{"id":347054,"date":"2025-08-20T07:32:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/hands-on-aniimo-is-a-creature-collector-photography-simulator-and-rpg-battler-all-in-one\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T07:32:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:32:08","slug":"hands-on-aniimo-is-a-creature-collector-photography-simulator-and-rpg-battler-all-in-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/hands-on-aniimo-is-a-creature-collector-photography-simulator-and-rpg-battler-all-in-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Hands On: Aniimo is A Creature Collector, Photography Simulator and RPG Battler All in One"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Following <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xbox.com\/en-gb\/games\/store\/aniimo\/9pk8phlcqdf6\">Aniimo<\/a><\/em>\u2019s reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase last month, I was as keen as anyone to discover what this vibrant, creature collecting \u201cnext-generation RPG\u201d had to offer. Fortunately, I didn\u2019t have to wait long \u2013 a hands-on opportunity at Gamescom allowed me a day trip around the world of <em>Aniimo<\/em>, which manages to be three different games all rolled in one. And that is ultimately a very promising thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The demo wasted no time in letting me get out into a portion of the open world, a textbook, grassy vista with an endlessly inviting horizon, full of cute, docile starter Aniimo. Even this immediate starting area feels so rich and vibrant \u2013 a keenly stylised, fantasy world teeming with life but with a polished, sci-fi flair that feels unique.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Aniimo-3-b468cef84cf8679c609c.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210834&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Aniimo Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Aniimo-3-b468cef84cf8679c609c-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Aniimo Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210834\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>Here, I swiftly captured my first few Aniimo in the wild, which is straightforward at this stage \u2013 simply aim a cube (Aniipod) at a creature, check the probability of a successful catch, and throw. Each Aniimo has their own abilities that are useful both in and out of combat. Emberpup is an adorable dog with quietly devastating fire abilities, Budclaw is an unassuming crab with great evasive skills, and Nimbi, an adorable pastel sheep that can hurl pieces of its own fluff at its enemies. <em>Aniimo<\/em>\u2019s story also offers a choice between two talking Aniimo that serve as a companion of sorts \u2013 a fiery lion called Hellion and a sparkly, moon-inspired fox called Lunara. All of these Aniimo can evolve into more powerful creatures too, given the right care, and it seems as though you\u2019ll need them to take down increasingly powerful Aniimo later down the line.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/V007-7-c1328c462a5b6785b29f.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210836&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Aniimo Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/V007-7-c1328c462a5b6785b29f-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Aniimo Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210836\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p><em>But even in demo form, Aniimo<\/em> goes so much further than a simple collect-a-thon. You\u2019re not just here to capture all of these creatures and make them fight \u2013 you\u2019re also here to research them in their natural habitats, understand them, and document their behaviour, which leads to greater rewards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s here that <em>Aniimo <\/em>morphs into a photography game of sorts \u2013 capturing images of specific Aniimo engaging with their natural habitats, displaying certain behaviours and interacting with each other will help you learn more about your Aniimo and unlock points for other collectibles. This is what made <em>Aniimo<\/em> feel so much exciting to me personally \u2013 as a big Pok\u00e9mon Snap fan, making the art of observing and documenting the life in <em>Aniimo<\/em>\u2019s world, giving each creature a personality and a deep sense of place made me want to discover more based on their design, rather than their use as a weapon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And while your creatures <em>do <\/em>offer a swathe of combat abilities, their functionality outside of fighting is what really makes <em>Aniimo<\/em> a different kind of adventure.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Aniimo-4-99546ae31deda1211428.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210835&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Aniimo Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Aniimo-4-99546ae31deda1211428-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Aniimo Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210835\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>One core feature of <em>Aniimo <\/em>is Twining \u2013 an ability that lets your playable, human character merge with the body of one of your Aniimo. From there, you are in control\u2013 rather than commanding the creature to use its attacks, you can deploy them as the player-character in real time combat, which feels excellent. Darting around as a tiny fox or a star-powered sugar glider is sublime, and I was pleasantly surprised by how fun it feels to just <em>become<\/em> the creature I\u2019ve spent so much time observing and documenting. How would it move? How would it fight? Suddenly, it\u2019s not just a role-playing game for your own character, I\u2019m actively considering how to engage in combat based on the personality of this creature too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Twining is also built seamlessly into exploration, which was another personal highlight.\u00a0 There is something so deeply nostalgic about roaming around the open world with the ability to morph into a different Aniimo with ease \u2013 reaching high points with or as Celestis, using Budclaw to swim, even moving across plains at speed with Flameruff (the larger evolution of Emberpup) \u2013 took me back to the anthropomorphic platformers from my youth. The world isn\u2019t just a space to explore, it\u2019s a puzzle to solve, and your collaboration with each and every Aniimo will help you solve it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/V007-4-3c469e91748b57ccfa9a.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-210837&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Aniimo Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/V007-4-3c469e91748b57ccfa9a-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Aniimo Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-210837\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Aniimo Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s a coziness here, paired with a sense of wonder that feels simultaneously reminiscent of games I\u2019ve enjoyed but surprisingly fresh in how it makes the Aniimo more than just numbers to tick off in the game\u2019s encyclopedia, the Aniilog. They\u2019re living, breathing, dynamic parts of a world that exists beyond you.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even in just a few hours of play, <em>Aniimo <\/em>feels remarkably promising \u2013 it\u2019s an alluring combination of genres that flow together surprisingly well, and I\u2019m excited to see more.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"msp1755592406586\" class=\"\">\n<div class=\"ms-product-badge mspb-large\" data-product-id=\"9pk8phlcqdf6\">\n<div class=\"mspb-primary-image\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/store\/apps\/9pk8phlcqdf6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/store-images.s-microsoft.com\/image\/apps.61976.14271146495264987.8b8da700-e1e9-4189-88ec-84a85b99ef51.214a3514-8956-4939-9942-cb7085c93185?w=400&amp;h=600\" alt=\"Aniimo\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-feature-badges\">\n<div class=\"mspb-feature-badge xbox-play-anywhere\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.onestore.ms\/cdnfiles\/sfw-service-web-onestore-onerf-2017-11-8-12\/store\/common\/images\/xpalogo_black.png\" alt=\"Xbox Play Anywhere\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Aniimo<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mspb-secondary-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-left-container\">\n<p>Kingsglory Games<\/p>\n<div class=\"mspb-rating\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-right-container\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\tAniimo is a next-gen open-world creature-catching ARPG set to launch in 2026.\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/08\/20\/hands-on-aniimo-gamescom-2025\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Following Aniimo\u2019s reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase last month, I was as keen as anyone to discover what this vibrant, creature collecting \u201cnext-generation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":347055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=347054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/347055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=347054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=347054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=347054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}