For half a decade,Animal Crossing: New Horizonswas my go-to comfort game. I would boot it up every time I needed a moment away from the real world. There was something therapeutic about coming back to the familiar faces of my villagers (I always feel better when I see Flora!), the well-trodden paths of my island, and my ever-expanding museum.
Over time, my visits became less frequent until, sadly, I stopped coming altogether. Instead, I started visiting a different set of villagers and decorating a different expanse of land in adifferent cozy game:Disney Dreamlight Valley.And, although I feel sad to say goodbye to my beloved Flora, Blathers, and the rest, I can honestly say that switching toDreamlight Valleyhas felt like an upgrade in many ways.
Disney Dreamlight Valley Has More Depth Than ACNH
There’s Always Something To Do In DDV
I never thought I would likeDreamlight Valley.I am not a huge Disney fan, and I don’t find the characters or style nearly as cute as that of theAnimal Crossingfranchise. And yet,Dreamlight Valleyscratches that cozy gaming itch better thanACNHever could.DDVgives players so much more freedom thanAnimal Crossing,creating an experience that’s completely unique to you and your playstyle.
For example, my favorite thing to do inDreamlight Valleyis todecorate the valleyand take pictures, so that’s what I usually do when I log on. This means that my Valley is pretty sparse in terms of residents—besides the mandatory unlocks, I’ve only invited Alice, Remy, Moana, WALL-E, and Mirabel to live in the valley—but my Plaza is fully designed.Someone else’s playstyle might look completely different, focusing only on progressing the story, working at the restaurant, or leveling up their residents.
Andthere’s so much more to do,most of which is available immediately when you start playing: I can change my appearance on the fly, immediately jump into “terraforming” with the large number of plants and rocks,design my own clothesand furniture, or attempt to discover new recipes by throwing ingredients into a pot and seeing what works. Resources replenish quickly enough that if I want to just walk around the valley with Scrooge in tow, mining all the valley’s rocks, I can do that. It’s completely up to me.
ACNH Is Severely Lacking In Gameplay
After A While, It Begins To Feel Repetitive
Animal Crossingis a game that wants you to play it slowly,and it does so by installing limits and barriers. Everything takes time, from unlocking terraforming to moving houses, building bridges and inclines, and evenfinding that dream villageryou’ve always wanted.
“Animal Crossing is a game that wants you to play it slowly, and it does so by installing limits and barriers.”
Eventually,playingACNHamounts to logging on for about 15 minutes a day to get your “dailies” in,which starts to feel like a grind. Even conversations with villagers quickly became repetitive, and the differences between them started to blur due to only having a few personality types.
Dreamlight Valleyalso lets you play slowly, butit has so much more depth thanACNH.There’s always something to do, and I never feel like I have to keep doing the same thing every time I log in, keeping the experience fresh every time. This also means that I can play for 15 minutes or a couple of hours, depending on what I’m in the mood for that day.
And if I want a specific villager, I don’t have to wait and hope I get lucky—I can just unlock them. Each character has their own distinct personality that lends itself to less linear and better conversations. And though I still prefer the look ofAnimal Crossingcharacters, there’s no denying thatDisney has some fantastic personalities to choose from.
Some days, I still miss the cozy, wholesome grind ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons.But even on those days, I start upDisney Dreamlight Valleyand let myself sink into the warm embrace of my cozy new obsession.
