Aniimo Could Be a Solid Pokemon and Palworld Rival, If Your PC Can Handle It (Preview)

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I’ve been keeping an eye on Aniimo ever since it was announced way back in 2025. As a big fan of creature collecting games – and someone who’s always a little skeptical of free-to-play titles – I was really excited to finally get my hands on it. Pawprint Studio and Kingslory have been working on this for a while, and honestly, the anime-inspired art style is gorgeous. They just started the second Closed Beta on January 23rd, and I’ve been playing it. I’ve got some thoughts to share after getting a good look!

Just keep in mind that Aniimo is still under development – I tested a closed beta version, so things could change before the final release. However, even now, it seems like Aniimo could become a strong competitor to games like Palworld in the monster-collecting genre. It shares the open-world idea, but focuses more on exploring and solving puzzles than on building a base or surviving. Playing the beta felt like a blend of Infinity Nikki and Palworld, with some original features that make it special – and that’s a good thing!

Playing Aniimo Felt Like a Cozier, Free-to-Play Palworld Experience

I’ve spent a lot of time playing Palworld, and I think Aniimo feels more similar to that game than to Pokemon. While it’s still a creature collector, and comparisons to Pokemon are inevitable, Aniimo offers a much more open and free-flowing experience than even the earliest Pokemon games with open-world elements. After a brief introduction to the game’s story, you’re dropped into a vibrant world filled with roaming creatures. However, unlike Palworld, you don’t have to worry about survival or building defenses. You have a general goal tied to the story, but the gameplay is mostly up to you. You’ll have objectives to complete to progress the story and earn rewards, but you’re free to explore and play as you like.

This game’s open-ended style has both good and bad sides. While some players enjoy having a clear list of goals to work through, I usually prefer that approach myself. However, free-to-play games like Aniimo can sometimes give you too much to do, with lots of tasks just to unlock rewards. And right now, in the Beta version, Aniimo feels like it’s walking that fine line. There are many menus and different currencies to collect, but it’s not always obvious what they’re used for. The game does a good job of teaching you the basics of catching creatures and exploring the world, but like many free-to-play games, figuring out all the different currencies and items can be a bit challenging at first.

Despite its complexities, Aniimo has the potential to be a really successful free-to-play game. During the beta test, I didn’t encounter any roadblocks that required payment, nor did it seem like the game would rely on loot boxes or pay-to-win elements. The in-game currencies appear to be used for optional cosmetic items and to accelerate your progress. If this holds true, Aniimo could be a fantastic choice for players who enjoy exploring large, open worlds and collecting and leveling up cute creatures.

The game also includes features commonly found in online multiplayer games, allowing players to connect with each other and explore together, which could be key to its success. I especially liked that the chat wasn’t constantly in the way. Unlike many similar games, it was hidden in a separate menu, making it easy to focus on playing alone if you preferred, while still knowing other players were there.

A Stunning Open World Full of Puzzles Makes Aniimo Worth Sinking Into

Just like the trailers show, Aniimo boasts a beautiful and expansive open world. The map is quite large and broken up into different areas, each with a recommended level for you and your aniimo. The environment is full of vibrant plants that sway realistically, making the world feel truly alive – not just with nature, but with the aniimo themselves. For the most part, the aniimo designs are original and charming, and you’ll definitely want to collect them all.

You’ll encounter creatures while exploring – some will attack, but most will ignore you. To collect new creatures (like in a Pokedex), you can either throw cubes at them from a distance or battle them. This catching system is similar to games like Palworld and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but features its own distinct animations. It’s easy to learn, though the battles can feel a little too simple at the beginning.

Discovering the world of Aniimo is incredibly satisfying thanks to its beautiful scenery and the unique creatures you’ll find. Beyond that, the game is full of hidden surprises – you’ll unlock chests, solve puzzles, and explore dungeons. This exploration is key to understanding the game’s core mechanic, called “Twining.” Twining allows you to actually become your collected aniimo and explore areas otherwise unreachable. By transforming, you can overcome obstacles like fire, swim through water, and even glide across the map. This feature really sets Aniimo apart from other creature-collecting games, and it works surprisingly well even in the early beta version.

Connecting with other players (Twining) is also essential for tackling special dungeons you’ll discover while exploring the game world. These dungeons are similar to those in games like Genshin Impact, providing a unique challenge with rewards to unlock. They involve puzzle-solving, requiring you to use different aniimo abilities to find hidden secrets. This adds another engaging activity to the game beyond collecting aniimo and completing quests, and I was motivated to keep discovering more secrets as I played.

Aniimo’s Graphics Can Be Taxing for PC Players

I recently got to try out the Aniimo beta, and honestly, I was pretty impressed! It’s still a little rough around the edges, but it has the potential to be a really great, relaxing creature-collecting game. However, there’s one big thing that worries me – it’s surprisingly demanding on your PC. The world is gorgeous, with a beautiful anime style, but it really pushes your computer to its limits. That got me thinking about the inZOI problem – will people who usually play these cozy games even be able to run it? Thankfully, the developers are planning to release Aniimo on mobile and Xbox too, which should help a lot of players get in on the fun.

Despite everything, I did notice the game occasionally ran with some performance issues on my computer. To be honest, my PC is a bit older and only just met the minimum requirements for the beta test. While my laptop handled the game okay, it definitely had to work hard. I experienced some lag when loading new areas, which isn’t ideal. Hopefully, the developers can still optimize the game before its official release, as many players have more powerful computers than mine.

Aniimo’s release on multiple platforms—including mobile and Xbox Series X|S—helped overcome the problem of varying PC capabilities. Players without powerful enough computers could still enjoy the game on those other devices. However, the biggest issue I experienced during the open beta was the significant strain it put on my PC. While the game never crashed or froze, I was constantly concerned it might, even with the graphics settings turned down to their lowest.

Overall, the Aniimo open beta left me feeling optimistic. It’s a charming creature-collecting game with a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see how it develops before its full release in 2026.

Excited about the upcoming release of Aniimo later this year? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-31 01:43