And 150 hours New Horizons Items is -a lot. - I don't mean to be an ass, it's just difficult to fathom someone placing significantly more time in previous entries for reasons beyond it was just a fresher experience at the time, or other conditions.
I also don't need to discount your tastes, but I simply can't personally observe the things that made previous entries magnitudes better. I feel like I've stuck with NH for far longer then NL or WW.
Then that criticism also applies to the other matches except maybe the original. Every time a new AC comes people look at the older game's villagers with rose tinted glasses. I also feel as though people are missing/ignoring the new dialogue added each month ingame and the simple fact that villagers will usually say something unique if you talk to them more than 2-3 times. It is not like older games did not have the difficulties of dialog repeating villagers of the identical type feeling like the same individual.
The situational dialog the first 2-3 times is definitely the worst part of talking to villagers and probably why people think that they have no personality. The humorous and intriguing dialog being concealed behind it makes it so tedious sometimes. I really don't care that somebody saw me burying money again yesterday, I want to hear about your wacky antics!
They're also all a little too sweet, which looks kind of bland and generic. But frankly I've never been randomly told off by a few of my friends/neighbors IRL so it's realistic whatsoever. Just a little sass would not hurt, however.
I don't feel as though villagers were really that more varied in old games. Realistically it comes down to having matters to do/reasons to check in about the sport that keeps people playing. I'm not convinced a little more conversation is the difference between 50 hours and 500.
I would like to see any data on this. It feels like there is more varied conversation in this one than at any the prior one's to me, and I have got countless hours in each game. Only difference is the absence of meaner villagers when compared with buy Animal Crossing Items the first. But I seriously doubt that's the difference maker between 50 and 500 hours for many people at all.