Animal Crossing: New Horizons might appear to be a cutesy title about having a good time, but really, the game can have whatever feel you want depending on your aesthetic. Some folks are making chic rooms that would score plenty of points with the Happy Home Academy. Others, meanwhile, are making their islands feel like something straight out of a horror movie.

Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise. When The Villager was announced for Smash Bros. Ultimate, folks noted that the character’s blank, creepy stare made him perfect for the roster — especially because he carries an axe. And of course, making scary themed rooms has a long lineage, appearing across games like New Leaf and Happy Home Designer. It just so happens that New Horizons gives people updated graphics, new tools, and a better photo mode to show off their devilish creations.

One of the most common trends is pretending that your character is an axe murderer:

animal crossing the horror movie pic.twitter.com/OOthDzsK9A — soap @ ANIMAL CROSSING (@damnulens) March 23, 2020

Another thing folks like to do is make blood spatter patterns, which can be used to line the walls and floors ... or can be used to cover your face and clothes, if you want to make it look like you got away with something.

I don't have a lot but I'm doing what I can to make this space feel like a home. pic.twitter.com/yi3dKGB0v9 — Liz England (@lizardengland) March 21, 2020

Day 45 on the Island. The animals have all turned savage as food and resources are all gone. I’ve been locked in my house for 3 weeks I can hear Tom Nook clawing at my door. No help is coming. #AnimalCrossing pic.twitter.com/00W8ZEsclM — Danimal Crossing (@DanielKennedyDK) March 24, 2020

My sweet murder bean. Haven't played AC before but I think I've got a feel for it :3 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/MEqZMdYbTg — Soft Corruptor ️‍ (@Soft_Corruptor) March 24, 2020

Granted, patterns can more generally be used to make spooky clothes and prints, as the players below have.

Converted some of my art into QR for those interested. pic.twitter.com/xpSI6ZPFGi — (@jrgdrawing) March 23, 2020

Other darkly creative types are making ominous symbols around their islands, or setting up patterns that set up a disturbing scene:

Some chose the path of @DOOM, while some chose to walk through the @animalcrossing... but those of TRUE vision choose to subvert such limitations. pic.twitter.com/J3Chzjvnys — Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) March 23, 2020

For some island residents, it’s all about adding disturbing ambiance to the town:

might fuck around and make some blood sacrafices to the great bird king later #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/IuuWpD0hBq — akairi (@akairisenpai) March 22, 2020

Many villagers are taking the time to set up elaborate themed rooms that tell a grotesque, gory, or sinister story.

So, I acquired a large sum of skeletons in ACNH, and I tried making my estate spookier by getting a ton of candles, and then one thing led to another and I just went full-on Castlevania. pic.twitter.com/2cdTTmehFN — Yaso (@YasonoJ) March 23, 2020

A story in three parts pic.twitter.com/Jk6Tn6nODw — Chingy “cocteau twink” Nea (@TheGayChingy) March 23, 2020

me in tom nooks basement desperately trying to send a message pic.twitter.com/0wVRwbqZFx — Chase (@ChaseFGC) March 20, 2020

Related Pear Gang rises up to fight Animal Crossing fruit hatred

There’s even cute horror in this game!

Some things that folks aren’t sharing definitely isn’t real, but it doesn’t matter — it’s still fun to pretend that a happy-go-lucky game is hiding something much darker beneath the surface. Even if it’s just for social media.

Umm has anyone else gotten this villager in Animal Crossing? He's kinda creeping me out :/ pic.twitter.com/KRWXYTNUhk — Kendra (@kendrawcandraw) March 23, 2020