Animal Crossing is renowned for its relaxing atmosphere, fun characters, and having generally soothing gameplay. However, one of the franchise's main critiques is the lack of a story mode. New Horizons had a short main story, but some players felt that there could be more involved in it overall.
Thankfully, for players that want something similar to Animal Crossing but with a bigger main plot or a proper story mode, there are a variety of alternatives that they can choose from. From completing bundles in Stardew Valley to saving its town hall to investigating mysterious meteorites in Fantasy Life, these games have just as relaxing and similar gameplay to the Nintendo franchise, but also have a larger main story or their own story modes.
10 Stardew Valley Has Two Main Routes In Its Overall Story
In the farming game Stardew Valley, the player inherits their grandfather's farm and moves there to cultivate the land. Unfortunately, not all is well in Stardew Valley. Joja Corp, a huge company that the player used to work for, is trying to take over the town hall. If the player character chooses to complete bundles in the Town Hall, they can restore the Town Hall and kick out Joja Corp's influence and presence for good.
If they decide to become a member of Joja Corp., the Town Hall will be torn down and made into a storage room for Joja Corp's wares. Most players tried to save the Town Hall and complete the many required bundles in the game. While doing so, they also discovered some fun late-game activities.
9 Moonlighter Involves A Shopkeeper Journeying Through Forbidden Dungeons
During the day in Moonlighter, the player is a shopkeeper trying to sell anything they scrounged up in the dungeons the night before. During the night, they journey through dungeons that are technically banned from the public. Only heroes are encouraged to go deep enough to fight boss-type monsters, but the main character defies this by going through all of the dungeons and gathering items to sell while also trying to defeat the monsters, bosses included. Depending on which rooms they end up in while exploring the dungeons, they can learn more about past adventurers' explorations before their demise, and uncover a few surprising plot twists.
8 Gleaner Heights Involves You Discovering Dark Secrets
Gleaner Heights is a game where the player is on a farm, much like Stardew Valley. However, unlike Stardew Valley, the town the player moves into is much darker than it first appears and many players liken it to be an evil version of Stardew Valley.
Many of the townspeople have very scandalous, dangerous, or embarrassing secrets that the player can find out about, often while exploring the town at night. Additionally, they can potentially make enemies out of specific characters, depending on their actions while getting to know and helping out various characters.
7 Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town Has You Restoring Your Grandfather's Farm
Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town is a game similar to Stardew Valley where the main player character decides to take over their grandfather's farm and move out of the city. After finding out that the old farm is in less-than-good shape, the protagonist decides to restore the farm themselves. As they do so, they can meet a variety of characters in the town, and potentially romance some of them as well. Many players found this to be a nice alternative to Animal Crossing to play.
6 Little Dragons Cafe Has Players Running A Cafe, Raising A Dragon And Trying To Cure Their Mothers
In Little Dragons Cafe, the player must run a cafe after their mother falls ill. Additionally, they have to raise a dragon. While balancing these two duties, they must also find a way to cure their mother as well, which serves as the game's main story. It is much like Animal Crossing because of the game's relaxing atmosphere, along with bonding with non-human characters such as the dragon the player must raise, but has a more active main story compared to Animal Crossing. Many players enjoyed the main story as well as the adorable characters.
5 Cozy Grove Has Players Exploring An Island They Must Also Restore
In Cozy Grove, players must explore the island they are on as a Spirit Scout, help other spirits in need, craft items, and do all sorts of activities in order to restore the island.
Much like Animal Crossing, Cozy Grove is also synced to real-time so that the day changes occur at the same time as the player's real-life timezone. This particular aspect especially reminded many players of Animal Crossing and also made it fun to play.
4 Garden Paws Has A Story Mode Players Can Follow
Garden Paws has a literal Story Mode that players can follow, as an alternative to the sandbox-freestyling Creative Mode. In the Story Mode, resources are not as easily accessible compared to the Creative Mode, and players must complete tasks in order to progress the game's storyline. Playing through the Story Mode proved to be a slightly more challenging but still-entertaining mode for players who wanted to play Garden Paws but make it slightly more difficult or engaging.
3 Spiritfarer Is A Game About Granting Last Wishes For The Dying
In Spiritfarer, the player becomes the new ferry master who must find the souls of the dying or dead, grant their last wishes, and finally take them to the afterlife. Despite the saddening premise of this game, it is actually quite heartwarming due to the player having opportunities to bond with the spirits they help along the way.
Additionally, though the game is a little more linear compared to Animal Crossing, the player can also do activities outside of the main missions such as exploring some new islands, gathering resources, and expanding their boat to accommodate new buildings and comforts for their passengers.
2 Rune Factory 4 Makes You Into Farming Royalty
Many of the Rune Factory games have the main storyline along with farming and developing the areas the player lives in, but Rune Factory 4 was especially praised for its main story. The game follows the protagonist, who literally fell into Selphia, is accidentally mistaken for royalty that was on the way there, and ends up having to run the town's farm while getting to know the townsfolk. The player also has the option of dating and romancing some of the townspeople as well. In the midst of this, the protagonist also learns that they are an Earthmate, which ties into the game's main story.
1 Fantasy Life Has The Player Choosing One Of Twelve Roles To Investigate Meteorites
In Fantasy Life, the player can choose one of twelve specific roles called "Life Classes" where tasks are assigned to their specific roles. As each role is completed, they receive points to unlock additional features in the game such as expanding their house. While they are playing through leveling up and completing tasks, there is also the main story where the player must investigate meteorites called Doomstones throughout the land of Reveria.