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So as most of you who follow the other avenues of Geek Devotions know, I am not truly a gamer. I love certain games, but I tend to be drawn by the bright colors, the simple stories, and the mechanics that, while perhaps are not easy, are simple to understand. So with those qualifications in mind, you can see how I would be excited about Animal Crossing New Horizons in General and even more excited at the prospect of Happy Home Paradise DLC.
When the free DLC updated this past Wednesday, I was ecstatic, though I did not get to start playing till the next day after work. You may have seen the memes that Geek Devotions Facebook posted. I made those while I waited to be off work so I could go to my island. Although the ACNH 2.0 has so much extra content and bonus things that you could easily play it all by itself, some additions, such as planting crops and having DIY recipes for food that your character can eat, are something that personally has been keeping me busy. In addition, the Ordinances are a fantastic way to ensure that the player is getting the most out of the game when they play as well. Overall the free DLC would have been enough for me to be raving over this game as I enjoyed everything I can now play.
Another new feature( at least new to me, I don’t remember this being there a few months ago) in the Nintendo Online app is that you have a weekly paper for your island. It features stories such as the season, who has visited recently(friends), and the things new to the Island(group stretching, Brewster, turnip prices trends, etc.) Small things like this are great for the loyal players of ACNH because of their attention to detail. The Maru (or your island name) Post also gives the gossip about who has gotten new vacation homes on Happy Home Paradise, which leads us to the reaction to the paid DLC.
The Happy Homes Paradise DLC could almost be its own game. It has no need of your normal Island, but it is undoubtedly enhancing your island after you reach a certain level (rumor says 15 houses sold and decorated, but that’s not confirmed). When I was a teenager, I would play the SIMS, and because I was terrible at keeping my SIMS alive (that’s a story for another day), I ended up with entire worlds full of houses that I built and decorated. Sadly, no one to live in them; RIP all those little Lestie SIMS.
HHP hits that feel for me. The selling of homes and decorating, landscaping, and then turning them over to the respective owner is honestly perfect. The Islanders keep themselves alive, and I get to play landscaper and interior designer. Of course, the customization could be better in that you have to stick with specific options, but let’s be honest… were here for the adorable-ness ultimately, and there is quite a bit of customization that is done.
Overall, my initial reaction is that this game, Animal Crossing 2.0 and Happy Home Paradise, is great; if you enjoy a cozy game, you should play both. Here at Geek Devotions, we give both ACNH and HHP-DLC a 5 out of 5 Glix.