Ni No Kuni:
Wrath of the White Witch was yet another JRPG that was unlikely to see
release in the U.S. and Europe. Its first incarnation in Japan was a turn-based RPG
for the DS
that came with a large book known as the Wizard's Companion, which
contained information needed to progress further in the game. A PS3
version was later made that changed the story and battle system
drastically. Fast forward to 2013, and the PS3 version was released in
the U.S, with Collector's Edition including the Wizard's Companion
despite it being stated that it was the biggest obstacle to
localization. However, what's really notable about this title is that it
was developed by both Level 5 (the developers of Dragon Quest VIII) and
the legendary Studio Ghibli. And the game they produced is an unforgettable experience.
Story
 |
| A Studio Ghibli work, through and through. |
The
game starts off in the town of Motorville. Oliver, the main
protagonist, decides to sneak out one night to help his best friend Phil
test out their new race car. But when the car starts to malfunction,
Oliver's mother manages to save her son — at the cost of her own life.
Stricken with grief, he spends most of his time in his room, crying.
When one of his tears brings his old doll to life, Oliver finds himself
beginning a journey in a new world to find a way to save his mother.
As a whole, it's important to remember that Ni No Kuni's
story is a coming of age story. Unlike many other JRPGs out there, this
one does the whimsical, light-hearted feeling well. What's unique about
this one is that it's an experience that will affect different players
in different ways. Younger players will most likely be left in awe of
the magical world created by Studio Ghibli. The older players will find their emotions stirred during the game's more poignant cutscenes.
Despite
that, however, it does have a few glaring flaws. First of all, the
story can feel like it's moving too slowly at times, which can turn off
players who haven't gotten very far. Second, too many cutscenes
are completely text based with no voice acting. The moments where there
IS voice acting are rather short; one particularly egregious example
was a late-game scene that transitioned from text based to voiced for a
total of TWO LINES. This issue really hurts some of the emotional impact
this game had. I can guarantee that this game's story would have had
more impact if more scenes had actually been voiced.
As
for the story itself, though it doesn't do anything new, the things
that it does do right are done very well. The focus for most of the game
is exploring the world and
meeting new characters who are all unique and charming. As many people
have stated, the game really does feel like an actual Studio Ghibli movie.
Gameplay
Ni No Kuni plays like a classic JRPG; it has your towns, dungeons, and overworld map. But the battle system is where things start to get interesting. I've seen it being compared to a fusion of Pokemon and the Tales series, but in truth, it's more like a fusion of Pokemon,
Persona, and Final Fantasy XII. In battle, characters can move about
the battlefield as they please, and skills are executed all in real-time
(though stronger moves take time to charge up). However, the real meat of the battle system comes from the familiars.
Whenever
you defeat a monster in battle, there's a small chance that a heart
icon can appear on its head, allowing you to tame it and make it your
familiar. Tamed familiars can then be set to characters and sent out in battle. Each character can switch between 3 familiars in battle. Like in Pokemon,
these familiars can level up, learn new skills, and evolve. And like in
the Persona series, familiars share their HP and MP with their owner,
but otherwise have their own stats. Familiars are limited in battle by
the stamina mechanic; a familiar can only fight for a limited amount of
time before automatically being withdrawn to recharge.
The
battle system as a whole is a fun one — though it comes with its own
issues. Enemies reward too little EXP at times, forcing you to grind.
And when multiple enemies target one character, the victim will often
take large amounts of damage before being able to react. The human
characters are also nearly useless until the near the end of the game
when Oliver gains access to extremely powerful spells. The tame rate for familiars is also too low, meaning you'll have to spend a lot of time trying to get the familiar you want.
Graphics
For a PS3 game that came out in 2011, Ni No Kuni still looks beautiful today. The in-game graphics are cel-shaded and resemble the art style of a typical Studio Ghibli movie. Ni No Kuni is vibrant and colorful; when paired with the story and cast, it helps create an experience that few other games are able to replicate.
Soundtrack and Voice Acting
The
music is all orchestral, and sounds beautiful. The game's main
leitmotif can be heard all throughout, and always exudes a sense of
adventure. The world map theme sounds tranquil, and the music in each
town does a good job reflecting the setting. The only criticism I have
is that the battle theme in normal encounters can quickly wear out its
welcome. The track itself is a well-composed one... but it's not really
meant to be used as a battle theme in a JPRG.
The
voice acting is captivating... at least when there is any, anyways. The
actors did a good job in bringing the cast to life; a special mention
goes to Drippy's
Welsh accent. Overall, the voice acting in this game does a great job,
but the game uses so little voiced scenes that it almost becomes
irrelevant.
Length
The main story will take around 40 to 50 hours to complete, depending on how many sidequests you complete. Ni No Kuni lacks a New Game Plus mode; in its stead is a lengthy post-game that allows you to fight powered up versions of old bosses, complete more sidequests, and challenge a superboss. There's a lot to do, so many players may find themselves sticking around even after the story has concluded.
Final Verdict: 8.9/10
Pros
- Charming story and cast that will provide different experiences for different age groups
- Stunning visuals and beautiful art style
- Great orchestral soundtrack
- Familiar system allows for a lot of team customization
Cons
- Battle system is rather unbalanced at times, and can force players to grind; familiar recruitment rate is also too low
- A jarring lack of voice acting hurts the emotional impact of the story
- Story pace can be a little too slow at times
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