Last Updated on Sep 2, 2026 @ 18:10:32 PM.
When it comes to Hoyoverse, Honkai: Nexus Anima is probably one of their more unique games that it has released over the years, with the game focusing more on the chill side of gaming rather than guns, swords, and explosions, which for once aren’t in the hands of a human player; they are instead in the hands of cute monsters known as Anima.
These little creatures will take the place of the humans in Honkai: Nexus Anima, as they will be used in battles, with each Anima being entirely unique in both combat and exploration, with Animas having their own classifications and abilities that tear them apart from the rest.
In terms of the physical design of the Anima, the ones I was able to see are quite interesting, with most of them being inspired by real-life animals so far, mashed up with something that makes them unique, like my personal favorite of a penguin that has a chef’s hat and is made of boba tea while also being able to turn its hat into a cannon, which is a sentence I never thought I’d say.
This is only one of the numerous Anima that I was able to look at within the game, with one being a flying serpent that I could ride, a crane that can create gusts of wind, and even one that is tied to the character Blade from Honkai: Star Rail. Along with these Anima having natural forms, some Anima, like Blade’s, will be able to evolve if you are able to meet certain criteria, which provides a form of progression for the player and not just turning the game into “collect the creatures, then forget about them.
The biggest change for Hoyoverse for Honkai: Nexus Anima is how the actual combat takes place, as instead of an open world hack and slash or a turn-based combat system, this time Hoyoverse has opted into a free-for-all combat system where you are able to select nine Anima to place into a team so that they can fight autonomously against another group of Anima using their own unique attacks in order to defeat the other team.
Now that isn’t to say that Hoyoverse has entirely abandoned their usual ways, as there is still a synergy system within the game, as players are able to link together certain traits and classifications in order to provide benefits to the entire team or to certain Anima depending on the combination of said Anima.
Not only will you be able to allow the Anima to fight on their own, but you are still able to select 3 specific characters within the game that can also provide certain buffs and attributes to the Anima in question or can even attack the Anima on the opposing team. Continuing with the example, if you have Blade as one of these characters, you can use his ability to attack one specific Anima with a sword, dealing devastating damage, but once you do, this ability goes on a short cooldown.
Although Hoyoverse has moved into a more simplistic playstyle for Honkai: Nexus Anima, exploring is just as in-depth as any other game they make, as there is plenty to find and do within the game world, such as minigames, quests, interactables, and much more that give the world a sense of life and adventure, which was a lot of fun, as the Anima can also interact with the game world by performing actions that you ask them to do, such as using the crane to blow wind towards a set of pin wheels to make them spin.
Along with this, there are still bosses and enemy combatants for the player to challenge within the game, as Anima have made the city you explore their home, allowing you to come across Anima at every corner, building, park, and so on, allowing you to be free to capture any you want and upgrade them slowly.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to explore the game’s story. I was able to see a lot of the game world and the numerous side quests therein, and the game is very full with content, allowing the player to constantly find something to do with plenty of rewards to keep them motivated to do so.
At the time of writing, Honkai: Nexus Anima doesn’t have any form of release date or release window.
For your next read, why not check out our article that talks about Hoyoverse’s other game, Petit Planet that we saw at Gamescom, or check out our article that talks about the up-and-coming Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen DLC.
Liam is a Senior Editor, Writer, and Critic for Thumb Wars and has been working with the team since day one. Liam is a big fan of all things gaming, as you will catch him playing all of the new releases from every genre you can imagine. Whether you find Liam gaming just for fun or spending his free time streaming, you will always find a smile on his face when it comes to all things gaming.
