Infinity Nikki is my favorite new release of 2024. It’s a cotton candy confection of an open-world game that offers more depth and variety than I ever expected to find. I enjoyed the quirky wardrobe, the low-key puzzles and the engaging side quests. But the most amazing thing about Infinity Nikki something I’ve ignored in games for years: the portrait mode.

I didn’t expect it to be the highlight of Infinity Nikki experience. In fact, when it came to the long series of tutorials during my first session, my first reaction was, “Oh well, something I’m going to forget.”

Photo mode has become a standard feature in single-player AAA games over the past decade. For those unfamiliar, this feature pauses the game to allow you to pose your protagonist like an action figure, making them mug with a silly expression or hold a peace sign. You can slap on a filter or make minute adjustments to focus, aperture and other details to capture a unique image.

Over the years, I’ve seen people capture Nathan Drake, Ellie and Joel, Aloy and many others in heroic or hilarious poses. I appreciate the images when they cross my social feeds. And as game graphics become more photo-realistic, it makes sense that studios want to give players the tools to capture beautiful moments when they happen. But every time I play with photo mode, I find that after I take a photo that is required in the tutorial, I can’t open the camera again.

My issue isn’t that these games aren’t good enough to warrant documenting. This is when I’m in the middle of playing something like The Last of UsIt doesn’t occur to me to stop suddenly because I’m focused on other gameplay mechanics and goals. Sure, there might be a few calmer moments to catch your breath, but running for your life in a post-apocalyptic wasteland is no time for casually browsing filters. And in other games, taking pictures is not an activity that the character will do. Come on, there’s no way Kratos is taking a selfie.

Like all its predecessors, Infinity Nikki nice game. Miraland consists of beautiful cities and beautiful landscapes, equally charming with their beautiful scenery and hidden corners. Everywhere you look are tons of carefully crafted little interactions that serve no purpose other than to encourage you to create a beautiful image. You press a button to ride a hot air balloon or to blow bubbles on a cafe table. This is a step up from most exercises, where the most you can do is sit on a chair or bench.

What really got me into being a shutterbug, however, was a system where players were prompted to take photos of famous locations around Miraland. The first time I found one, it was a green grotto where I ordered Nikki to sit on a log underground. It’s a beautiful place, sure, but what makes me happy the most is that my outfit fits the setting perfectly. So I stopped taking photos and went on to more important work. Take the time to look good is the the most important task.

There is no one style point of view Infinity Nikki. Some special ensembles offer contextual in-game abilities, but most pieces are there for you to see what you want. Nikki will be a silly anime character from the fantasy land of tulle and sparkles. Or he might look like someone you might see streaming a game on Twitch or TikTok in a big hoodie. Or she can pair a top hat with jean shorts and thigh high boots if you prefer. (And yes, I want to.)

This game knows that you have at least one part to play dress-up. It also knows that the obvious thing to do when you play dress up is to immortalize your best fit in a photo shoot. That’s it Infinity NikkiThe photo mode feels not only fun, but important. This is a core part of the game loop. When I assemble a new outfit, I want to find a good setting to snap a pic. When I stumble upon a unique location, I think about what poses would best showcase it.

Usually, cameras and photo modes do little to enhance my love for a game. They are the metaphorical cherry on top of the sundae. With Infinity Nikkihowever, the photo mode is ice cream. And it’s delicious.