Infinity Nikki is one of those things that seems to come out of nowhere in “normal” gaming circles, but in reality there are millions of fans ready to explore the world of Miraland since the beginning of the previous “Nikki” series. This is available exclusively on mobile platforms. And it’s more like a dress-up sim with more visual novel elements than anything else. Over the years This audience made millions, and when Infinity Nikki hit consoles and jumped genres into a AAA open world adventure with ridiculous production values. That audience seemed to explode on its own. I mean, happily there are thousands of fancy clothes to collect, dozens of cute and exotic animals to meet. and many kinds of magical currencies that can be collected
This is a game that sucks in both scope and scale. And although some parts look familiar But there’s nothing else like it on the market. Games that are separated from the “core” gaming audience are often restricted to mobile and are not considered “real” games, despite their large audience and influence on the rest of the industry. Infinity Nikki Not only boldly jumping into the console space But it’s also done in a way that takes many cues from modern game consoles. At the same time, it’s assimilated them into its own identity more than the other way around. It’s like the Borg from Star Trek were more interested in collecting Sanrio merchandise than conquering space.
Making magical clothes, crafts and the usual stuff.
I covered the basics in the preview earlier this year. And in reaching Infinity Nikki to check it out, I re-read the game’s opening hours. Only this time it had a bit more purpose and with a much more solid build. Nikki is a stylist. Someone who can use the clothing-focused environment of her world’s natural ecosystem to do bona fide magic. Thanks to a strange encounter with a troubled goddess. Nikki’s stylist skills take things to the next level. It enhances her abilities such as floating through the air and purifying creatures damaged by dark essence. As long as she’s wearing the right clothes. which she can instantly transform into without much anime-style transformation. Because she has that kind of power She also has a little talking cat friend who really likes barbecue. and may or may not be hiding a more unethical belief system than he lets on. It’s hard to imagine that Momo guy came out hypothetically.
However, if this sounds funny, That’s because it is, and Infinity Nikki doesn’t shy away from being a fool in the slightest. You’ll find yourself sneaking up on fluffy dogs with naturally braided hair in their fur to steal the net worm “fur” that is also their sock. and catching fish in a nearby river shaped like a designer handbag. This is all for crafting clothes after discovering recipes. This may give you new abilities. To explore the wonderful world around you. Or just wear uncontrollable clothes. Every part of the game is about having a good time with fashion, and it doesn’t involve a lot of fighting, grinding, or survival. But it also doesn’t do what typical “warm” games do. Instead, it’s more like something like Fashion Dreamer mixed with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Sonic Frontiers, with a little Super Mario Odyssey sprinkled in. top
Greater than the sum of its parts
The main equipment that powers your adventure is called Whimstars, a form of cosmic stylistic power that allows Nikki to take advantage of the abilities given to her by the Goddess from the start. You can use it to unlock story-related clothing recipes, stat bonuses, and more in a large skill tree structure. You find them scattered throughout life. Like the moon in Mario Odyssey, they sit on tall buildings. hidden in the chest protected from enemies or trapped behind various challenges Some are clearly inspired by the shrines in Breath of the Wild, but others are as silly as caring for a magical ferret or finding star-themed objects within a given area. No matter where you are, there’s probably a Whimstar hiding out of sight.
Platforming is another key aspect of Infinity Nikki, and the control design, physics, and puzzles all work together to create pure video game joy. You will find brand nonsense floating in the air. (Like I said, Sonic Frontiers!) Like a bird carrying a bouncing net playfully like a background character in a Disney song forced to labor for eternity. But they were so happy they did! I say “ridiculous,” but there’s an absurd depth to Infinity Nikki’s lore, and you’ll find that the prose takes great pains to provide narrative context for every weird thing you encounter. It’s those moments. Once you spend time playing through the finely tuned platforming sequences, Punctuated by dark legends that are detailed and surprising. That’s when you realize that trying to differentiate the game’s target audience is really futile. The answer is probably “Poor population, we’re here to have a good time.” I’ll believe it.
full of surprises
While most of the adventures take place in relatively mundane outdoor environments, Infinity Nikki is never afraid to unexpectedly flip the script on its head to remind you that there’s a budget to spend and imagination to spare. A walk behind the waterfall leads to a strange power plant with talking frogs. In which Nikki leaps over a large lily to use her stylish and funny electrician suitable for major repairs. Exploring the old tower used to store people’s wishes reveals an emptiness in a world filled with floating ruins. Nikki floats away on a giant paper crane. Look at the hundreds of wishes moving along the air currents. While the inspirational songs help differentiate how impossible and magical it is, the set pieces and “dungeons” are the real deal, especially since in this world you never know what might happen. climb Did you know that besides plants and animals in themed costumes?
Mandatory paragraph about ethically questionable money matters.
If you haven’t grown up with this yet It’s hard to believe that a game like Infinity Nikki is free. Of course, that’s only because it’s technically free. Family-friendly joy and healthy energy are kept. Like other things that are not charged in advance With a gacha extraction system and microtransactions And all of this is driven by a multi-layered progression system designed to suck time as much as money, or more if you’re not a spender. Although there are many clothes that you get from playing. And there is no need for the story to be paid for by a paywall. But the coolest and strongest items are all gacha rewards. The good news is that the competitive multiplayer isn’t a factor unlike previous Nikki games. There are stylist duels that you can follow to earn rewards. And a high-value closet makes that easier. But that part is just one of many side missions. And there’s also a way to upgrade the stats for free items. Of course, it’s a complicated matter. But at least it’s nice that Infinity Nikki isn’t aggressively chasing you for money.
I didn’t come to Infinity Nikki with much background knowledge. And fashion games aren’t the type I’ve ever spent time with. Nikki caught my attention with her strong sense of self. It immediately stood out as something different from all the overlapping stuff on paper. Of course, you could easily connect the dots back to Genshin Impact or Zelda. But those elements are used to create journeys with distinctly different interests and goals. Infinity Nikki isn’t reinventing the wheel. Pushing the boundaries or offer a revealing or novel gaming experience. But it offers a fresh perspective. A strange and fascinating world to explore. Lots of stupidity and hours of refreshing fun If you can tolerate the free-to-play trap and hope for some temporary technical instability at launch. And if you can have a good time without having to kill anything You can enjoy it without knowing anything about fashion. I still don’t trust cats.
Infinity Nikki is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile platforms. Early access to the PC version was provided by the publisher for this review.
