Inspired by Nintendo's 2020 hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons, an indie social sim titled Amber Isle is currently in development.
In Ambertail Games' debut game, players will assume the role of a human in a prehistoric society, and will run a crafting business on a peaceful island. The characters are all stylized after different dinosaur species, which the developers comment aren't use often enough in mainstream media, comparing them to the many species of Pokemon. Amber Isle is also inspired by the shop management game Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale, Ambertail said.
Not only does the gameplay look to be inspired by Animal Crossing's social simulation, but the dialogue also looks to mimic its vibe as well. In Ambertail Games' peek at Amber Isle, villagers, known as "Paleofolk," emulate the same kind, positive behavior that villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are known for.
However, something the developers at Ambertail hope to improve uupon is the redundancy in conversations with Animal Crossing villagers. In Amber Isle, the Paleofolk will each have their own personalities, hobbies, and occupations that they'll talk about throughout the day as players befriend them. For example, one character currently dubbed Maple Purple is shown asking the player if they're also interested in romance novels.
In another peek at Amber Isle, the developer shows how managing the player's shop will work. Players will be able to choose what items go on sale and appear on the counters, as well as what the asking prices for each item are.
Amber Isle is currently in development for PC and Switch.
Source: PlayDiaries