The gaming world is buzzing about a new monster-collecting title from HoYoverse, seemingly inspired by the iconic Pokémon franchise. Titled Honkai: Nexus Anima, the game’s initial trailer showcases a diverse cast of anime-style creatures ready to be trained and battled. However, Nexus Anima appears to expand upon the formula, offering a wider array of interactions with your companions and larger, more expansive environments than those typically found in Game Freak’s offerings. Is Palworld facing some competition?
The narrative, while seemingly steeped in anime tropes, centers around a disrupted “Nexus” balance. This disruption scatters potent energies across the land, manifesting as the “Anima,” the game’s name for its collectible monsters. Players will embody a protagonist with a mysterious past, which will be revealed as you bond with various Anima. The core concept, however, remains creature collection, and despite HoYoverse not revealing their own take on Pikachu, the comparisons to the established Nintendo franchise are undeniable.
Visually, both games share a similar, approachable anime aesthetic. Several Anima also bear resemblances to familiar Pokémon. For instance, there’s an adorable orange, pancake-shaped canine that evokes both Fidough and Yamper. A charming pink bear-like character mirrors Stufful. And a seagull-inspired creature, adorned with a colonial-era wig for reasons unknown, is reminiscent of Pelipper. There’s also a sleek, dark, feline Anima with a coquettish style, that could draw comparisons to Umbreon.
While further comparisons could be made, to Nexus Anima‘s credit, the pool of real-world animals available for inspiration is finite. Moreover, the game seems to heavily incorporate food-related designs, like an Anima resembling a walking avocado and numerous smaller creatures designed after desserts. Common actions include riding Anima, playing together (such as on a seesaw), socializing at an apparent pet park, and feeding them treats. However, Nexus Anima also introduces unique elements. Gameplay footage depicts an Anima using a launcher to shoot down orbs in the sky, and another scene where the “not-Stufful” is seen demolishing the interior of a house in a rage-room setting.
Combat also appears to deviate from the standard formula. One gameplay segment features an overhead view with numerous Anima simultaneously engaged in battle, suggesting a more action-oriented combat style. Furthermore, Nexus Anima seems to provide more robust character customization options. All these features will likely tie into some sort of gacha system, influencing which Anima can be obtained, especially considering HoYoverse’s past game development strategies. If this is the case, Nexus Anima will likely be offered as a free-to-play game.
HoYoverse is launching a beta test for Nexus Anima on August 29th, accessible on both PC and iOS platforms. Please note that all player progress during this beta will be wiped. To participate, you can register here, which requires a HoYoverse account.