Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2013)

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2013)

Genre: RPG | Players: 1 | Developer: Level-5

I was so hyped for Ni No Kuni that I pre-ordered it seven months before it was even released on these shores. I began to think there was no way it could live up to my expectations. I was very wrong. It’s the kind of JRPG that hasn't been seen for a long time; the kind that comes along only about twice every console generation.

You play as a young boy named Oliver as he searches for something meaningful within two worlds and within himself. Along the way he’ll face physical and emotional trials.

The story could've tugged more fiercely on the heartstrings; there are scenes that feel forcibly reserved, which is odd considering it's by Studio Ghibli. They also provided cut scenes, character designs and beautiful in-game animation full of colour and vibrancy.

Sadly, the traditional 2D animation, like that pictured below, gets less frequent as the game progresses, but the consistency in quality remains and that's much more important.

-The beautiful moments in Ni no Kuni are more than just surface deep.-

Battles are a mix of real-time movements and turn-based inputs. When you enter the menu the action halts, and after inputting a command the action resumes. Oliver doesn't fight alone. He can recruit creatures to stand with him. Mostly you’ll be instructing them to fight on your behalf, utilising their unique abilities and strategically swapping them in and out of combat as and when needed, but you can’t rely on them completely because they get tired and must be rested.

-During boss battles you’re going to need millisecond timing.-

The game has two flaws that keep it from being perfect. The absence of your party members’ magic bar during combat is the first, because if you’re wholeheartedly relying on them to heal you in times of need then it’s vital to know if they have magic or not.

The second is that pre-rendered animations take precedence over any attempt you make to damage an enemy; e.g. if you release your most devastating attack just before the boss goes into his/her attack routine then they'll take the hit but it won’t register the damage. You'll be left with depleted magic and no time to defend the incoming barrage of pain.

Neither issue is game-breaking, but being aware of them in advance will help you plan your strategy better. It's a small criticism of an otherwise wonderful experience, which is the perfect antidote to bland sequels and rushed reboots.

Joe Hisaishi's soundtrack is superb, parts of which is perhaps the best he’s written in years.

I played with the Japanese v/o. Afterwards, I checked the English dub on YouTube and found it to be dreadful in comparison. Personally, I recommend subtitles for anyone not averse to them.