Our Verdict
Infinity Nikki truly is the coziest open-world game I’ve ever played. Fashion-forward, fantastical, and full of whimsy, it seamlessly takes all your favorite elements from the best RPGs, life sims, and dress-up games, combining them into one unforgettable adventure, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Infinity Nikki is everything I didn’t know I needed wrapped into one delightful little package. When I first heard wind of it, I truly didn’t know what to expect. As the fifth installment in the iconic Nikki series, I naturally knew there was going to be a focus on fashion – but I could’ve never anticipated the magical adventure that awaited me in this breathtaking cozy RPG.
You play as Nikki, who finds herself transported to another world while in search of an outfit for her graduation party. She soon learns that she’s the only one with the power to save this mysterious world, so, accompanied by her best friend Momo, she sets out on a journey across Miraland with the goal of reviving all of the Miracle Outfits.
Miraland is a gorgeous world, but it’s far from the fantasy dreamland it appears to be. There has been a slew of strange occurrences in recent years, with people falling into unexplained comas and mysterious creatures known as esselings popping up everywhere. Luckily, there are the stylists – people who are capable of using a resource called whim to style and craft clothes anytime, anywhere.
Stylists in Miraland don’t just make you look good – they have the power to craft magical ability outfits and use special skills that can purify esselings and help those around them. Of course, Nikki soon learns that she’s one of these stylists – perhaps the most powerful (and fashionable) that Miraland has seen – meaning it’s up to you to collect materials, discover sketches, harness these powerful abilities, and save the day!
Initially, while charming, the story seems somewhat silly, with a fantastical plot that feels somewhat reminiscent of the old straight-to-VHS Barbie movies. However, as you continue to progress, there’s a surprising amount of depth beneath the surface. Miraland has an intricate history that revolves around both fashion and magic, with the different locations each having their own unique belief systems, prejudices, and traditions.
Both the main story and side quests also explore quite a wide range of topics, including loss, independence, individuality, loyalty, and more. I found myself caught off guard quite a few times, as I truly didn’t expect such an interesting and nuanced approach to some pretty deep topics in what I perceived to be a whimsical, lighthearted fashion game. Yet, despite this wide array of themes, the whole game still maintains that pure, magical atmosphere that makes you feel safe at every turn.
The gameplay is also surprisingly deep. It combines elements from a variety of different genres, seamlessly blending them into something truly unique. And, while the open world of Infinity Nikki is pretty big, it still manages to feel densely populated. Everywhere you turn, there are secrets to uncover, puzzles to solve, and rewards to snap up, and the fine-tuned mechanics and gentle guidance via tutorials make it a treat to explore. It’s the perfect place to get lost, and I’ve spent many hours wandering through sunny fields and mysterious caves, enjoying that true sense of adventure I haven’t felt since I first started playing Genshin Impact.
Of course, this wonderful world opens up even more as you unlock the different ability outfits. You start out with only Bubbly Voyage, which allows you to float in the air after a jump, and Wind of Purity, which allows you to purify enemies and objects tainted by darkness. However, as you progress through the story you unlock a variety of other ability outfits, giving you access to skills such as animal grooming, bug catching, and fishing.
There’s a genuine sense of excitement whenever you unlock a new ability outfit and get to test it out, and each skill is smooth and intuitive, with plenty of fun and often ingenious ways for you to use it. Plus, the animations when you’re brushing ferrets, floating around on a giant flower, and reeling in a new fish are all truly delightful.
Unlike many other open-world RPGs, besting beasties and felling foes is far from a key component. Instead, combat is whittled down to a simple system where you must use your purification ability outfit to purify esselings, which are essentially scraps of cloth that have been tainted by darkness. In the early game, most esselings only take one hit to purify. However, later on you do get more enemies that take multiple blows – but they all show how many blows they take to defeat through a number above their heads.
It’s a pretty simple system of running (and jumping) around, holding the attack button, and angling your camera until the enemy has a white outline, then releasing. It can be a little clumsy at times, but it’s a predominantly smooth and easy system, though certain enemy types do add additional mechanics such as shields and projectiles that add an extra hint of challenge. These battles certainly feel more like a simple puzzle or side mechanic that helps keep gameplay fresh as you’re out exploring – just don’t go into the game expecting an action-packed adventure full of fast-paced battles.
From battles to bugs, the attention to detail is outstanding in Infinity Nikki, oozing charm and love from every element. Every critter and plant you discover is unique to Miraland, mirroring real-life flora and fauna but adding a hint of fashion-focused magic. Whether you’re hunting down scarfmoths and reeling in kerchief fish to craft a new accessory, or you’re grooming suspenders weasels and shirtcats to harvest fluff for your next dress, it all has a wonderful sense of whimsy and cohesiveness that makes the world feel really special.
Of course, Infinity Nikki is still a fashion game heart, and it doesn’t stop at ability outfits. There are heaps of unique outfits, clothing pieces, and accessories for you to unlock, craft, or earn, and, while Nikki’s base appearance doesn’t offer many customization options (aside from three different skin tones), you’re free to wear whatever you want as you run around Miraland. You also don’t have to wear a specific ability outfit in order to use it – simply activate the skill using the associated buttons, and Nikki automatically switches to that outfit momentarily, switching back when you’re no longer using the skill.
The clothing in Infinity Nikki is absolutely gorgeous, and offers a massive range of different styles, meaning there’s something to suit pretty much every budding stylist. Whether you prefer soft white lace and tiaras, edgy leather jackets and studded boots, sleek office attire, or fluffy pajamas and activewear, there are heaps of outfits for you to choose from, and your style has little impact on the overall gameplay.
The only time that your closet really plays a part in your progress is when you participate in style battles. The style battles challenge you to put together an outfit that aligns with a certain style (such as elegant, sweet, or cool) and, occasionally, a label (such as formal, romance, or retro). You’re then graded on the collective number of points your outfit has in the chosen category. But, while higher rarity items do have higher base stats in their specific style, you can also level up your outfits and individual pieces through the glow up system – so you still get a decent level of freedom, as long as you’re sure to level up your favorite pieces for each style first!
When it comes to obtaining outfits, you can actually get quite a few for free through quests, chests, NPCs, and other avenues, either as pre-made pieces or sketches that require you to gather materials and craft. Beyond that, there’s a premium shop where you can buy specific four-star outfits using premium currency, as well as the gacha system. While even the best gacha games get some negative rep for the way they approach monetization through randomized rewards, I feel the way gacha works in Infinity Nikki is actually quite balanced.
You can check out my full Infinity Nikki banners guide to get a full breakdown of the different rates and items available, but, in short, you’re guaranteed one four-star or higher piece every ten pulls, and one five-star piece every 20 turns. Every certain number of pulls you get a free gift through the deep echoes system, there’s a new piece guarantee that helps you get full sets quicker, and so far no important skills have been locked behind premium outfits – in fact, several of the upcoming limited outfits don’t have a skill at all, while others just offer a redesign for an existing ability outfit.
Additionally, you get a decent amount of pulls and currency through the game’s many mechanics. While playing the pre-release version of the game, I had no extra currency, pulls, or events to speed up my progress, and didn’t even get the beta or pre-registration rewards. This means I was actually in a worse place than new players will be when the game goes live. And yet I’ve managed to obtain a lot of pieces on the standard banner, simply by leveling up my account, completing quests and minigames, earning achievements, leveling up my compendium, and handing dews of inspiration over to the Cadenceborn.
Of course, Infinity Nikki is a live service game, so I can’t say what will come in the future – especially if style battles become more difficult or introduce PvP mechanics. But for now, I feel the monetization system is significantly less aggressive than in other gacha games I’ve played, and I genuinely feel like this game will be a great experience for free-to-play and low-spender players like me.
Throughout the pre-release access, I was lucky enough to be able to play on both mobile and PC, and had a great experience on both. Naturally, the game looks far more sparkly and crisp on my PC, with incredibly impressive graphics that often took my breath away, whereas my poor old iPhone 13 struggled to keep up a little. I had a few issues with overheating on mobile, and it did chew through my battery very quickly. However, playing at medium settings with glow toggled off, I had no real stuttering or performance issues, and cutscenes still looked pretty nice. I’m sure the visuals would fare better on a strong gaming phone, but it’s still playable on an older or mid-range device.
The UI across both mobile and PC is very cohesive, clear, and well-designed, with a unique ‘Pear-Pal’ mechanic that makes the menu look like a tablet. I also appreciate the inclusion of a dialog log, and the option to skip certain cutscenes and animations if you wish.
Controls work well across the board too. Rather than overloading you with heaps of skill buttons for each equipped outfit, you can easily customize your ability set up, then tap a button to switch between the outfits on the fly. Additionally, you can save up to four different cosmetic outfits and switch between those through a simple shortcut without opening your wardrobe, too.
The touchscreen controls on mobile are very intuitive and easy to pick up, though certain maneuvers and platforming sections can be a little tricky. Luckily, Infinity Nikki has controller support, which offers a much more enjoyable and precise experience. The keyboard and mouse controls on PC are also very well done, with the mapping staying consistent across both platforms in a way that makes it comfortable to switch between the two. And, with cross-platform compatibility, I can certainly see myself hopping on the mobile version to complete daily tasks and a bit of light fishing or foraging, then hopping on my PC for longer and more intense play sessions.
In terms of audio, Infinity Nikki has a truly lovely score of classic music that perfectly compliments the whimsical vibes. There are different themes for different locations and activities, and the little sound effects and jingles enhance it even further. Additionally, the voice acting is really lovely, with Nikki almost feeling reminiscent of a classic Disney Princess, and even the NPCs getting strong voiceovers. Whether you’re floating across a river, wandering through a field of florasheep, talking to your new friends, or listening to Kilo the Cadenceborn sing, the audio truly enhances the experience, bringing even more life to every action.
Overall, I’m genuinely in love with what I’ve seen of Infinity Nikki so far. It takes all my favorite elements from the best RPGs, mixing in a little bit of magic from games like Genshin Impact, Animal Crossing, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Final Fantasy XIV, as well as a dash of the wonderfully whimsical world of Studio Ghibli, while still maintaining its own sense of identity. You can feel the love and sense of character that Infold has poured into every pixel, and I really can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon for Nikki, Momo, and our new friends in Miraland.
Luckily, it looks like this charming cozy game is set to continue expanding with every Infinity Nikki update, with the livestream already announcing a heap of fun events – including one where you can claim a gorgeous birthday outfit for Nikki. So be sure to check out our Infinity Nikki events guide and snap up any freebies from our Infinity Nikki codes guide as soon as you dive in. I really hope you enjoy your time in Miraland as much as I have!