The internet is a strange but wonderful place, spreading ideas and concepts like wildfire. This day in age it’s easy to find new video games to fill any void and desire. Sometimes, one may find an indie game that seems to be an exact replica of a popular classic. This could be seen as imitation or a simple coincidence. Recently, in the Animal Crossing world I found a game that others claimed to be ripping off our beloved game. Some believed it looked like Animal Crossing while others claimed it was similar to Garden Paws. I made it my mission to find the truth, I needed to know if Village World was a mirror image to games close to my heart or a creation all its own.
Source: Village World
World Village is an Android game created by 1555 Games from British Columbia. Currently it is still in its early access phase, but players can download it on Google Play to help the developers find bugs and give general feedback. At first glance, I understand why individuals think Village World looks like Garden Paws, they both have cute bears, cats, and bunnies as protagonists. It features farming, fishing, and mining all things I deeply adore which is why I am letting the aesthetics slide. I want to give the most unbiased opinion possible.
After downloading Village World, I was prompted to create a character and give him a unique name, I adored the customization options and modeled my bear after a panda and dubbed it Paige. This led to a short scene in which I was told by the mayor to complete various tasks including forging an axe and collecting wood. The first unique feature I noticed was a chat box, I was able to communicate with others anytime I got stuck and found that all the players on my server were completely helpful. Everyone was willing to explain where quest items were or how to complete a mission, it was refreshing to find a group of individuals that actually enjoyed working as a team. This made up for the complete lack of direction after the initial mission from the mayor.
Source: Screenshot of Village World
Next, I found that quests were more in depth than I have seen in previous mobile games. For example, a chef named Basil required me to make him fried chicken and fish. After catching a fish and maiming a chicken, I had to craft my own flour. Each step added a level of depth I hadn’t seen before and I appreciated it; I love a challenge and found this to be an added bonus. Aside from the challenging missions, I adore the graphics and overall premise of Village World.
Source: Screenshot of Village World
It’s fun to fully immerse oneself into a new land and I think Village World does just that. I quickly spent hours fishing and chopping down trees without boredom in sight. And to be frank, I don’t see this game to be an imitation of games I’ve played before. Sure, one plays as an animal and farms, but the map is relatively large for a game of its kind and with new jobs available to players every hour, it’s easy to fall into a routine. Village World is unique in that, it combines elements from classics in a fresh new way. Playing with friends isn’t an element that has been exploited before and there are no mortgage payments in sight. That’s right, the character gets a free home and gets to spend their day having fun.
Source: Screenshot of Village World
Overall, Village World may seem like just another Garden Paws or Animal Crossing, but it’s more than that. Its team building and exploring vast land all in a mobile game. I will defend its honor and encourage players to give it a try while we await the anticipated launch of Animal Crossing on the Switch. In the end, Village World is adorable and deserves a slot in every virtual explorer’s homepage. I can proudly proclaim that it’s not just another animal oriented farming game.
