Infinity Nikki somehow expertly combines open-world exploration and coziness with a fashion-forward story that both new players and Nikki veterans are sure to enjoy.
I got a chance to check out the Infinity Nikki closed private preview, and as a longtime Love Nikki enthusiast, I had very high hopes. Infinity Nikki exceeded these expectations, crafting a stunning open-world game with incredibly fun exploration and gorgeous aesthetics.
The Opening Story
Infinity Nikki starts with Nikki her longtime pet pal Momo exploring Nikki’s attic. There, they find a few dresses that belonged to Nikki’s mother. One teleports them to Miraland, where Nikki is tasked with crafting Miracle Outfits to save a mysterious woman named Ena.
Along the way, Nikki meets an incredible cast of characters that are both gorgeous visually and have well-done voice acting. The story itself is interesting, but it’s nothing that stands out compared to other live-action open-world titles. However, it sets the stage to let the characters and aesthetics shine.
A Shining Open World with Plenty to Do
The world contains a plethora of things to do, including fishing, crafting, minigames, and even grooming animals. These smaller things are ways to relax in Miraland while crafting different outfit pieces.
These outfits are used for both aesthetic purposes while exploring and for competitions that are reminiscent of other Nikki games. There are groups that players can find and challenge, and these challenges are putting together an outfit that fits certain criteria.
While exploring the open world, players can find Whimstars, which are used to craft Miracle Outfits that unlock special abilities. These are generally found through light platforming, which is actually intuitive and feels good to play. There’s also some combat, but it’s just clicking the mouse while aiming.
I was hesitant about how this would feel in a Nikki title, but I was impressed. I’m generally not someone who explores much even in open-world games like Genshin Impact, but I found exploring satisfying in a way not many other games hit for me.
The world is packed to the brim with things to explore in the early area, meaning there’s plenty of content when players are done with the story or trying to level up.
Beautiful and Bone-Chilling Aesthetics and Outfits
All of these things were great and well done, but the true magic of Infinity Nikki is, of course, the fashion and aesthetics. Infinity Nikki is an absolutely stunning game, both in cutscenes and regular gameplay. The sights are breathtaking, and even the music gave me cold chills at one point.
And of course, fashion contributes to this. Each item of clothing, from three-star items to five-star items, is more detailed than I’ve ever seen in a video game. Each item has been crafted with love, and there are endless outfit combinations to make with each unique piece.
The Miracle Outfits are all able to be broken down into components and used to create stunning outfits. Players can also craft outfit pieces and use the resonate-gacha system to get more pieces as well.
While some might scoff at the gacha aspect, it’s one that Nikki games generally do well. There are a lot of great items to pull, and the opportunity for free pulls exists at every corner.
I had so much fun creating outfits, and Nikki looked stunning in them all. Running around the overworld with several different outfits honestly contributed to how great the exploration felt. There’s something special about in-depth character creations that can change how a game plays for me, and Infinity Nikki absolutely nailed it.
Players of all Levels can Join In
Of course, this was to be expected – it’s what the Nikki series is about. And the game knows its audience well. For those who may not have played an open-world game, the tutorial at the beginning is incredibly detailed. So much so that players who are accustomed to open-world mechanics might think it’s overkill.
However, the in-depth tutorial makes the open-world game feel less daunting for those who are coming to the series as mobile Nikki players.
Considering Nikki has only ever been a mobile game prior to Infinity Nikki, it’s very likely that some players haven’t played an open-world game at all. Developers accounted for this very well, and I was impressed because it’s often an area in games that’s looked over.
Infinity Nikki Preview Final Thoughts
All in all, Infinity Nikki knocks every other mobile open-world game out of the park. With fun, simple mechanics, and absolutely stunning aesthetics, Infinity Nikki is perfect for anyone with a passion for fashion. In fact, any open-world game lover should try it out. There are so many things it does right that it’s a fun play even outside the outfits.
The Nikki games also historically have great PvP content and events that reward stunning outfits. There were no events going on for the closed beta of course, but the potential of these in Infinity Nikki has me very hopeful that it will become an everyday, staple game in my rotation.
Infinity Nikki was previewed over approximately 15 hours of gameplay on PC with a key provided by developers. All screenshots were taken during the preview process.
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