Some notable new locations include Camp Kaboom and Crescent Shoal while the “Glowing Fireworks” storyline continues. There’s even a new boss, The Dark Bouquet, to deal with. New activities, outfits, and mini-games await alongside the New Bloom Festival, which offers over 3,500 diamonds, two outfits and up to 20 pulls for free from January 23rd to February 25th.

Infinity Nikki is available for iOS, Android, PC, and PS5. Check out our review here – we gave it a seven out of ten, praising the mechanics, world design, and aesthetics despite some issues with the initial plot and gacha mechanics. The free-to-play dress-up title launched on December 5th for iOS, Android, PS5, and PC and has crossed 20 million downloads.

What is it?

Infinity Nikki is the fifth of Nikki’s games, with the series having begun in 2012 with the mobile-only NikkiUp2U. This time around Nikki and her feline companion Momo will travel throughout the fantastical Miraland in what publisher Infold Games are describing as ‘the cosiest open world game’. Furthermore – like Nikki’s prior entries – this fifth instalment blends its cosy adventuring with an eye for fashion; a vast wardrobe of stunning outfits in various styles are waiting for Nikki to discover. Story-wise, we’re looking at the citizens of this tranquil world becoming mysteriously comatose, with a gang of nefarious stylists also on the prowl.

Miraland

Miraland is a far-reaching open world comprising a host of nations, each with their own unique cultures and environments. Immersive details are a-plenty: throughout their journey, Nikki and Momo will encounter a cast of whimsical characters and creatures, each living a life of tranquillity within Miraland’s pastel shaded scenery. Plus, the landscape harbours dynamic weather dependent on location whilst being illuminated by gorgeous sunlight, sunrises, and sunsets.

There’ll be dungeons and more

Alongside the immersive open world exploration, Infinity Nikki will present fun platforming, environmental puzzles to solve, and Zelda-like dungeons to trawl, the latter clearly an influence indebted to former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga who is onboard for Infinity Nikki’s development in a sub-director capacity. Plus, in relation to platforming, Tominaga has stated that discovering points of interest and figuring out how to reach them will be an integral aspect of Infinity Nikki’s exploratory gameplay loop.

Outfits

The Nikki series is ostensibly a dress-up RPG, so throughout Nikki and Momo’s voyage in Miraland you’ll have opportunity to collect and adorn her in a variety of outfits. And much like Nikki’s earlier games, numerous of these outfits possess magical abilities. See, within these outfits is the power of Whim, and dressing appropriately for the occasion will be crucial to navigate Nikki to specific locales, to overcome tough obstacles, or to partake in any number of Miraland’s relaxing side activities. Nikki’s most powerful outfits are enhanced through her Infinity Heart tree, with branches unlockable via collectable Whimstars.

Special abilities

Infold Games have shared numerous of Nikki’s outfit powerups, including Bubbly Voyage which gives Nikki the ability to briefly float in the air after a jump. The Wind of Purity unleashes power to purify dark essence whilst Bye-Bye Dust bestows Nikki with valuable material for every cute animal she pets. Rippling Serenity gives her a fishing rod, Afternoon Shine transforms her into a bug catcher. Some abilities will shrink her down, some will let her glide through the air. You get the idea; exploration, platforming, and activities are tied to the outfits Nikki wears.

Abilities can be crafted

It has been confirmed that most outfits can be crafted via resources collected throughout Miraland. However, Infinity Nikki is a gacha game, so there’s potentially going to be numerous outfits hidden behind a paywall. The extent to which any pay-to-wear outfits are integral to completing Infinity Nikki remains to be seen, but with a slew of in-game challenges, rewards, and minigames offering digital currency to exchange alongside real-world money we’re hopeful the cost isn’t too steep.

Momo has a camera

Yep, the cat snaps pictures! Momo’s camera is transformed into the shape of his feline head – complete with cute kitty ears – via the power of an ability outfit, and he’ll use it to capture every stunning moment of Nikki’s journey. Multiple lighting effects, lens adjustments, filters, and poses will ensure tons of personality will be heaped upon every capture.

Side activities

As alluded in this feature already, Infinity Nikki harbours a smorgasbord of side activities that’ll keep Nikki and her feline companion entertained and relaxed between quests. Activities include a tranquil spot of fishing by the river, butterfly chasing, bug catching, or simply unwinding in view of a gorgeous sunset. Also aforementioned is the necessity to adorn a specific outfit per activity: waterproof ensembles for grooming animals, clothes for fishing, heavy-duty cloaks for fixing machinery, overalls for bug catching, and so on.

There is combat

We bring up combat with an air of trepidation because, yes, Infinity Nikki does feature combat but from the various testimonies we’ve observed from those who’ve played a few hours of Nikki and Momo’s adventures through Miraland the general consensus is the game would be better without it. For what it’s worth, combat here will be a relatively unchallenging affair. In fact, there isn’t even a need to aim a weapon; simply hit the fire button to dispatch enemies with ease.

Style challenges

An activity befitting of its own entry, style challenges in Infinity Nikki are ostensibly fashion shows with a competitive edge. In essence, they’re fashion battles Nikki can engage against faction members dotted throughout Miraland, and to win she’ll need to show off her unique style with finesse. As with most things in Miraland, style challenges will be laid-back, mostly fun affairs, with the chance of resources, diamonds, and outfits the reward.

In-game currency

Those side activities we mentioned? Well, the more Nikki and Momo complete the more in-game currency can be earned to spend on resources such as crafting materials and growth materials for outfits. Of course, this being a gacha game there’s always the opportunity to pay for these progression-boosting resources instead.

Release date and platforms

Infinity Nikki is now available on PC via the Epic Games Store, on console via PlayStation 5, and on mobile, both iOs and Android devices.

Cross-progression

Those looking to play Infinity Nikki on multiple devices rejoice now as the game will support cross-progression. So, for instance, you could load the game up to while away a few hours on PC or console before switching to mobile for a stroll through Miraland on-the-go without losing any progression.

Developer Infold Games’ goal was to change that with Infinity Nikki, the fifth instalment in the series and the first to be released on PC and console- and all early indications seem to be pointing to the studio having successfully pulled it off. As we approached Infinity Nikki’s launch at the tail end of 2024, the game was amassing increasing excitement and anticipation, and now that audiences have managed to dive in and get a taste of its offerings, it’s clear that whatever it is that the game has going on has got its claws sunk deep into the masses already, which only spells good things for its future (for now, at the very least).

And why exactly is it that this relatively unknown quantity that had previously had next to no track record in the PC and console gaming sphere suddenly seems all set to end the year as one of its biggest new releases, especially where its player numbers are concerned? Well, looking at the bang for buck that the game offers, as well as the pure quality it’s touting, it’s easy to understand why it is attracting a sizeable audience, especially in a genre that has seen rapid and exponential growth ever since Genshin Impact revolutionized it a few years ago.

We obviously have to start with the fact that as a game focused on dressing up characters in a multitude of different dresses, Infinity Nikki has immense appeal in a way that shockingly few games do. That’s not the sort of experience that we see too much (or at all) in the traditional console gaming space, which is why there hasn’t really been that much of a market for something like that over the years. That is, however, maybe a cyclical argument, because as the consistent success of the Nikki games and the impressive start enjoyed by Infinity Nikki itself seem to indicate, clearly there is plenty of demand for such games. In fact, if anything, it looks like Infinity Nikki might be filling a void.

With hundreds of different dresses to gather and wear – each boasting not only incredible visual design, but also staggering attention to detail – clearly, the game has a lot to offer where its central premise is concerned- though incredibly enough, there’s so, so much more going on here, to a degree that is likely to surprise players who’re going in expecting something relatively straightforward. There’s a shocking amount of things to do, and not only does the game exhibit impressive variety across the activities that it has players engaging in, the majority of it is also just a ton of fun.

Movement and traversal in Infinity Nikki deserve a lot of props, and regardless of which abilities and dresses you’re making use of as you navigate the game’s open world, the plain and simple act of moving around never loses its charm and immediacy. The world itself also boasts strong design. Exploration is heavily encouraged, and thanks to organic design, the consistently enjoyable nature of most of the activities you stumble upon, and the fun traversal mechanics, it’s very easy to get distracted and start heading off the beaten path, only to be occupied yourself with an ocean of optional content hours upon hours later.

It also helps that the world of Infinity Nikki is a joy to simply exist in. Vibrant, colourful, and relentlessly cheerful, the game goes out of its way to ensure that every single aspect of it is utterly pleasant and charming at all times. Whether you’re speaking with personable NPCs, dressing up Nikki with the most elaborate fashion picks, exploring the vast world and uncovering its secrets, or even engaging in what passes for combat in the game, Infinity Nikki is always working overtime to be the brightest ray of sunshine it possibly can be- and there’s something incredibly refreshing about that, even if it’s not to everyone’s tastes.

The fact that it’s a free to play game also obviously helps massively. Obviously, we’ve seen an increasing amount of similar games ever since Genshin Impact came along in 2020 and proved that a free to play gacha game can also be a well-made, large-scale, AAA, open world production- and that’s exactly what Infinity Nikki is to, and the fact that you can hope into its sizeable offerings and experience the vast majority of the excellent content it has on offer without having to spend a single penny has obviously appealed to a large audience right out the gate.

This is, of course, still a free to play game, which means the necessary evils of microtransactions are, well, necessary here as well. It’s obviously still very early days for the game, having launched just a handful of days ago, so we don’t yet know how its monetization policies are going to evolve and what groove they will settle into. For now, however, Infinity Nikki is striking a decent balance. Yes, it does have a deluge of free to play elements that may very well make your head spin, from a dailies and weeklies to a cavalcade of currencies to keep track of, among other things.

But there is next to nothing in the game that compels you to have to spend money, the vast majority of purchasable in-game items can all be earned through gameplay, and the few that cannot are purely cosmetic items. Now, some of those items are admittedly rather exorbitantly priced- but the fact that they’re entirely optional and completely ignorable purchases does make it easier to look past their pricing. Whether that pricing model becomes more aggressive and predatory with time is what we’re all going to want to keep an eye on in the weeks and months ahead, of course, given the fact that that is often the course we see free to play titles taking (especially with games that rely on gacha mechanics), but at least so far, we can say that Infinity Nikki is striking the right sort of balance.

Few could have predicted until not too long ago that Infinity Nikki would amass as many as 10 million players within just a few days of release, but maybe that speaks more to a collective blind spot for what we see as the traditional games industry. The Nikki series has only grown from strength to strength, and to see it transitioning to such a large-scale, well-built, fully-fleshed console experience – and one that is free, no less – easily counts as one of the year’s best and biggest surprises. If developer Infold Games can capitalize on that impressive start and support the game the way it deserves to be supported, Infinity Nikki could easily become another ongoing industry giant, one that will be attracting audiences for years and years to come. Will it be able to do that? That remains to be seen- but so far, the game definitely has the juice.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

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.

The story takes place in a “distant land” where a strange grey mist is causing havoc. The player controls Emissaries, with the gameplay highlighting the journey of a swordsman and a young girl on a giant cat. Combat is akin to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty with the dodges and posture meters.

However, like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves, you can switch to other Emissaries during battles, like a bow user who deals ranged damage. The closing portion of the trailer showcases characters like a shield-wielding tank and an explosive glaive user, who also play roles in the story. The sheer range of bosses, likely the residents of Para, an alternate dimension, is also intriguing.

Ballad of Antara launches next year as a free-to-play title for PS5 and is also coming to PC, iOS, and Android.