Hands-on with Infinity Nikki, a fashion-forward open-world RPG with magical powers
9.26.2024
By Jess Reyes, Contributor
I played Infinity Nikki at PAX, and it blends all the best parts of open-world RPGs into its own whimsical creation. However, its crown jewel is its dress-up mechanic that separates it from competitors like Genshin Impact. Instead of collecting materials for weapons, you use them to craft outfits that sometimes come with magical powers that further enable your journey through Miraland.
Styling Nikki
Miraland, the setting of the Nikki series, takes a new form in Infinity Nikki. This is an alternate universe that Nikki and her floating cat-like mascot Momo have never seen before. But while the setting may have changed, styling—the act of dressing up to use magical powers—is still a major focus of the game.
Many of Nikki’s outfits help her to navigate the world, like a blue bubble-shaped robe that lets her double jump and float across obstacles. Another equips her with a bonnet and scrubbing gear, perfect for tending to animals like dogs and sheep. Of course, other outfits just look cool, like a black and red glittery dress that looks straight out of Sailor Moon.
Some of those outfits are locked behind gacha, which are "banners" where you can exchange currency for a chance to get more outfits. That said, Infinity Nikki offers plenty of ways to unlock useful free outfits in addition to the flashy limited-time ones. It’s structured like a typical gacha game with daily logins and rewards, so you can save up for your must-have wardrobe.
As a dress-up game, Infinity Nikki lets you customize Nikki’s outfit from her hair to her shoes, and it even includes small details like makeup. If you need certain outfits for their abilities, they’re mapped to specific buttons so Nikki can instantly change into them at the right time. Don’t worry—she immediately swaps back to your custom fit after you stop using those powers.
Encountering Miraland
You can explore Miraland to learn more about the world and its people. It’s also a must for gathering materials for outfits or other means.
Miraland’s open world is full of discoveries. While rummaging through it like a vast closet, I found a portal that transported me into a dimension with a platforming memory puzzle with a Wishstar at the end, one of the most valuable resources in the game. Thankfully, Nikki’s blue robe came in handy for hovering between the ledges. At that point, it was up to me to remember the pattern so that I landed on the right platforms.
Here's another quirk: Infinity Nikki has mounts. The bike shop has an unbelievably sturdy bicycle that can take Nikki up and down hills without any issue. I rode through fields, hopping over hills until I crashed it into a river and it disappeared. Of course, I could always go back to the bike shop to respawn it, but I suspect I missed something in the instructions.
Learn Nikki’s story
In my 45-minute demo, I played through one quest after exploring the world and Nikki’s abilities. I enjoyed the strong voice acting and the expressively animated scenes where Nikki helped out at the local station. According to on-site reps, Infinity Nikki will be fully voiced, though we only had a few cutscenes with voice acting on the floor. During the quest, Nikki dons an officer uniform to help raise her persuasion while interrogating a suspect. Another example of her many outfits in action!
At the end, I fought against a boss monster with magical orbs of energy until it relented. Most of Nikki’s abilities are focused on peaceful activities, but she can still put up a fashionable front when called into action.
So far, Infinity Nikki is shaping up to be a unique upcoming release thanks to its fashion-centered systems and sprawling interactive world. It’s definitely worth putting on your wishlist, whether you’re a fashionista or an RPG lover.
Infinity Nikki is coming soon to the Epic Games Store.