As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt and a soft spot for quirky RPGs, I must say that Infinity Nikki has left me utterly smitten! With its vibrant open world, engaging gameplay mechanics, and an unapologetic flair for the dramatic, it’s like Kingdom Hearts got dressed up in Genshin Impact’s clothes, and I can’t get enough.
For quite some time now, the popular Nikki series, distinct from Shift Up’s risqué mobile shooter game called NIKKE: Goddess of Victory, has been enhancing smartphones with different versions. This new console-ready edition, boasting a massive whimsical open world, is undeniably the most daring in scope. It’s also exceptionally captivating.
If you’ve been part of the adventure in past games such as “Shining Nikki”, you might have a general idea of what to anticipate. This time around, our protagonist – a quick-witted stylist with an eye for fashion – along with her chatty feline companion Momo, will be navigating the world of Miraland. In this new instalment, they find themselves entangled in a storyline involving prophets, magical wish jars, and a character named Giovanni.
The story, which is paper-thin but brisk and breezy, outdoes Kingdom Hearts for its melodrama and ostentatious outfits. You’ll already have a good sense, from that sentence alone, whether you have the stomach for something as flowery as this. Personally, we absolutely love the unreserved ridiculousness of it all, but your mileage will certainly vary.
In contrast to earlier games focusing mainly on costume assembly and stylistic clashes, this latest edition offers much more variety. Style battles are indeed included, and you’ll be evaluated across diverse categories such as sexy and cool. However, the core essence of the game revolves around exploration, and it’s remarkably impressive.
By drawing inspiration freely from games such as Genshin Impact, you’ll find yourself immersed in the vibrant landscapes crafted by Unreal Engine 5 for much of your gameplay experience. You’ll utilize your Power-Enhanced Costumes, or Ability Outfits, to traverse hard-to-reach areas using flight abilities, and engage in casual activities like fishing and capturing insects.
In this game, you’ll find hints of Super Mario Odyssey as certain abilities are crucial to overcome specific challenges in the gameplay. As you advance, you’ll accumulate Whimstars, which can be utilized to expand a vast skill set, enhancing your progress and unlocking additional skills and content. The process is engaging and hard to resist; collecting the collectibles becomes quite satisfying and habit-forming.
Additionally, the title frequently introduces novel methods to engage you. To acquire some of the Whimstars, you merely need to reach them; however, others are accompanied by mini-games, such as time trials or combat arenas. Much of the gameplay in this title is toned down, but Nikki has the ability to hurl magical orbs for attack purposes.
Essentially, what makes the open world truly captivating isn’t just its stunning visuals – complete with blooming flowers, vast meadows, and charming structures – but also the abundance of activities it offers. You’ll find minigames scattered all around, ranging from the straightforward like jumping through a series of hoops, to the challenging where you manage sheep or navigate through obstacles.
In the development process, one of the designers from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild also contributed, resulting in numerous mini-puzzles scattered throughout the game’s environment. These are reminiscent of small challenges, and they assess your skills in various ways. For instance, you might be asked to ascend a tower while dodging red platforms, or direct a ball towards a specific spot. These puzzles don’t take longer than five minutes to complete, but they’re engaging and enjoyable.
In essence, what sets Infinity Nikki apart from other gacha games is its ability to consistently move forward, guiding you through the next activity rather than lingering unnecessarily. Even though the cutscenes might contain technical terms and excessive lore details, they never outstay their welcome, ensuring a smooth and engaging experience without long wait times in between activities. Every now and then, as you explore, you’ll discover something fresh to engage with.
As a gamer diving into this new world, I find myself exploring an expansive map teeming with diverse biomes right from the get-go. Some areas are tranquil and sparsely inhabited, while others brim with NPCs and quests to conquer. Being a live service game, it’s clear that the developers have plans to grow and expand upon what they’ve already given us at launch. In fact, I can’t wait for the upcoming house decorating expansion, which is currently being developed and should be available soon.
In this narrative, Nikki’s role as a stylist takes center stage, focusing heavily on clothing and elaborate attire. This aspect could be likened to the popular racing game Gran Turismo, but in the world of fashion, with intricate details beautifully rendered on the PS5, showcasing some of the best visuals you can find on a console gaming platform.
In this game, you’ll gain access to a wide variety of clothing options and customizations solely by playing, yet there’s an additional feature called a gacha system where you can find limited-time outfits. The currency for these features is primarily earned through regular gameplay activities like completing missions or meeting daily goals. However, if you prefer, you can opt to buy this currency with real money as well.
As a fan myself, I’d say what sets this gacha game apart is the fact that everything is optional – you don’t have to splurge on premium cosmetics to accomplish in-game objectives; it’s all about personalizing your character’s look. Plus, every 20 pulls guarantees a five-star piece, which makes it quite welcoming for free-to-play gamers. Granted, amassing a full five-star outfit can get expensive, but you can always blend the pieces you acquire with others in your collection.
Additionally, this game features an in-game shop where you can directly buy certain costumes, eliminating the need to rely on random chance (RNG). Furthermore, there’s a monthly subscription and a Battle Pass that are relatively easy to complete. These options provide cheaper alternatives if you wish to support the developers without resorting to the gacha system. Some players might not be comfortable with this business model, but considering the amount of free content offered in the game, it appears balanced.
At present, our main concern is that the game seems designed primarily for smartphones rather than the DualSense controller. Some of the control settings are excessively intricate, demanding several button presses to accomplish basic functions. However, there has been some progress in this aspect since the release, so we anticipate that the developer will keep refining it in the future.
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2024-12-25 21:37