Aniimo Preview: The Next Big Thing

Aniimo has changed a good bit from the last time I got to play it at PAX East, and with significantly more time to invest in the game, I got a much better understanding of what exactly Aniimo will look like on release. The action RPG has a lot going for it, but it also has a lot of struggles despite what it does right.

There are still some rough edges to smooth out, but I won't lie when I say I've hardly ever played a game like Aniimo before. It really captured my attention not only with some adorable creatures, but with some interesting and engaging gameplay.

After putting about 20 hours in and experiencing most everything the beta had to offer, I can confidently say that Aniimo is on track to be a real contender in the gaming space. It's similar but not quite like any creature collector game I've played in recent years.

What is Aniimo?

Aniimo is a creature collector much like Pokémon or Palworld, but the game works a bit differently than you might expect. Instead of the traditional turn-based battles that you may be accustomed to, combat in this game is much more like an action RPG. It's fast-paced and filled with some intriguing depth that can be easily used, but may be difficult to master.

There is a story here, and it operates very similarly to something like Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It will help to push you forward into new zones and learn the game as you go, or you can completely ignore it and enjoy the immense freedom of the world by just doing whatever you please.

You'll run around the world of Idyll as you discover new Aniimo, stories, and places. There are tasks you can complete that let you interact with characters in each zone and even communicate with Aniimo to enact some smaller quests and objectives.

Beyond world exploration, you also have a cozy place where you can set your Aniimo up to get resources and such. There are other modes to participate in that have both PvE and PvP elements, all of which serve to help you gather up resources you might need to engage with some of the game's core mechanics.

A Whole New World

Aniimo really surprised me when I previewed it for PAX East, and that surprise continues as I got so much more time with the game this go-around. While it isn't all sunshine and rainbows, I can confidently say that they have something really incredible here.

The world of Aniimo is vibrant and feels very alive, as the Aniimo themselves actually do things while you watch them. Some will play with other Aniimo, some might get into fights, and others might just be having a nice nap. Not only does everything look immaculate, but the world feels lived in and almost real.

I found myself a lot of times just watching the new Aniimo as I walked around to see what kind of interactions they might have. There was just so much to see and do with how many Aniimo there are, and that's with plenty of the map still covered in fog.

The game really felt like it was its own world and not something that existed to simply put forth the gameplay. It's obvious that a lot of thought and effort went into creating the creatures that inhabit these lands and giving them some unique personalities to keep things interesting.

Expanding Combat

The beginning of the game is not very reminiscent of what the game eventually becomes, which is a little annoying to say the least. In the beginning, you can feel a bit like having a balanced team seems pointless, as you'll quickly outpace the level of any creatures you'll face off against.

This eventually subsides as you progress, and you'll need to consider your team a bit more carefully as you move from combat to combat. The more difficult activities, like Holo-Sim Battles and Egg Hunt, will require a bit more thought and planning if you're hoping to achieve success.

It was really neat to kind of see combat expand as time went on, but it did feel like it took maybe a little too long to reach that point. I personally never really struggled until I ended up hitting Infergon in the story, which was around level 40.

Having a balanced team that could help me take on the Omega Aniimo along with the right upgrades and talents for my character was paramount to success. This seemed to persist as time went on and more challenging Aniimo appeared for story fights or otherwise.

Pointless Clutter

The game clearly takes inspiration from several more recent Gacha games, like Zenless Zone Zero and such, given how many menus and currencies there are. This isn't too big of a deal when the menus are easy to navigate, but in Aniimo the menus are just awful.

It felt like so much double work and extra clicks just to get to the page I wanted to be at because of the absurd number of menus there are. Want to collect some rewards you earned? You'll have to navigate to that page and claim them, and then move to another page that's an alternate version of that one to get different rewards.

That wouldn't be such a hassle if you weren't completing so many things so often. The UI just felt pointless and cluttered as you moved from menu to menu attempting to find your way back to the place you actually need to be at. Then, if you forget exactly where that menu is, you might not be able to find your way back to it.

There must be a way to simplify the process because this is just insane and a huge pain to deal with. I can get behind a lot of challenges and such, but having to claim them all from so many different menus is absolutely not the move, and I'd rather they just claimed automatically.

Something for Everyone

What I really loved about the game was that everyone can get something out of the game thanks to the sheer number of options there are available for it. Whether you're a big creature collector, someone who prefers action, or someone who's just looking to enjoy some cozy time, you can find it in Aniimo.

The game doesn't feel like it's trying to limit you in any way and really gives you the freedom to do as you please. Follow the story, or enjoy meaningful exploration in the vibrant world; it really doesn't seem to matter all that much. It was a nice change of pace to have that sort of freedom.

They also have an RV for you to decorate and use your Aniimo to work on some things to create resources, so you can build more stuff to show off. This was fun to experiment with, but it wasn't much for me when I was playing as I got a bit focused on the story and Aniimo.

Regardless, no matter how you like to play games, Aniimo has something on offer to entice you if you can get past some of the more frustrating aspects. That still doesn't cover what's arguably the most concerning aspect of the game as a whole: monetization.

Monetization Concerns

It's actually a little hard to tell with monetization in the game because of how many different currencies are available. Some things are not purchasable at all except in some bundles, and other items are only purchasable with real money.

Until the game comes out, all anyone can do is speculate on how it will work, but the reason these sorts of things are concerning is because of two things. Some Prismana, a more powerful version of the original Aniimo, are available in the Monthly Pass, and the Legendary Aniimo seem to be available via gacha mechanics.

Now the devs have said that the Monthly Pass is more like early access to the Aniimo, but that can still create problems depending on how good that Aniimo can be. The Legendary Aniimo are a different animal altogether, since these seem to use gacha mechanics but don't have a purchasable currency.

That can always change with time, but basically, you'll earn shards by completing challenges, which can be spent on more attempts at catching the Legendary Aniimo. It only has a small percentage chance of being caught, so you'll likely end up spending the pity currency you get to actually get the Aniimo.

Whether this becomes a struggle between pay-to-win mechanics and grinding can't really be said right now. I think that outside of that, the game has a lot of positives and reasons to enjoy it, but considering that, things may start to get out of hand quickly as more and more Aniimo appear.