Infinity Nikki’s large PlayStation State of Play highlight in Could garnered an array of reactions. Followers of the favored Nikki collection of cell vogue video games have been excited to see the pink-haired fashionista make her triple-A debut. Unfamiliar viewers both dismissed it as an excessively whimsical dress-up sport or discovered themselves unexpectedly intrigued by its pleasant and distinctive spin on an open-world expertise. I depend myself in that third camp. One thing concerning the sport’s premise caught with me, however after taking part in a number of hours of a beta model, I’ve gone from admiring Infinity Nikki conceptually to being genuinely excited to put on the total expertise.
The journey sees the titular Nikki and her furry greatest pal, Momo, making ready for a ball solely to be unwillingly transported to the magical world of Miraland. A god-like being named Ena the Curator tells Nikki she’s been chosen to search out and restore the Miracle Outfits, a group of magical and highly effective clothes, to uncover a divine fact. Alongside the best way, Nikki additionally learns that she’s a Stylist. These are particular individuals with the power to search out and create outfits anytime, wherever.
I start the sport with three Skill Clothes, particular outfits bestowing a novel energy. One is the blue costume/blonde hair ensemble seen within the State of Play trailer that enables me to carry out a floating leap Princess Peach model. Not solely is that this good for crossing giant gaps or bounding between rooftops, however Nikki also can carry out a plummeting slam to defeat enemies or shatter fragile objects. A Purification costume is used for fight, letting Nikki fireplace orbs of cleaning power to purify (not kill) demonically corrupted enemies referred to as Esselings and collectibles. One cute costume lets Nikki groom sure animals to gather supplies from them. Major skills like floating and purification are mapped to buttons whereas specialised clothes just like the grooming or a bug-catching costume I unlock later will be activated through a variety wheel.
Primarily based on the beta slice, Miraland is huge and alluring, due to colourful and luxurious flower fields, rolling hills, and the quaint village of Florawish. Infinity Nikki seems as fairly as her wardrobe. There’s a lot to do and discover, whether or not it is finishing aspect quests or, the principle hook, looking for Whimstars. These particular stars are used to unlock new gadgets and perks from a talent tree and are scattered in all places. Whereas some can merely be discovered (with assist from Momo’s particular imaginative and prescient that may spotlight and tag distant Whimstars), others have small challenges tied to them. Examples embody defeating enemies or looking for hidden gold stars, similar to an decoration atop an umbrella. You may as well acquire Whimstars by coming into particular portals that warp gamers to platforming/puzzle problem rooms paying homage to shrines from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, albeit less complicated. I like gathering Whimstars because it captures the acquainted pleasure of accumulating stars in a 3D Mario sport.
Whimstars are spent unlocking new outfits and different gadgets in a talent tree referred to as the Coronary heart of Infinity. Nonetheless, this solely makes the outfit accessible to be crafted – you continue to need to make it your self. Whereas exploring Miraland, you’ll collect supplies like numerous fruits, flowers, threads, furs, and extra to craft a desired ensemble, consisting of components like hairstyles, higher and decrease physique put on, make-up, and equipment. Sketches for outfits will be discovered or earned by finishing quests and different actions.
The extra outfit sketches you discover and unlock, the upper your stage as a Stylist rises. Early on, Nikki joins the Stylist Guild in Florawish. Right here, she receives a tablet-like machine referred to as a Pear-Pal that retains observe of a litany of targets, similar to defeating a quota of enemies or taking pictures with an in-game digicam. Finishing targets raises your rank, which rewards cash and supplies to unlock extra outfits. This could enchantment to objective-oriented gamers, as there’s no scarcity of meters to fill. With most important story and aspect quests, Stylist Rank, and day by day challenges, Infinity Nikki consistently tracks and rewards all facets of play in a way much like video games like Genshin Affect.
Checking a field often means getting new crafting supplies or outfit sketches. That is an efficient hook, because the Nikki collection’ Bread and Butter is dressing up the heroine with a staggering assortment of clothes choices. You’ll be able to outfit Nikki nevertheless you would like, no matter any skills tied to outfit items. If you happen to actually dig the bug-catching costume and wish Nikki to rock that look 24/7, you are able to do that. With so many attire choices, gamers will possible spend a variety of time making Nikki look as girly, regal, or edgy as they see match.
Exterior of roaming the scenic open world and accumulating stars and supplies, a most important story quest provides some meaty narrative intrigue. Cutscenes are properly rendered and have stable comedic writing at instances. Characters like a speaking dragon-like poet or moments like watching a lady driving an enormous origami paper aircraft crash into and stage a constructing add an oddball allure to the perpetually saccharine vibe.
Infinity Nikki is chock stuffed with allure at each flip. Even manipulating the world’s day/evening cycle entails taking part in a cute Flappy Hen-esque minigame. Each nook goals to make you smile whereas finishing myriad goals, and incomes new outfits present efficient dopamine hits. Whereas I take pleasure in basking in Infinity Nikki’s cozy ambiance, its cinematic teases of a grander thriller intrigued me much more. I nonetheless have little concept what to make of this world and the way it works, however I wish to be taught extra, and a number of other lore books and different notes recommend what might be unexpectedly deep world-building. The sport additionally contains a multiplayer element, but it surely was not accessible within the beta, and developer Infold Video games is not prepared to debate it but.
Most of all, having an open-world sport that doesn’t characteristic overt violence is refreshing. I wouldn’t take into account any impediment I’ve encountered up to now to be difficult, however there’s an attract to simply being on this world that’s laborious to disclaim – the whole lot is simply so darn nice. I’ve bought my outfit picked out, so hopefully, Infinity Nikki’s launch gained’t go away us ready an excessive amount of longer.
Infinity Nikki is coming to PlayStation 5, PC, iOS, and Android. A closed PC public beta is now accessible for choose registered gamers.
