Since the live broadcast of "Infinite Warmth" announced the opening of the "Fantasy Test", to today (April 24), the server door has finally been opened, and what kind of fantasy world is behind the door is indeed infinitely reverie.
From a personal emotional point of view, I really want to see the warmth of the new generation, and from the nature of work, I also want to personally experience the taste of open world + dress-up games, and then see what new ideas Papergames bring to the industry.
So at 10 o'clock today, Gyro-kun knocked on the door of the Miracle Continent on time.
"Finishing plan" for changing the track
On the first day of testing, it is really difficult to count the advantages of "Infinite Warmth". There's so much to talk about, and it's hard to prioritize them. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to start with the opening CG.
The beginning of the story is always important. It will determine how we perceive the "world" and will be the background of our memories to look back on later. From this point of view, the opening of "Infinite Warmth" has reached an excellent cinematic level: a concise narrative, a prominent style, and classic sequences - directly and efficiently and unconventionally resonating with players.
Specifically, when Nuan Nuan stepped into the dusty attic, encountered the magic of the dress suit, and was caught off guard by dancing with it, she was finally pulled into the space of another world...... It's really a fairy tale fantasy style, and it's also full of the theme features of the Nuan Nuan series.
To tell you the truth, I feel like I've been picked up by a set of clothes
The classic installation resembles Cinderella wearing a crystal slipper, Lucy getting a glimpse of the Kingdom of Narnia from her closet, and Harry closing his eyes and rushing to Platform 9-3/4...... Use the fateful miracle moment to divide the space between reality and imagination. Familiar, but never tired of looking at it.
This fantastical atmosphere laid down by the opening CG continues into the main body of the game. What's even more surprising is that you can clearly feel that the production team's interpretation of "fantasy" is rich and layered:
For example, in the beginner's teaching level (which is also the part of the world view), the scene is built with a strong sense of epic. Vegetation grows in the ruins of the magnificent buildings, and the sunlight shines on the mysterious and silent murals, and you can still hear the whispers of the gods as you walk through them.
And when the player enters the first major area, the Wish Field, the small town scenery of bungalows, flowers, and people brings a sense of tranquility, warmth, and relaxation.
Regional scenes with different styles may only play a role in other categories of games, but there are obviously more possibilities in the hands of players of "Infinite Warmth".
Every time I arrive at a new location, I think to myself: this is a great place to take pictures, and then I evaluate which outfit to wear to be more "filmed". I believe that this must also be the common idea of many warm players.
Thinking deeper, isn't this the ultimate solution to the costume change track?
The open world means that players can wear them to every corner of the world and interact with a variety of characters without having to be "alone" in a small photo space. The imagination space of Erchuang has also been infinitely expanded: idyllic songs, fantasy epics, Chinese gardens...... In the future, how many styles of works players can shoot based on the Miracle Continent may only be witnessed during the open beta.
It can only be said that as the "originator" of the domestic dress-up track, Paperfold understands the mystery of dress-up too well.
An open world connected by "Fantasy Stars".
Of course, a game of this size must not be "useless", and it is very important to fill it with what kind of gameplay you use. In the general perception of the industry, the open world is often deeply tied to combat.
My personal opinion is that due to the consideration of IP tonality and user portraits, "Infinite Warmth" is not suitable for this proven path. After actually playing it today, you can clearly perceive that the combat is lighter in this game.
Rather than combat, "Collect" is more like the main axis of the gameplay of "Infinite Warmth" - a variety of mini-games and special map levels are spread across the Wonder Continent, becoming the main content of the open-world module, and the rewards for these gameplay are usually the core item "Fantasy Star", which players can use to unlock the design blueprint of the costume set. As a result, the main plot and costume change gameplay are also closely linked to the open world.
Thanks to the core reward system, the development team was able to fill the world with all sorts of ideas:
Some of the Fantasy Stars are hidden in the corners of towns and can be obtained by using set abilities such as floating jumps, or by meeting certain restrictions;
Some of the Fantasy Stars are hidden in special spaces (which can be understood as temples in the Zelda series) that require the player to enter them and solve the puzzles to obtain them;
As players earn more ability sets by collecting Fantasy Stars, they can unlock more ways to play: cleaning, fishing, insect trapping, repairing, ...... Even returning to the previous map can bring new gains and new joys.
In my opinion, the variety of mini-games has an even more important role: allowing players to interact deeply with the open world. They guide players to enjoy the scenery from different angles, uncover the easter eggs hidden in the details, and explore the civilization and truth hidden in the world.
Now that the open-world gameplay has been roughly straightened out, it's time to talk about another major module of the game, the "dress-up" gameplay.
In this regard, in fact, most players (including me) have full trust in the development team, after all, that is the foundation of the Nuan Nuan series. "Infinite Warmth" responds to this trust unsurprisingly: the design and fabric of the garment are full of detail, and the dynamic performance in different light and environments is also quite commendable.
Especially in the floating suit, the soft and light feeling is about to overflow the screen
In addition to the expected excellence, there is also the unexpected amazing.
In the related discussion group, the design that players mentioned the most today is the costume illustrated book of "Infinite Warmth". With the delicate art of paper-cutting and silky dynamic special effects, opening the illustrated book is like opening a fairy tale picture book (or handbook), and each page attracts the player's eye.
You can always trust the art of Paperfold
On the first day of the beta, there are still many daily gameplay that I don't have time to experience carefully, such as petting cats and dogs shown in the live broadcast, riding bicycles around the world, and picking up fishing rods. But just based on the content that Gyro Jun played, it can be said that the quality of "Infinite Warmth" is indeed beyond expectations. Even though there are still many aspects that need to be polished and optimized, the framework is complete, the gameplay is fleshed out, and the theme is clear in the first test phase - the rest is really just a matter of time.
What else is there to say? Just wait for the flowers to bloom.