Infinity Nikki Review (PS5, PC, Android, & iOS)

The Nikki franchise is making the transition from mobile to PS5 and PC consoles. To say the excitement from the gaming community has been over the roof is an understatement. Just a few days post-launch, Infinity Nikki hit over ten million downloads. And it’s easy to see why. Besides the broadening of the platform spectrum to consoles, the franchise is also dipping its toes into new territory via deep open-world exploration. The open world is so vast and deep, in fact, that you’ll easily sink dozens of hours in the game before the thought of walking away starts to creep in. And even then, you might be tempted to explore some more if you have the strong will to resist the urge to bust out your wallet. 

At the end of the day, Infinity Nikki is free-to-play, which, of course, comes with its own issues. I’d say you can still squeeze a decent chunk of gameplay without having to spend a dime. You can still unlock lots of cool outfits and play through some engaging mid to late-stage gameplay and never feel like you’re missing out on much. And yet, there remains some content and more enthusiastic outfits that are locked behind a paywall that can be tempting. Overall, though, the experience you can get for free is well worth it; it’s surprising that the game doesn’t come with a one-time fee as high as $70. Anyway, let’s see all that you can expect in the game in our Infinity Nikki review below.

There Once Lived Nikki

Infinity Nikki is pretty fairy tale-inducing. Stepping into its vibrant world bursting with color and spice. With every light step, it feels like walking on rainbows. The details of the environments and character designs are impressive. You often explore in awe of the sheer beauty staring you in the face. The animals, too, including your cat companion, are all so adorable you can almost snuggle them tight. And you can pet the animals, too, each with the cutest animation as they roll on the ground. And the petting nets you some cool fibre to craft into fancy outfits. 

Outfits are the strongest focus of this game. It’s playing dress-up, as veterans of the Nikki series will tell you. But the scale is definitely bigger and better now that the series has transitioned to console and added an expansive open world alongside it. Playing as the pink-haired female protagonist Nikki, you head back to magical Miraland to embark on yet another adventure. Now, to be frank, Infinity Nikki’s strongest point isn’t at all its storytelling. Sure, the voice acting is impeccable, strikingly drawing you into the world’s charming aesthetic. The same goes for the soundtrack that cements the environment’s relaxing and laidback atmosphere.

Fill the World with Sunshine

However, the plot can be hard to follow. It can feel pointless at times as you chase down whimsical friends’ revelations and clues. There seems to be a problem with the Wish system. It’s making people fall into a coma. But that soon tangles up into the overarching quest to rescue a mystical god of wishes. Nikki is a do-gooder who holds respectable fortitude among the people of Miraland. Whenever she walks into the room, people take notice and pay heed to her every word. Even as she switches outfits from a cop to a hunter, she remains a powerful female protagonist you can’t help but like. And in all her endeavors, she never has to change her infectious personality. She remains as adorable as her stunning outfits. 

From everyday wear to more magical dresses, Nikki has access to all kinds of outfits you can think of. They come in hundreds, including accessories and makeup choices. As you can imagine, it can all be overwhelming to sift through, but one thing Infinity Nikki is great at is ensuring you have the motivation to experiment with as many outfits as you can. Essentially, the outfits give you new skills and abilities. You can unlock an outfit that gives you the ability to double jump, making platforming a piece of cake. Or you can unlock one that allows you to fish and bug-hunt. And the more functional ones that give you an upper hand in enemy encounters. 

Faith. Trust.

Yup. Just when you start to think that Infinity Nikki is a little too simplistic. All you do is explore idyllic locations, spreading cheer and love. You soon discover that there are a ton of things to do in Miraland. Broadly, your gameplay is split between puzzle-solving, platforming, and combat. There are no map markets per se. Rather, you run into items to do while exploring. It makes the open world feel full of life, as there are always interesting ways to keep you busy. The puzzles are not difficult at all. They serve a bigger purpose in unlocking outfits and leading you to more quests and side quests. 

Platforming, also, is hardly the place to rack your brain. It’s all rather laidback and accessible to anyone, even kids. However, the structure of the puzzles and platforms, in tandem with the idyllic open world, make it a viable alternative for older gamers looking to enjoy a purely cozy and relaxing time. This is no game that will stress you out, like Genshin Impact, which requires more skill and actually bears a lot of similarity to Infinity Nikki. In that regard, you could opt for Infinity Nikki if you’re looking for a more laid-back Genshin Impact. Plus, during platforming, you’ll discover intriguing ways of traversal, like flying on a paper plane in a suspiciously huge library. Or riding a bike with your pet Mimo strapped in the front basket. 

And Pixie Dust

Combat, too, isn’t complex either. If anything, you may find it a little too stripped down. But again, Infinity Nikki is diligently sticking to its paint strokes. Its goal is to take you on a relaxing adventure and never want to stress you out with learning and mastering complex mechanics. You can do that in Genshin Impact or even The Legend of Zelda. You don’t get any weapons or potent spells. Instead, you unlock the respective outfit that grants you the power to aim and shoot enemies with a burst of energy. It’s a one-button ability that’s a breeze. The idea is that you’re purifying the enemies and gaining access to rewards as a result. You’ll run into bosses, sure. However, because of their limited skill set, they never really escalate to spectacle levels. But, to reiterate again, Infinity Nikki isn’t the game for thrilling combat. 

There is one thing Infinity Nikki excels at perfectly: styling outfits. See, you’re on a mission to find some magical dress that will, in addition to making you look nice and cute, make you the most badass stylist in Miraland. You want that crown because it’s how you’ll beat opponents in Stylist Battles. That’s where the gacha system comes in to chase down the outfits with the highest stats and tie them to themes where the Stylist Battles take place. It’s quite fun, actually, dressing up Nikki and beating the competition. Of course, it’s going to be an uphill climb. Being free-to-play, Infinity Nikki invests heavily in a live service. You may need to log in frequently to make the most of the numerous currencies and outfits available. 

Happily Ever After

The UI can be frustrating to sift through. It just has way too many items you can equip alongside the currencies and shops. You have the normal currencies that can buy premium ones that can unlock high-powered outfits. It feels like there can definitely be a more cohesive way to present the menus, even if it’s a favorite feature to filter your go-to outfits. 

However, the outfits are some of the most stunning designs you’ve probably ever seen. The detail is impeccable to the point of zooming and spotting the seams and rhinestones. You can spin Nikki around to admire your style choices. Surprisingly, none of the outfits are curated for the male gaze. Although some have been described as sexy, they hardly appear that way, only breathtaking and perhaps geared for the female gaze if there was such a thing. 

Of course, you won’t have access to all the magical outfits at the start. You’ll have to grind quite a bit before you can access outfits with higher stats and game-changing abilities. Still, the climb up isn’t hectic. You just need to gather the ingredients you need to craft the recipes for the outfits. Most of these can be found in the open world through simplistic activities like catching bugs, fishing, or repairing broken circuits.

Verdict

Infinity Nikki is the perfect game for gamers looking to put their feet up and play dress up. The dress-up has been made more profound and engaging, infused with exploring a deep open world. You engage in lots of activities that all intertwine to unlock some of the most stunning outfits gaming has to offer.