Developer Papergames Publisher Infold Games Format Android, iOS, PC (tested), PS5, Xbox Series Release Out now

Dressing up is more integral to games than we often consider, whether it’s indulging in ‘Fashion Souls’ or unlocking alternate character skins.

Infinity Nikki, then, is not so much a departure from other adventure games as a more explicit celebration of this aspect of the form – no surprise since the series’ humble mobile beginnings focused solely on adorning its star with adorable outfits. As Papergames takes to a multiplatform stage, though, it recognises that simply sticking to what Nikki knows best isn’t enough to stay on trend. Casting a wider net, it lands on Breath Of The Wild for inspiration – not the first Chinese developer to do so, but it does have the benefit of added credibility, having plucked Kentaro Tominaga from Nintendo for its take on the open world.

Yet despite Tominaga’s experience with Zelda, our aspiring stylist’s quest to obtain the legendary Miracle Outfits is actually more comparable to a Mario game. The upbeat jazzy number that welcomes you to Miraland at the login montage screen is a sign, reminiscent as it is of Odyssey’s Jump Up, Superstar. But, more significantly, your traversal around this world of rolling countryside and idyllic towns mimics the lightness of a 3D platformer – literally so, since instead of a clambering animation, holding jump gives a floaty boost that often elevates Nikki to the top of a building or platform. This and other elements speak to a cosy and frictionless design overall, hardly unexpected when existing fans had until now been tasked with mixing and matching outfits, which demanded only good taste rather than dexterity. That history also likely accounts for a heavy-handed opening tutorial that we’d normally take as a given. Yet, once you’re let loose on Miraland – taking a leaf from Elden Ring, of all games, the map zooming out as it expands – getting around is pleasantly breezy and unburdened by a stamina gauge.