Game review - come for the clothes, stay for the story

[blue_shark]

I got the game through its standalone launch and have played through the main story and many of the side quests.

A cozy post-apocalyptic world

It's some time after the apocalypse. Infinity Nikki is set in a land of thriving towns and a lush countryside. The skies are often sunny and the landscape is mostly thriving. There's functioning, competent government and other institutions, almost everyone is friendly and extremely well dressed, and there's even a bikeshare system - but throughout the world you walk (or bike) among picturesque towering ruins of a more prosperous time, and there are hints of trouble on the horizon.

As the main character Nikki, you go around solving community problems large and small, solving mysteries and discovering more about the setting. This is the 5th game in the Nikki series and like the previous ones, there is a lot of lore, both in the plot and in the extensive environmental storytelling.

This is a cozy game that goes deep. The characters you meet will give you the feels and carry themselves with an earnest mix of loss and hope. The game devs are based in Suzhou, a Chinese city with a rich history of textiles and fashion (some of which you can dress Nikki in) that has seen its ups and downs and rebuildings over its 2,500 year history. I would recommend learning a bit of the city's history and selecting the Chinese voice acting to get the most out of this game.

Gameplay comments

- In addition to dressing up, this is also a game about exploration. About half of the huge open world is unlocked after a short tutorial level, with a couple other areas that unlock midway through the main story.

- Combat - where you shoot glowing green orbs at critters that look like misfit plushies - is simple and a small part of the game. Tutorials are built into the story. The game is very forgiving, there's not really any way to get stuck and you can always go back to areas you went before.

- There are lots of outfits and other cosmetic features that you can spend real money on, but it's easy to complete the main story and get dozens of outfits without having to pay anything. If you're just interested in the dress up part of the game, you can have a lot of fun and get lots of outfits even if you skip the main story.

- Infinity Nikki can be played on a variety of platforms, including mobile, however, some of the platforming levels can be difficult on a phone. There are some quality of life features you can turn on to help. I would still recommend playing on a PC or console to enjoy the gongeous graphics. There is a sophisticated photo mode with lots of features.

- This is a live service game, more clothes, quests, and areas are added periodically.