Free-to-play Pokemon and Palworld-like Aniimo launches to "Mixed" Steam reviews: "It's very much a gacha game"

Aniimo, the stunning open-world creature collector unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2025 as part of the Xbox Games Showcase, is finally available to play on PC and consoles – but it’s not proving too popular just yet.

Many of us Pokemon and Palworld fans were downright blown away by Pawprint Studio’s adorable little creatures and vibrant visuals when Aniimo first came to light – heck, it’s been on my wishlist since. The reviews so far, however, aren’t exactly stellar.

As of right now, the free-to-play game sits with a “Mixed” rating overall on Steam… and, yes, much of the more negative feedback has to do with microtransactions, purchases, and the like.

“Behind all the flashy visual flair is a mind-numbingly easy, boring gameplay loop built solely to push you toward aggressive monetization,” reads one such review. “The sickening amount of predatory gacha mechanics and aggressive pay-to-win walls completely ruin any sense of genuine progression. Don’t waste your time or money on this hollow cash-grab.”

Oof – and there are countless others like it, disappointingly enough.

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One person writes, “It’s very much a gacha game. When I see that you’re able to spend money to obtain rare items and end-game Aniimo, it turned me away from the game. I don’t mind paying for cosmetics or features that don’t affect gameplay but it’s disgusting how you’re pushed to spend money here, so disappointed.”

Others slate Aniimo for its awkward writing and “hand-holding” – a complaint many modern games are no stranger to.

Not everyone finds Aniimo a disappointment, however. There are plenty of positive reviews, with fans celebrating the creature collector as an especially “cute” gem.

I see quite a few comparisons to Infinity Nikki as well, with one review noting how Pawprint Studio’s debut game is “giving Palworld x Infinity Nikki vibes.” I’m personally sold on that, honestly… even if the whole microtransaction and gacha thing has me a bit wary.

Thankfully, Animo is free to download and try out. Furthermore, it’s topping the charts even if its reception offers a mixed bag of negative and positive reviews – in fact, it’s currently the sixth-most-played game on Steam, as per Valve’s charts… so, yeah.