First up, has there ever been a game as cute and gorgeous as Infinity Nikki, the upcoming open world dress-up adventure coming from developer Papergames and publisher Infold Games? What the game promises in visuals it matches charm and whimsy, but there’s a lot going on under the hood beyond Infinity Nikki’s looks. Much needs unpacking here so without further ado here’re 15 things to know before you play Infinity Nikki.
What is it?
Infinity Nikki is the fifth of Nikki’s games, with the series having begun in 2012 with the mobile-only NikkiUp2U. This time around Nikki and her feline companion Momo will travel throughout the fantastical Miraland in what publisher Infold Games are describing as ‘the cosiest open world game’. Furthermore – like Nikki’s prior entries – this fifth instalment blends its cosy adventuring with an eye for fashion; a vast wardrobe of stunning outfits in various styles are waiting for Nikki to discover. Story-wise, we’re looking at the citizens of this tranquil world becoming mysteriously comatose, with a gang of nefarious stylists also on the prowl.
Miraland
Miraland is a far-reaching open world comprising a host of nations, each with their own unique cultures and environments. Immersive details are a-plenty: throughout their journey, Nikki and Momo will encounter a cast of whimsical characters and creatures, each living a life of tranquillity within Miraland’s pastel shaded scenery. Plus, the landscape harbours dynamic weather dependent on location whilst being illuminated by gorgeous sunlight, sunrises, and sunsets.
There’ll be dungeons and more
Alongside the immersive open world exploration, Infinity Nikki will present fun platforming, environmental puzzles to solve, and Zelda-like dungeons to trawl, the latter clearly an influence indebted to former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga who is onboard for Infinity Nikki’s development in a sub-director capacity. Plus, in relation to platforming, Tominaga has stated that discovering points of interest and figuring out how to reach them will be an integral aspect of Infinity Nikki’s exploratory gameplay loop.
Outfits
The Nikki series is ostensibly a dress-up RPG, so throughout Nikki and Momo’s voyage in Miraland you’ll have opportunity to collect and adorn her in a variety of outfits. And much like Nikki’s earlier games, numerous of these outfits possess magical abilities. See, within these outfits is the power of Whim, and dressing appropriately for the occasion will be crucial to navigate Nikki to specific locales, to overcome tough obstacles, or to partake in any number of Miraland’s relaxing side activities. Nikki’s most powerful outfits are enhanced through her Infinity Heart tree, with branches unlockable via collectable Whimstars.
Special abilities
Infold Games have shared numerous of Nikki’s outfit powerups, including Bubbly Voyage which gives Nikki the ability to briefly float in the air after a jump. The Wind of Purity unleashes power to purify dark essence whilst Bye-Bye Dust bestows Nikki with valuable material for every cute animal she pets. Rippling Serenity gives her a fishing rod, Afternoon Shine transforms her into a bug catcher. Some abilities will shrink her down, some will let her glide through the air. You get the idea; exploration, platforming, and activities are tied to the outfits Nikki wears.
Abilities can be crafted
It has been confirmed that most outfits can be crafted via resources collected throughout Miraland. However, Infinity Nikki is a gacha game, so there’s potentially going to be numerous outfits hidden behind a paywall. The extent to which any pay-to-wear outfits are integral to completing Infinity Nikki remains to be seen, but with a slew of in-game challenges, rewards, and minigames offering digital currency to exchange alongside real-world money we’re hopeful the cost isn’t too steep.
Momo has a camera
Yep, the cat snaps pictures! Momo’s camera is transformed into the shape of his feline head – complete with cute kitty ears – via the power of an ability outfit, and he’ll use it to capture every stunning moment of Nikki’s journey. Multiple lighting effects, lens adjustments, filters, and poses will ensure tons of personality will be heaped upon every capture.
Side activities
As alluded in this feature already, Infinity Nikki harbours a smorgasbord of side activities that’ll keep Nikki and her feline companion entertained and relaxed between quests. Activities include a tranquil spot of fishing by the river, butterfly chasing, bug catching, or simply unwinding in view of a gorgeous sunset. Also aforementioned is the necessity to adorn a specific outfit per activity: waterproof ensembles for grooming animals, clothes for fishing, heavy-duty cloaks for fixing machinery, overalls for bug catching, and so on.
There is combat
We bring up combat with an air of trepidation because, yes, Infinity Nikki does feature combat but from the various testimonies we’ve observed from those who’ve played a few hours of Nikki and Momo’s adventures through Miraland the general consensus is the game would be better without it. For what it’s worth, combat here will be a relatively unchallenging affair. In fact, there isn’t even a need to aim a weapon; simply hit the fire button to dispatch enemies with ease.
Style challenges
An activity befitting of its own entry, style challenges in Infinity Nikki are ostensibly fashion shows with a competitive edge. In essence, they’re fashion battles Nikki can engage against faction members dotted throughout Miraland, and to win she’ll need to show off her unique style with finesse. As with most things in Miraland, style challenges will be laid-back, mostly fun affairs, with the chance of resources, diamonds, and outfits the reward.
In-game currency
Those side activities we mentioned? Well, the more Nikki and Momo complete the more in-game currency can be earned to spend on resources such as crafting materials and growth materials for outfits. Of course, this being a gacha game there’s always the opportunity to pay for these progression-boosting resources instead.
Release date and platforms
Infinity Nikki is now available on PC via the Epic Games Store, on console via PlayStation 5, and on mobile, both iOs and Android devices.
Cross-progression
Those looking to play Infinity Nikki on multiple devices rejoice now as the game will support cross-progression. So, for instance, you could load the game up to while away a few hours on PC or console before switching to mobile for a stroll through Miraland on-the-go without losing any progression.
