Free-to-play gacha games typically fall under two categories – action RPG or turn-based RPG. Some like Arknights tend to go in different directions with their gameplay, but Genshin Impact’s open-world approach shook up the formula. Even then, the cycle of pulling new characters and weapons (or Lightcones and whatnot), grinding for Relic sets, etc., hasn’t changed much.

Which is what makes Infinity Nikki’s approach so intriguing. The series began in 2012 with NikkiUp2U and served as a dress-up title. It would evolve, with 2019’s Shining Nikki leaning more into the lore and offering significantly better production values. However, Infinity Nikki is on another level entirely with a full-fledged open world. While some progression mechanics may remain, its adventuring and overall vibe provide a comfier experience than expected, even with some flaws.

"Is it contrived for the town to suffer from a power outage, only for her to suddenly make an electrician outfit to save the day? Yes, but most of Nikki’s problems require multiple outfits to solve."

What kind of flaws? Well, for starters, the story doesn’t put its best foot forward narratively. It begins with Nikki and her sentient cat friend Momo heading to the attic, looking for a dress for the former’s graduation ball. They discover several options, but most notably, a red dress, which comes to life and drags the duo into an unknown world where they meet a mysterious being known as Ena. Thus, they begin their journey to Miraland to find the Miracle Outfits and defeat the Esselings plaguing the land.

There is intriguing lore, such as the Wishing One and his sudden disappearance, leading to the downfall of wishes in society, or how the Stylists came about to use Whim and help those in need. While it initially seems like Nikki is positioned as some chosen one, especially by Dada of the Stylists Guild, the latter is revealed to hype every new Stylist. It’s a welcome subversion of the trope, though it’s not long before Nikki enters the good graces of the townsfolk anyway.

Even with the usual cliches, the plot ventures in some interesting directions after that, like a case surrounding citizens falling into comas after receiving mysterious Wish Bottles from the Shady Wish Envoy. What could have been a dull back and forth of gathering and delivering items instead involves a Style Battle with a gang of evil Stylists and a trip through the underground power system handled by talking frogs called Croakers, dealing with angry Monroefin fish. Granted, I wish some performances (like Nonoy and sometimes Dada) sounded a bit more natural and less stilted in places, but there are some interesting characters to meet.

Throughout the game, you discover outfits granting special powers, from gliding in the air and purifying Esselings to fishing, bug catching, animal grooming, and, well, being an electrician. These manifest via the Infinity Heart provided by Ena and emerge depending on Nikki’s needs. Is it contrived for the town to suffer from a power outage, only for her to suddenly make an electrician outfit to save the day?

Yes, but most of Nikki’s problems require multiple outfits to solve. It’s a testament to the responsiveness of the controls that switching between skills like gliding and purification feels natural and precise. The only exception is charging up a purification shot and aiming with the right stick on PS5 while gliding. It’s often simpler to jump and shoot.

"With how the plot is at times, simply venturing out into the world and exploring it, finding different animals to care for, materials to gather, and locations to scour for Whimstars arguably proves more enjoyable."

Outfits can be upgraded using Whimstars, scattered like it’s a Super Mario title. Some Whimstars are pretty easy to find, simply sitting atop a building or in a spot you need to plunge through to access. Others require light puzzle solving, such as finding a star symbol within the immediate vicinity or collecting a trail of star icons before the time is up.

Nothing too intensive if you’ve dealt with Genshin Impact’s world puzzles, but there are also the Curio Domains. These strange doorways lead to dimensions with mechanics reminding me of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, especially when guiding metal balls into slots, either by manipulating platforms to guide them across or tilting slides at just the right moment to launch them across a chasm.

Again, they’re not too mechanically demanding, though there may be a head-scratcher before you arrive at the solution. However, there are some pretty nifty platforming challenges, such as a towering wall with multiple green and red platforms. The former is safe to traverse, while the latter will cause all the platforms to deactivate, thus causing a restart. When you get close to the wall, all the platforms turn blue – you must effectively memorize their colors beforehand and then platform accordingly to reach the end.

Such puzzles and challenges abound throughout Miraland, and you’ll even discover some mini-games, including one that requires jumping through hoops precisely or another about navigating a paper crane in a pop-up storybook. With how the plot is at times, simply venturing out into the world and exploring it, finding different animals to care for, materials to gather, and locations to scour for Whimstars arguably proves more enjoyable. The environments are aesthetically pleasing throughout, though there is some pretty horrid pop-in on PS5.

"Unlike other gacha games, there’s no real power advantage towards pulling for other outfits on the banners. All abilities are tied to outfits earned in-game, which can evolve to have alternate color schemes and improved functionality."

The atmosphere is pretty relaxed for the most part – even combat isn’t too intensive, with most Esselings falling to a wind projectile or two. However, there are some foreboding locations, like the ruins of the Queen’s Castle which can feel more oppressive, even if they won’t overwhelm you with challenging foes.

Of course, one of the biggest aspects of Infinity Nikki is dressing up. You’ll unlock hairstyles, shirts, dresses, shorts, pants, and more while venturing through Miraland (and using Resonance, the game’s gacha system). Each item has different ratings, with some scoring higher on the Cool quotient while others are Sweet or Elegant.

These come into play during Style Battles against other characters, which can net rewards if you’re successful. However, mixing and matching different items together is fun, with an extensive list of available options. You can adjust Nikki’s eye makeup, retina color, and blush on top of multiple accessory types. Saving custom set-ups and switching to them on the fly is also great.

Unlike other gacha games, there’s no real power advantage towards pulling for other outfits on the banners. All abilities are tied to outfits earned in-game, which can evolve to have alternate color schemes and improved functionality. If anything, scoring an outfit with a similar ability is only good if you want a change of clothes when floating through the sky or fishing. Nevertheless, there is an appeal for those wanting fashion-max or simply obtain a desired outfit.

"Those who don’t care about gacha and want to explore a fantasy world with plenty of opportunities to dress up may want to check out Infinity Nikki."

Having to earn nine to ten pieces of that outfit to complete it doesn’t feel great. There are guarantees for higher-rarity clothing depending on the number of pulls, and you can select certain pieces after enough pulls, but it’s still a baffling system, even for the permanent banners. As such, if you’re weak to these kinds of systems, then like other similar games, it’s best to steer clear. At least you can Glow Up every cosmetic in the game to improve their stats (not that the Style Battles are that demanding anyway).

Those who don’t care about gacha and want to explore a fantasy world with plenty of opportunities to dress up may want to check out Infinity Nikki. Even with a less-than-compelling story, graphical issues on PS5 and rudimentary combat, it’s easy to lose yourself in its relaxing atmosphere and numerous customizable outfits.

This game was reviewed on PS5.