Why Animal Crossing’s Tom Nook is more evil than Stardew’s Mayor Lewis

If you happen to ask individuals about their go-to consolation video games, you’ll hear two talked about fairly usually: Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley. I downloaded Stardew Valley onto my aged MacBook Professional in 2020, and I jumped on the New Horizons bandwagon in 2021. Each are thought of low-stress video games and each fictional cities have lots in frequent. This consists of their very own leaders: in New Horizons, capitalist overlord Tom Nook makes certain your island getaway has strings connected, and in Stardew Valley, Pelican City’s Mayor Lewis runs the present. These parallels led me to a hypothetical gauntlet-throwing; my thoughts went to the criticisms of those two males/animals (vertebrates?). Each have drawn ire from followers, so I’ve determined to find out who’s essentially the most ruthless.

After all, this query is subjective. What’s ruthlessness, in a farming or life-style sport, and what sort of ruthlessness is “worse” than the opposite? I affiliate it with an absence of empathy for others: Somebody who makes use of their assets to get to their finish objective, by any means mandatory. Even when which means forsaking the tasks and those that ought to be necessary to them. I additionally prefer to assume there’s ways to true ruthlessness. Are they conniving, or just neglectful? Let’s dive in.

First up, Tom Nook

Picture: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo through Skye McEowen

This tanuki businessman’s firm Nook Inc. is a one-stop store for all of your wants. However seeing as his firm is the one place you will get most objects — and it consists of an internet service in New Horizons to order items — it’s slightly too harking back to Jeff Bezos and Amazon. Are Nook’s workers, Timmy and Tommy, paid dwelling wages? Advantages? Can they unionize? Past potential labor violations, no different companies apart from the Ready Sisters and occasional distributors appear to supply any competitors to Nook’s empire. What lengths did Tom Nook go to to verify he was the one one standing?

Past purchasing, Tom Nook has a chokehold over building and properties on the island, and also you owe a continuing debt to him. This begins from the start of the sport, whenever you be taught even your individual island getaway must be paid again. Whereas the sport is laid-back and it’s meant to be performed at your individual tempo, you’ll be able to’t actually “progress” till you begin constructing infrastructure and houses, which requires taking out large bell loans. Positive, he doesn’t appear to cost curiosity, and there isn’t a set due date earlier than your cute Animal Crossing credit score rating will get wrecked, however Nook’s ways usually make the sport really feel like School Debt Simulator with the added bonus of healthful animal campers.

On to Mayor Lewis

Picture: ConcernedApe through Skye McEowen

Stardew Valley’s Mayor Lewis isn’t any ray of sunshine, himself. Throughout my a whole bunch of hours of play — which included continually Googling what items Harvey likes — I got here throughout huge criticism of the Pelican City mayor. Lewis doesn’t make you pay loans, however he’s a frontrunner with unmatched energy. You can play for in-game many years and by no means as soon as witness a mayoral election. I can’t totally touch upon the intricacies of Pelican City politics, however it appears fishy. And does he at the very least do good together with his energy? Nicely, whenever you arrive in Pelican City, it appears to be in disarray. The bus has been damaged down for who is aware of how lengthy, leaving Pam and not using a job; the Neighborhood Heart is an deserted husk; and there isn’t even a longtime college. Penny makes use of her personal time to show the city’s children.

I might additionally by no means forgive Mayor Lewis for the way he treats Marnie. She’s a farmer’s go-to hay and animal provider, and we construct an excellent rapport along with her over time. She took in Shane, her nephew who’s struggling, and he or she takes care of Jas. The sport clearly units up Marnie and Lewis’ relationship as one thing romantic, however he strings her alongside, insisting on maintaining issues a secret.

In the end, Main Lewis leaves revitalizing the city and serving to the residents as much as the brand new farmer. Positive, he organizes the city occasions. However we take management of listening to the residents, and even finally work with Robin to construct a few of them higher houses. That is unusual, although, since Lewis has the assets to make a literal gold statue of himself that you just discover from a Secret Word. We additionally get the outdated Neighborhood Heart up and working, which helps restore different elements of Pelican City. What does he actually have to supply? Getting mad if we throw his purple shorts within the Luau potluck?

Now the query stays: Who’s extra ruthless?

Each Mayor Lewis and Tom Nook have uncontested management — Machiavellian, even — over their respective domains. For Tom Nook, it’s clearly money-driven. I imply, can we actually know if a fundamental bridge and building prices virtually 100,000 bells? That mentioned, he takes motion. He makes use of these loans to show the island right into a thriving group and even will get famed Okay.Okay. Slider to carry out there. Mayor Lewis largely disregards Pelican City infrastructure and strings Marnie alongside, making him appear extra ineffective and messy than conniving. After all, the dearth of truthful elections is alarming — then once more, with a city of 30 residents, it’s unclear who would run in opposition to him. He appears to largely use his energy to backyard and throw city occasions.

All mentioned, I’ve handy the prize to Tom Nook, our beloved mortgage shark who might simply be a formidable villain if he actually wished. He has the pull, lack of emotional connection, and tactical expertise for me to declare him most ruthless. All this apart, I don’t dislike Tom Nook. I’ve a tender spot for the lovable character — and in addition I nonetheless owe him bells for my home improve, and I don’t need him to instantly cost me an rate of interest.