Since Animal Crossing New Horizons is never expected to receive any updates or DLCs again, it makes sense that some fans are looking to indulge themselves by testing out other similar games. But is the recent Longvinter really a copy of ACNH? Why are his Steam ratings so low?
Animal Crossing: A success that we want to copy at all costs!
If the Animal Crossing license has existed for more than 20 years now, its immense success is obviously due to the release of New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, in the midst of a period of global confinement. Covid or not, ACNH would probably have worked just as well thanks to its enchanting formula which allows you to arrange a desert island to your liking, form valuable bonds with its inhabitants the animals, fish, capture insects and even create a vegetable garden.
In short, it is impossible to summarize Animal Crossing in a simple sentence, but it is certain that millions of players have succumbed to its charm. The title worked so well in 2020 that we then observed an upsurge in simulation and farm games but also in the "cozy" category with conferences like the Wholesome Direct and titles like Story of Seasons for example. If the latter has existed for a few years already, it is necessary to underline the arrival of small independent games which probably wanted to surf on the success of ACNH. Some have succeeded, others not so much.
We remember for example Hokko Life which had made a strong impression and which is regularly updated but, recently, it is Longvinter which has started to be talked about thanks to (or because of) its resemblance to Animal Crossing.
Longvinter: an Animal Crossing plagiarism that fans hate?
What is Longvinter?
Plagiarism or not, ACNH fans immediately wanted to try this new title, probably because they were lacking in new features on New Horizons, despite the big 2.0 update last November. On its Steam page, here is the official description of Longvinter: "Fish, farm, craft, gather, cook, loot or rob other players and build a camp or a village with your friends in an open-world multiplayer sandbox game. and without rules!"
We therefore notice a slight difference with Animal Crossing : in Longvinter, it is possible not to be friendly and we are not talking here about simple nets. You can literally use a gun and steal resources from other players. A slightly more "nag" aspect that could make fans of cozy games shiver .
What to do in Longvinter?
As a human, your goal is to explore the island of Longvinter in order to understand why it is so special. You begin your expedition at one of the many research camps on the island and will have to buy tools, sell the resources you harvest, and invest in more advanced equipment to compete with other researchers.
- A handcrafted open world : explore, learn and enjoy the surrounding nature. Discover the best places to fish and pick berries and build your camp near them to maximize your income.
- PVP - You are not the only one trying to make it on the island. Create alliances, defend and conquer new areas that you find interesting.
- Construction - You can build wherever you want with whoever you want. Pick a spot for your tent, light a campfire, and start growing. Store all your valuables inside the tent, which only you have access to.
- Crafting : Instantly combine two or more items to create something new at a workbench.
- Farming : Grow food for yourself or sell it to earn money.
- Sandbox - Do what you want, where you want, with whom you want. There are no rules or tasks. Make the game what you want it to be.
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Trade - Sell your knowledge and rare items to players who are willing to pay for them and constantly earn money by selling to camp vendors.
A real multiplayer game, Longvinter therefore offers a PvP aspect that Animal Crossing does not have , but also regular content updates. Overall, this new indie title may look like ACNH since it's a sandbox game with various resources to collect, but that's where the comparison ends. Finally, it is especially the design of Longvinter which is largely inspired by the Animal Crossing license.
Why do some Animal Crossing fans hate Longvinter?
If we refer to the negative opinions left on Steam , several reasons can explain the lack of enthusiasm aroused by Longvinter:
- An independent title, Longvinter is currently only available in English ,
- The multiplayer aspect is extremely penalizing : as a new player, you land on a server where other players already have powerful weapons and can loot you in no time,
- A misguided departure that can put off more than one,
- A fairly empty world with little to do at the moment,
- Big server problems and recurring bugs
Negative aspects aside, Longvinter is still in early access and so it is still in the development phase. The many players' feedback will allow the developers to improve the content and correct the problems raised. And you, have you tested Longvinter?
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