Nope, Hokko Life is not just a copy of Animal Crossing. If it is strongly inspired by Nintendo’s hit game, it is nonetheless different on many points. Better still, Hokko Life manages to improve and offer non-existent features in Tom Nook’s title. Released from its early access, this “cozy game” is finally available in its full version since September 27, 2022, the time for me to take stock.
- Genre: Life simulation
- Release date: June 2, 2021 in early access then September 27, 2022 in full version
- Platform: Steam (PC), PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
- Developer: Wonderscope
- Publisher: Team 17
- Price: €19.99 on Steam (currently €13.39 until October 3)
- Tested on: PC with xbox controller
Like a sense of deja vu
If Hokko Life is so compared to Animal Crossing New Horizons, it’s because it offers a similar gameplay with animal neighbors and a whole host of relaxing activities to do on his island: fishing, decoration or even crafting objects. If it also resembles farm games or “cozy games” like Story of Seasons or My Time at Portia due to its colorful and attractive design, Hokko Life is precisely not a farm game. Here, no cattle to raise but sometimes a few crops to plant and harvest. Be careful, unlike Animal Crossing, time is not based on real life and it is possible to change the day just by sleeping. However, the game offers a whole system of seasons and weather that you have to pay attention to in order to catch the right fish and insects.
ACNH being the game that made the biggest impression in 2020 on Nintendo Switch, it is therefore normal that many players refer to this famous title to talk about Hokko Life. Far from plagiarismthe latter therefore offers various things to do such as:
- Develop a charming rural town so that all inhabitants are happy,
- Craft and build your own furniture and other objects,
- Decorate your island and home,
- Catch a multitude of different fish,
- Capture various insects,
- Change clothes and customize your avatar,
- Plant some vegetables and flowers and then harvest them,
- Talk to locals and develop your friendship with them,
- Collect wood, stone or shells to craft useful materials.
- Where Hokko Life stands out the most is in its possibilities related to crafting and decoration.
More than two years after its release, it’s time for me to finally tell you why I’m frustrated with Animal Crossing New Horizons when it’s my favorite license.
Developed solo, Hokko Life obviously has things to envy ACNH such as its almost infinite lifespan and its fluidity, but the small independent game also offers features that all Animal Crossing players would have loved to have in the Nintendo title.
Major differences
It’s undeniable: yes Hokko Life borrows a lot of things from Animal Crossing, and even offers references to the title. We start on a train and we miss our stop to land in an unknown village, we have to make sure to repopulate the village in question with adorable talking animal neighbors, we have a furniture shop, a fishing system, etc. .. In short, I will not repeat the topo but I will rather dwell on what greatly differentiates Hokko Life from ACNH:
- The biggest difference is of course in the possibility of making your own objects from A to Z : so much so that the number of furniture available in Hokko Life can be infinite since you can craft anything and let your imagination run wild,
- The playground is also bigger with many more spaces to decorate and explore,
- More generally, the freedom of movement” is more important: it is possible to move the objects in 6 different directions (you can for example put furniture diagonally in the corners of the rooms), to craft several objects at the same time etc.
From a more negative point of view, I admit that Hokko Life lacks a bit of content at the beginning but it improves thereafter (you must not get tired of the first hours of play and persist to discover many more things!). And if you too played Early Access and are coming back for the full release, here are the major changes that have been made:
- L’archeology with the ability to unearth artifacts,
- New fish and insects to catch,
- A new villager designed by a member of the community (there are not many in the game but they are endearing),
- Many bug fixes of course,
- The possibility of going to a new biome thanks to the boat: the desert,
- Steam achievements to complete,
- An in-game exploit system,
While digging through the official Disney Dreamlight Valley game files, a lot of new information has come to light! Leak of the characters to come for the roadmap, 2 new objects that will be very useful for your adventure and even the identity of the inhabitant of the pumpkin house!