Infinity Nikki Review – Infinitely Charming

Perhaps it was my prior exposure to the dark, gritty, and brutally unforgiving world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl.

Or maybe it’s due to the wave of negativity that seems to accompany every major release today.

Regardless, I was completely unprepared for Infinity Nikki—not in the slightest.

Infinity Nikki Review – Infinitely Charming

In a very “old man shouts at clouds” kind of way, I went in with mixed expectations. The trailers building up to release promised a charming world of color and creativity, but all too often reality is very different.

Not with Infinity Nikki; you get exactly what you would expect from a world of beautifully designed dresses, fairies, wishes, and just about every creature you encounter hitting high scores on the “awww” charts.

It boasts a huge open game world, akin to The Legend of Zelda and Genshin Impact in terms of philosophy and design – although perhaps not in scope.

Featuring carefully designed puzzles, engaging side quests, secret caves and caverns to explore, and tons of collectibles, everything in Infinity Nikki is accompanied by rewarding mechanics and cutesy jingles sure to get the serotonin pumping.

Although clearly taking inspiration from the likes of The Legend of Zelda and Genshin Impact, Infinity Nikki stands alone in its accessibility and creative use of the dressing up style of play, as opposed to the traditionally combat-driven nature of these games.

Much of the progress surrounds unlocking new clothing items and outfits, improving their stats and abilities, and progressing through the story through Style Contest battles.

Infinity Nikki manages to toe a very fine line, broadening its appeal to new demographics beyond the usual gacha formula. It delivers the depth and complexity needed to engage experienced players, all while maintaining a level of familiarity and accessibility that makes it approachable for almost anyone.

Younger gamers might need to pass you the controller or phone during tougher platforming sections, boss encounters, or the occasional tricky puzzle. Still, this is an ideal game for budding players or family gaming sessions.

However, don’t let that fool you. This isn’t a game you’ll be forcing a smile on while playing with friends and family, like the countless of Minecraft I endured during my son’s younger years.

Rather, Infinity Nikki is a game all can enjoy.

I will admit, playing dress up is unlikely to appeal to everyone; it took a while for me to get into the swing of it myself.

My first Styling Challenge, a unique system in the game that requires the player to reach specific scores using certain types of clothing, was a very stand-off experience. Bit like a dance-off, but with clothes. I’ll slap this dress on, whatever shoes work, let me just get through this.

By the fifth contest, I was partaking in the trashiest of trash talk.

“I am going to destroy you with this cute black dress, adorable hat, and tidy little handbag number that I just spent an hour glowing up. You’re going down!”

This unconscious urge to refuse to enjoy myself was present throughout much of my early hours, but was quickly worn away by just how much fun I was having.

Infinity Nikki is so wholesome and comfortable; I never once felt frustrated with any specific elements, or grew tired of any parts of the game. Even with the more grind heavy aspects of locating materials to unlock new clothing items or upgrade existing outfits.

I spent several hours chasing down an Expedition, Infinity Nikki’s series of photography challenges tasking the player with finding locations in the game world with a single picture as a clue.

I farmed endlessly for new resources and materials to upgrade my clothing items to better prepare for future Styling Contests.

I explored every crook and cranny of the world I could find, and never once wanted to turn the game off.

Every corner I turned, every new field I discovered, it constantly felt as though an exciting new mini-game or dungeon was just minutes away.

Much of Infinity Nikki’s challenge – and that’s still a bit of a stretch – comes in the form of its puzzles and platforming.

The combat of this title is incredibly shallow, with a single attack option and enemies who pose little to no threat. It would not be unreasonable to expect some players to get through the entire game without dying or even taking damage.

However, even that level of simplicity has its benefits, a feeling of accomplishment as you wipe away a group of enemies guarding valuable resources without breaking much of a sweat.

Every aspect of Infinity Nikki works in perfect harmony. Wonderfully designed characters, a gorgeous game world, simple but effective game mechanics, a fantastic soundtrack.

Infnity Nikki is the total package.

Infinity Nikki radiates a charm that warms your heart, engages your mind, and sweeps you off your feet. It’s a refreshing and heartfelt take on the gacha formula, truly promising a little something for everyone.

As much as I loved my time with Infinity Nikki, I must take my leave—I’ve got a battle scheduled against a bear, naked, atop a volcano, in the middle of a storm.