As soon as this game was released, I was instantly hooked in. I have never played any version of animal crossing prior to this release, but I had heard about the great reviews and wanted to jump on the wave. Upon first starting the game, you are introduced to the relaxing atmosphere of your own personal island. The music is so calming and the sounds from the environment compliment the relaxing vibe. I love how you can fully customize nearly every aspect of your island, including the other animal inhabitants. The character customization is amazing as well, the diversity of options for your character allows you to make them a cartoon copy of yourself. The gameplay itself is almost therapeutic, as you play the game at your own pace with no main goal apart from upgrading the island. With side tasks such as fishing, harvesting materials, and trading, it takes your mind off of everything else happening in the world.

My only complaint about the game is that after a few hours of gameplay, you start to lose track on what the goal is. You can only do so much at a starting level, and the only way to upgrade is to continue the side tasks. However, this can easily be looked past because of how captivating the gameplay is. I still found myself playing for several hours at a time, amazed by the day and night cycles with each having their own gameplay components. I highly recommend this game for anyone looking for something laid back.