Product Features
- Genre
- Adventure
- Publisher
- Namco Bandai
- Release Date
- February 01, 2013
- Available Platforms
- PlayStation 3
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Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch
Ni No Kuni is Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's beautiful RPG which comprises the charming, magical tale of 13 year old Oliver whose mother (Allie) dies after rescuing him from drowning. Oliver, along with Drippy a male fairy (a doll who came to life when the boy's tears fell upon him) follows a book that enables him to use magic within a parallel universe called Ni No Kuni. As he strives to become a magician, he travels throughout this enchanted land exploring the stunningly picturesque landscapes and busy cities as he goes. He comes across a whole diversity of wonderful magical creatures and animals, making many great friends as he journeys onwards to achieve his primary aim.
Oliver's quest is to use his powerful new magical skills to find his mother in Ni No Kuni and to bring her back to life. The magic book contains spells which he will be forced to use against numerous intimidating enemies who confront him and his new friends during some extremely challenging battles. In addition to the main game, there are secondary quests, mini-games and bonuses to keep your interest.
The presentation of this game is second to none; Studio Ghibli's artistic input is up to their usual world class standard and, in keeping with many of their animated films, the wholly captivating music is provided by legendary composer; Joe Hisaishi.
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Jane Wallace March 24, 2013 PS3
If you don't recognise Japanese animators Studio Ghibli by name, chances are you'll be familiar with some of the films they've produced. Spirited Away is possibly their biggest hit in the West, but they're also responsible for such gems as Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle. What all of those movies have in common is that they mix wild, imaginative and mystical fantasy with grounded, realistic, real-world elements to create adventures that are just as beguiling for adults as for children, and which set a standard for animated films that most other studios can only dream of matching.
So why am I starting a review of a computer game by talking about a film animation company? Well, it seems that Ghibli have got tired of simply sticking to movies and have decided to venture into the world of games, too - and "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch" (to give it its full title) is the result.
Now, before I get stuck into what I liked about this game and what I didn't, please bear the following in mind: I'm not a terribly experienced gamer (my husband bought this for me to play on his PS3 because he knows I'm a big Ghibli fan), and as such my attraction to this game is far more rooted in my love of the Ghibli movies than it is due to any interest in computer games. So if any of what I'm saying feels obvious or like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs, you'll have to forgive my naivety.
With that disclaimer out of the way, it's time to get stuck into my opinions of this game:
IT'S BEAUTIFUL: There's no denying that this is a beautiful-looking game that at times stands up to comparisons with the best of Ghibli's movies. In purely visual terms, it's at its finest during the animated story segments, which look like they could have been plucked from any one of the studio's top films. But even during the game itself, the graphics are amazing and surprisingly true to the Ghibli style. Whilst it's a little bit odd to see 3-D graphics coupled with 2-D-style faces and textures, it still looks great. And the backdrops, textures and scenery are gobsmacking in terms of the painterly detail. There are some times whilst I'm playing this game that I'm happy just to stand around and do nothing, checking out the view and taking it all in.
IT'S AN ENGAGING STORY: Ni No Kuni, like a lot of the Ghibli films I mentioned earlier, isn't afraid to colour its fantastical landscape with a bit of realism and frankly heartbreaking human tragedy. Playing the part of a young boy called Oliver whose mother dies after rescuing him from drowning, the game gradually sucks you into a fantasy world that stands in stark contrast to Oliver's real life, and which teases him with the possibility of a magical reunion with his mother (as well as dragging him into a plot to defeat an evil wizard).
IT'S FILLED WITH GREAT CHARACTERS: In the best Ghibli traditions, Ni No Kuni game is populated by countless weird and wonderful characters that you'll meet (and sometimes team up with) as the story progresses. Chief among these is Drippy, who starts off as a soft toy that was a gift from Oliver's mother but who comes to life as a (male) fairy with a lantern tied to his nose and a bizarre but hilarious Welsh accent. That might sound a bit self-consciously wacky, but the way Drippy is depicted - including his fun dialogue and comedy characterisation that reminded me a little of Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle - stays on the right side of likeable. Other characters are fun and distinctive too, but no-one quite matches the greatness of Drippy.
BUT...
IT'S A LITTLE BIT DULL TO PLAY: When I first started Ni No Kuni, I was so blown away by the great graphics and by the prospect of a Ghibli computer game that I didn't really care about what you had to do to make progress in the game. And even after I got stuck into the game properly, the appeal of the visuals and the novelty of the characters and the story took a long time to wear off. But eventually, I have to admit that I found myself getting a little bored with things. Whilst the basic structure of the game (which involves going from place to place and completing tasks to help the people you meet) is perfectly fine, and allows you a decent opportunity to properly explore the world of the game, I was turned off by the "battle mode" sections that require you and your friends to battle other characters you meet. This involves taking turns to execute various attacks, as well as earning points for each of your team members to "level-up" their abilities. Maybe this is the norm for these types of games, but I just found it so intricate and boring to keep track of all this stuff that my interest started to wane a little bit during these sections.
IN CONCLUSION, THEN: Ni No Kuni is a very special game that really manages to bring the wonder of Studio Ghibli's films into a computer game, creating a rich fantasy world that you'll want to keep coming back to again and again. Whilst I wasn't a big fan of the battle sections and all the team-building point-earning stuff, there's enough in the way of good story, graphics and characters that this part of the game doesn't prevent it from being an overall enjoyable experience. I don't know whether the appeal will be the same for everyone, but if you're a Ghibli fan like me, then I'd definitely recommend that you try it.