Published Mar 18, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT
Yuliya Geikhman has been writing professionally for over 17 years. She started out in the MMO scene with Pando Media Booster and now dives into everything gaming at Screen Rant. She's a lifelong gamer, a relentless industry sleuth, and a passionate follower of everything happening in the games industry.
I got to go hand-on with Animula Nook, a game about big adventures in small spaces, and I couldn't be more excited. The cozy title from LilliLandia Games, an indie studio under Tencent Games, promises a low-stress escape from the real world.
Animula Nook shrinks players down and unleashes them into a world of giant items. The title changes familiar spaces in your room into a vast new world to explore. You'll be able to create cozy rooms, towns, and landscapes on your desktop, customize everything from your avatar to the NPCs, play, gather, craft, and explore.
And from the short time I spent with this game, Animula Nook is certainly a game I'll keep an eye on.
Animula Nook Is A Big Adventure In A Miniature World
It's All About The Details
The Animula Nook that I got to try is at a very early stage. The developers place a strong emphasis on testing and perfecting the core gameplay loop and structure with this alpha. Even so, the game world is already packed with many wonderful details to discover.
The absolutely adorable title was inspired by media like Pixar’s Luca and Hazelight Studio's It Takes Two, and it shows. Once you're past the character creator, you're thrown on top of your desk as a tiny, doll-sized character.
I could immediately pick up every item and put it in my magical backpack. Better yet, the game lets you shrink human-sized items to a tiny Lilliput size—like turning a massive pencil case into a Mini storage chest.
Every item seems thoughtfully designed, repurposing human items into miniature furniture and decor. There are milk-carton houses and glasses-case couches, and so many more delightful details. Outfits are just as charming and, even this early on, have plenty of options for all styles—with more customization on the way.
I had a blast exploring every little nook and cranny, gliding through the air with the help of my very round kitty-like Wupo, and rolling over the landscapes on a tiny skateboard (with the most satisfying jump sound of any skating game). The world beyond your bedroom window is equally intriguing, with stunning visuals that had me seeing everyday things from a new perspective.
Animula Nook has many other features I didn't get to try, like multiplayer, which will be a big part of the final game. There are musical instruments you can actually play, an exploration-based cooking system, and mini-games and pop-up activities to discover. It's shaping up to be an adventure cozy gamers will definitely enjoy.
Closed Alpha Starts Today
More Updates Are On The Way
Of course, I came across plenty of bugs and pain points, like stilted dialogue, a mysteriously skipped scene, and some un-intuitive UI choices. But it's important to remember this is still just an alpha, and far from a polished final product.
The closed alpha for Animula Nook starts today on PC through Steam. The team already has several updates planned based on feedback that will tweak pacing, interactions, cinematics, UI, and more.
You can join the Animula Nook community on Discord or sign up on the website to be notified of the next chance to try the game out.
English (US) ·