Creature collecting has just got a little more ambitious with the launch of Aniimo, a free-to-play open-world RPG that lets you do more than simply capture and battle its colourful inhabitants.
Developed and published by Pawprint Studio, Aniimo is now available on Xbox Series X|S, PC and PlayStation 5, with Xbox Play Anywhere support included. The game is also available through Game Pass Day One across the Ultimate, Essential, Premium and PC tiers, while a mobile release is scheduled for September 23rd.
We first covered Aniimo back in 2025, when its unusual Twining mechanic offered an early glimpse at how it planned to stand apart from other creature-collecting adventures.
At A Glance
- Game: Aniimo
- Formats: Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Mobile
- Price: Free-to-play; Game Pass Day One
- Publisher: Pawprint Studio
- Developer: Pawprint Studio
- Genre: Open-World Creature-Collecting RPG
Discover The World Of Idyll
Aniimo takes players to the expansive continent of Idyll, a world where creatures known as Aniimo can be found across a variety of environments. Their appearances and behaviours are influenced by factors such as weather, time of day and surrounding phenomena, giving exploration a purpose beyond simply travelling from one objective to the next.
Capturing these creatures requires a little more thought than pressing a button and moving on. Players can use Aniipods, set traps and carefully time their attempts, while the creatures themselves can evolve as their journey progresses.
The aim is to build a collection, but Aniimo also wants players to develop a connection with the creatures they discover.
Twining Lets You Become The Creature
The defining feature of Aniimo is its Twining system. Rather than simply sending a creature into battle, players can merge with their collected Aniimo and experience the world through their abilities and perspective.
This can open up new ways to approach puzzles, overcome obstacles and engage in battles. Depending on the creature involved, players may be able to glide, dive, burrow or use other skills to reach places that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
That makes the process of collecting Aniimo feel directly connected to exploration. Finding a new creature isn’t only about adding another entry to your collection – it could also provide the solution to a problem you’ve encountered elsewhere in Idyll.
From Open-World Exploration To Competitive Challenges
Idyll isn’t intended to be explored entirely alone. Players can visit a floating metropolis, meet fellow Pathfinders and take part in competitive battles, while the PvEvP mode known as Egg Heist introduces a more immediate multiplayer challenge.
In Egg Heist, teams of three head into the Lost Isles to search, compete and battle in real time. The mode is designed to mix cooperation with uncertainty, ensuring that other players can complicate proceedings as you work towards your objective.
Outside of combat, each Pathfinder also has access to a personal RV parked at a campsite. This provides a place to interact with other players, while returning to Homeland allows you to plant crops, arrange decorations and customise your own space.
A Free Adventure With Plenty To Explore
Aniimo is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PC and PlayStation 5, with Play Anywhere support on Xbox and PC thanks to the Xbox Store download. The mobile version follows on September 23rd.
With creature collecting, open-world exploration, Twining, competitive multiplayer and a more relaxed home-building element, Aniimo is attempting to bring several different sides of the genre together. Best of all for curious players, there’s no upfront cost to discovering what Idyll and its creatures have to offer.
