As an old-school gamer with a soft spot for charming and quirky titles, Infinity Nikki has caught my eye like a rare, glittering fashion accessory amidst a sea of generic mobile games. With its enchanting trailers that hinted at a world full of whimsy, I was intrigued, knowing nothing about the game beforehand.
Infinity Nikki has been on my radar, almost entirely due to how charming and whimsical its trailers have been. I didn’t know anything about the series beforehand, and I imagine that’s a pretty similar situation for most folks approaching this one. The way the game’s been advertised seems to count on that as well, leaning way hard into the strange characters and open-world platformer hijinks over the more familiar gacha game elements. I got to spend some time with Infinity Nikki ahead of a closed beta, getting to know the actual Infinity Nikki for a few hours. Turns out there are so many more moving parts than I expected going in, and that sense of charm is present from the get-go.
The adventure begins as Nikki and her peculiar feline companion Momo stumble upon a mystical gown in what appears to be the remnants of an ancient civilization. Initially, it’s uncertain what powers the dress holds, but as the game progresses, a tutorial emerges, enabling Nikki to perform abilities such as double jumping, soaring through the air, and firing purifying energy bursts at menacing creatures inhabiting the region. Each time she employs a power, her appearance transforms dramatically into something entirely new, only to revert back to normal once completed. This transformation encompasses not just her clothing, but also her hairstyle and color – it’s quite remarkable! To put it simply, Nikki switches her look as if it were a routine event in this extraordinary world, without any fanfare or pomp.
An unusual occurrence is discovering a trendy and ailing goddess in the ruins, adorned with so much flair that her eyepatch resembles a fashion statement. However, she’s in a poor state of health. She shares some cryptic information with Nikki and Momo, bestows upon Nikki a mysterious gift that doubles as a curse or superpower, then teleports the pair to the outskirts of an ordinary-looking village. At first, it appears Nikki has lost her powers, but soon it becomes clear she’s gained a new set of abilities, setting her on a path to reacquiring her initial powers all over again. It can be confusing, but in essence, there’s a creative group of stylists who function much like an adventurers’ guild in traditional RPGs.
In her latest role, Nikki aims to network with fashion designers, leveraging her problem-solving skills and resources to create innovative clothing designs. While some creations are aesthetic in nature and serve as fun additions to the game, others bestow Nikki with unique abilities, as hinted in the beginning. Other ensembles provide additional “game” functions such as catching insects and petting animals to collect extra fluff. Momo assists Nikki in finding scattered celestial stars across the world, which aid her in unlocking blueprints for the outfits she’s designing.
Initially, Infinity Nikki doesn’t exhibit the same level of chaos and quirkiness as suggested by its trailers. Instead, it resembles a typical MMO-style mobile game, focusing on gathering, crafting, and social interaction. The user interface is reminiscent of games like HoYoverse, with similar derivative works. Unlike many other games of this type where the focus is on combat and character collection, Nikki revolves around enhancing her wardrobe and assisting people in resolving their problems. My playtime was primarily spent traversing rooftops to gather currency and stars, rather than engaging in major conflicts or picking flowers.
Initially, I anticipate that the game’s grand elements will develop gradually, but for now, it offers an enjoyable and engaging gameplay experience thanks to its captivating visuals, lighthearted atmosphere, and gradual unveiling of skills. Remarkably, it doesn’t rely on gacha mechanics, which is quite refreshing. Although these elements are still a part of Infinity Nikki, they will likely dominate the players’ self-expression.
The game “Infinity Nikki” will be available on PlayStation 5, mobile devices, and personal computers in 2024. For this review, beta access on PC was granted by the publisher.
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2024-10-08 05:27