MyMMO editor Jasmin couldn’t get enough of the monsters from Aniimo. In the closed beta, she mostly just zipped around the map and interacted with the creatures.
Every monster collecting game handles its creatures differently. Sometimes, like in Pokémon, they’re your eternal companions and battle monsters, while in others, like Palworld, they are your base workers and mounts. The monsters should definitely be the stars in a monster collecting game, don’t you think?
In the past, I have tried many of these monster collecting games, even the lesser-known ones like Temtem or Nexomon. Even in Persona 5 Royal, I had the urge to collect all Personas to laugh in the face of achieving a complete collection. I just love collecting creatures and uniting them all as a happy family under one roof (or in a storage box)!
That’s why I absolutely had to play the Closed Beta of Aniimo. The monsters looked adorable and colorful in the first images. I wanted to see if there was more behind the cute façade and how the creatures are integrated into the game. After several hours, I can tell you: They are the highlight of the game!
Open World with Colorful Aesthetics
Aniimo is an open-world action RPG with gacha mechanics, reminiscent of a mix between Pokémon, Genshin Impact, and Palworld. We take on the role of an influencer from the modern world but are transported to a foreign planet by a mysterious event. This world is populated by the titular monsters.
Unlike regular humans, we have the special ability to befriend the monsters and even transform into them. The main goal is to explore the vast world, solve ancient mysteries, and figure out why we ended up there in the first place.
The gameplay feature that sets Aniimo apart from other monster collecting games is the Twining. This means we are not just beside our monsters giving them passive commands, but we become the monster ourselves.
We take control of a creature and gain its abilities, which we can use both in combat and to solve environmental puzzles. For example, when we play as the little fire pup, we can shoot fireballs to remove vines blocking our path or chests.
Depending on the monster, we move differently in the world. With the larger fire dog, we can sprint quickly around. The crab allows us to dig into the sand to circumvent obstacles. There are also birds that can float, Aniimos that can swim, or flying squirrels that can climb trees or other obstacles.
I spent several hours just zooming around and exploring the beautiful world. Within the open world, there are also small puzzles or chests hidden, like those in other gacha games or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. They motivate you to explore every nook and cranny of the environment.
But even so, I had so much fun exploring. There are varied areas like lavender flower fields, forests with purple trees, or sun-kissed sandy beaches.
However, it should be noted that the visuals are really a matter of taste. The settings for reflections and sunlight seem to be turned up to 100%, and the visuals look a bit washed out. Those who prefer realistic and less cutesy areas might experience a colorful nightmare in Aniimo.
Monsters React to Their Own Behavior
What surprised me the most in the open world were once again the monsters themselves. They roam freely in the open world and interact with each other. Once, I stopped a chase because I felt sorry for a poor sheep being chased in circles by a nasty Aniimo.
However, the Aniimos do not just react to each other’s behavior but also to their own appearance. Depending on which creature we transform into, they greet us in different ways.
As a big fire wolf, I am, for example, avoided by the squirrels in the forest because they are afraid of me. However, when I transformed into a squirrel myself, the other squirrels observed me with curiosity.
My best moment was when, transformed into a fire wolf, I ran into a group of little fire pups and was adored by them. Suddenly, smileys with heart eyes popped up and the pups accepted me as their adoptive mother.
They circled around me and accompanied me wherever I moved. I truly felt like I had suddenly become a multiple wolf mother.
Appearance is Just as Important
Your character is just as important. I was amazed at the number of options available to customize your character. The editor resembles more advanced versions that you usually find in role-playing games. Each facial feature can be adjusted individually in size and angle.
However, the pre-made faces already hint that the style leans more towards doll-like
. In the game, I also saw other characters who fully utilized the editor and created crazy faces. But most resembled more Asian MMOs.
I was particularly surprised by the option to play a 3D animation within your eyes. Here you can also determine at what speed, size, and angle it is reflected in your eyes.
On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed with the options for hairstyles. It remains to be seen whether this will be the final selection for the official release or if it will be possible to acquire hairstyles and costumes with real money or in-game currency. Because Aniimo is still a gacha game.
The gacha menus totally overwhelmed me. When I wanted to show someone something on the screen, I felt like the boomer of the bunch. I took several seconds to find the right menu each time. If you are used to dealing with gacha games, you might find it faster than I did during the testing phase. But the many menus and in-game currencies left me with a big question mark on my face.
Currently, it is still unclear when Aniimo will even be released. Who knows, there might even be another beta before the release. If you don’t want to miss the announcement, you should save and keep an eye on the following article on MyMMO: Aniimo – All important information about release, platforms, and beta
