this game once they open it up if they give a good enough tutorial.

I'm exactly the same. I've spent way way more time with diving than I did before because of the way it was introduced. I never saw Pascal in new leaf, but see him daily now...

 

[cicely]

I mean, every critique video I've seen so far was well researched and full of reasonable complaints. I wouldn't consider that overly negative or ruining the community in some way.

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

I mean, every critique video I've seen so far was well researched and full of reasonable complaints. I wouldn't consider that overly negative or ruining the community in some way.

I’m fine with people being civil in their criticism and respecting people’s positive opinions on the matter. My problem is when people say we have to rise up and complain all the time or otherwise everyone gets a bad game.

 

[WaileaNoRei]

Is it just me or is there a lot of negativity lately?

A lot of my favorite content creators have switched to a bit of a negative focus... Talking about if the game is unfinished or if there's nothing to do. Sometimes, they even end up concluding that, no, they're happy with the game, and the video was more of a thought experiment, but that doesn't change that they just spent 10 minutes being harshly critical, even if just as devil's advocate...

There's a lot of focus on what ISN'T in the game. And I get it to an extent. There are things I want to see return too. But there's almost too little focus on what IS in the game? I'm playing new horizons and new leaf concurrently, so I can accurately compare them without rose tinted glasses, and I enjoy my time in New Horizons much more. The base game, the mechanics (breaking tools aside), terraforming, and most importantly the ability to decorate outside, are just astronomical improvements to the series. I also like the update model they're using. I don't expect everyone to agree with that... But I almost feel like I'm living in some other dimension, because my experience with NH is overwhelmingly positive.

The only big complaint I agree with is that we need more furniture... But we know for a fact that that's coming... So I guess it just doesn't bother me that much. I can be patient and enjoy what's there.

I don't know what exactly I'm getting at with this thread. I am not trying to change anyone's mind. But I am also bummed out because I want to engage with the community, but it feels like everyone is looking at the glass half empty.

I agree! Of course no game is perfect, but I see so many threads complaining about what’s missing from the game, or how much people prefer New Leaf (I know I am a newbie and having never played NL but from what I’ve seen I really don’t get it). I know people need to vent when they get disappointed and frustrated, but I also feel sometimes there’s this bias toward being negative as a way to seem more... cool? Legitimate? I don’t know. It seems strange to play a game so much that you don’t like - and I have seen posts of people saying they are bored of the game...but still playing?

It also is unsurprising, but sad that in response to you posting that all the game criticism is bumming you out people are responding overwhelmingly by repeating their complaints about the game (instead of keeping that to the threads specifically for griping).