Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1174 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,000 out of 1174
  2. Mixed: 99 out of 1174
  3. Negative: 75 out of 1174
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  1. Blacksunsett
    Dec 7, 2022
    9
    This is the perfect JRPG. It combines elements of Pokémon and an interactive story. The game is close to 80 hours. The tutorial is long, but the time spent is worth it. The graphics are great for the style and time. Cut scenes are well made and voiced beautifully. It isn't a good game to introduce to a new player. The target audience is clearly experienced RPG enjoyers with ouds to classic RPGs.
  2. hector_bcn98
    Nov 9, 2022
    9
    Es el Pokémon de PlayStation que siempre quisimos y nunca tuvimos. El mejor videojuego de Studio Ghibli hasta la fecha.
  3. PaulaTLD
    Aug 23, 2022
    9
    Ame este juego, es hermoso de todas las maneras posibles, aunque el sistema de juego no me gusto mucho realmente, el diseño de las peliculas de Ghibli es maravilloso.
  4. chrisdan23
    Jun 9, 2022
    10
    Wenn es ein Spiel gibt, für das ich mir ein HD Remaster für die PS4 wünschen würde, dann wäre es sicherlich Ni No Kuni. Ich bin ein großer Fan der Ghibli Studios und ihrer Filme wie "Spirited Away", "Mononoke" oder "Das wandelnde Schloss". Dass Level 5, die Macher von PS2 Perlen wie Dark Chronicle und Dragon Quest 8, nun ein Spiel mit den Ghibli Studios zusammen entwickeln - das hat michWenn es ein Spiel gibt, für das ich mir ein HD Remaster für die PS4 wünschen würde, dann wäre es sicherlich Ni No Kuni. Ich bin ein großer Fan der Ghibli Studios und ihrer Filme wie "Spirited Away", "Mononoke" oder "Das wandelnde Schloss". Dass Level 5, die Macher von PS2 Perlen wie Dark Chronicle und Dragon Quest 8, nun ein Spiel mit den Ghibli Studios zusammen entwickeln - das hat mich natürlich schwer begeistert. Und was soll man sagen, die Zusammenarbeit hat sich wirklich gelohnt.

    So hat Ghibli nicht nur handgezeichnete Anime Sequenzen zum Spiel beigesteuert, sondern auch Charakterdesign und Storytelling maßgebend geprägt. So wird man viele Charaktere finden, wie beispielsweise die Königin von Ding Dong Dell, die einfach so hardcore Ghibli sind, dass es eine wahre Freude ist. Zudem lebt die Erzählung sehr von dem Moment der Phantastik, das auch Ghibli Filme seit jeher insbesondere prägt. Phantastik meint, dass reale und fiktionale Welt miteinander verwoben sind. Es ist ein Spiel mit den Ebenen, wo Wirklichkeit und Fantasie sich die Hand geben, sich verflechten und gegenseitig beeinflussen. Ghibli versteht es meisterhaft solche Geschichten zu erzählen. So bietet auch Ni No Kuni eine erzählerische Kost, die man sonst eher in Michael Ende Romanen findet, nicht aber in typischen JRPGs. Ganz großes Kino.

    Doch auch Level 5 hat ihren Beitrag zu diesem großartigen Spiel beigetragen, indem sie nämlich hervorragende Spielmechaniken entwickelt haben, die sich absolut motivierend und herausfordernd spielen. So ist eine wesentliche Mechanik des Spiels das Fangen und Aufziehen von Monstern. Jeder der drei Hauptcharaktere kann nun wiederum bis zu drei dieser Monster in einer Kampfsituation aufrufen. Doch damit ist das Thema noch nicht durch, denn als Spieler hat man die Möglichkeit, jederzeit zwischen den Charakteren, wie auch den verschiedenen aufgerufenen Monstern zu wechseln. Denn auch die Monster sind in ihren Aktionen komplett vom Spieler steuerbar. Dass heißt praktisch, man kann 3x3 Monster plus die speziellen Fertigkeiten der Charaktere komplett selbstgelenkt ins Spiel bringen.

    Dass es zusätzlich per Knopfdruck aktivierbare Meta Kommandos gibt wie "Alle greifen an" und "Alle verteidigen", macht das System nochmals komplexer. Worauf es am Ende ankommt, ist alle Monster und Spezialfertigkeiten der Charakteren taktisch geschickt einzusetzen, was ein ständiges Hin- und Her zwischen Charakteren und Monstern erfordert, ein schnelles situatives Umschalten, je nach dem, was auf dem Schlachtfeld gerade passiert. Gerade bei Bosskämpfen werden zudem die Metakommandos wichtig. Wenn beispielsweise zu einem Spezialangriff angesetzt wird, sollte man seine komplette Truppe möglichst schnell auch in Abwehrhaltung versetzen.

    Leider haben viele Tester das Kampfsystem von Ni No Kuni etwas verkannt. Anders kann ich mir ein Reden von Unübersichtlichkeit und Unfairness nicht erklären. Zugegeben, auf dem Schlachtfeld tummeln sich oftmals bis zu zehn Figuren. Das kann schon mal ein wenig unübersichtlich werden. Aber klassischerweise achtet man bei einem JRPG Kampfsystem vor allem auf die eigenen Werte und die Aktionen der Gegner, weniger auf die Inszenierung des Ganzen. Unfair ist Ni No Kuni so sicherlich nicht. Das System ist recht komplex und bietet verschiedenste Möglichkeiten der Bedienung. Das kann am Anfang etwas überfordernd wirken. Das Spiel setzt schon voraus, dass man sich mit den Fähigkeiten seiner Charaktere und Monster auseinandersetzt und selbstständig Taktiken entwickelt, wie man diese gut und effektiv einsetzen kann. Es wird einem hier recht wenig vorgekaut, sondern man bekommt ein sehr offenen System an die Hand, dass man auch sehr einfach spielen kann, aber eben auch sehr agil und effektiv. Es liegt letztlich am Spieler, was er aus den angebotenen Möglichkeiten macht.

    Neben dem fantasievollen Charakterdesign, der wunderschönen Zeichentrickoptik, der tiefgreifenden, niveauvollen Erzählung und nicht zu vergessen - des großartigen orchestralen Soundtracks, bietet Ni No Kuni so auch ein ungeheuer flexibles Kampfsystem, das zum Experimentieren und Optimieren einlädt und so zum eigentlichen Highlight des Spiels avanciert. Als Komplettpaket ist Ni No Kuni daher meines Erachtens bis heute das Beste was man im JRPG Genre finden kann.

    Leider hat der Nachfolger, nach dem Ausstieg der Ghibli Studios aus dem Franchise, das künstlerische Niveau des Vorgängers nicht halten können. Auch das grandiose Kampfsystem wurde durch ein spaßiges, aber deutlich weniger taktisches Echtzeitkampfsystem ersetzt. Schade. Gerade deshalb hoffe ich inständig weiter auf ein HD Remaster des Originals für die PS4. Für mich ist Ni No Kuni das beste JRPG das man sich wünschen kann. Es wäre schade, wenn diesem Kleinod der Sprung in die nächste Generation verwehrt bleiben sollte.    … Expand
  5. MeowCow1217
    Dec 11, 2021
    9
    If you like My Neighbour Totoro, Genshin Impact, Ni No Kuni (the studio Ghibi film), Harry Potter, then you will love this. It has wizards, witches, good, evil, strange creatures, (in a way it’s similar to Pokemon lol) and has a wide range of places. You can cast spells, tame creatures, battle enemies, and it’s just so fun. Definitely in my top 5 fav games
  6. JoKeR_AlexS
    Nov 21, 2020
    9
    Este comentário é universal nas minhas reviews. Apenas quero dar nota aos jogos e caso queiram saber mais alguma coisa sobre o jogo, aconselho a ver outras reviews ou até mesmo a experimentar o jogo.
  7. AbhinavDasiga
    Mar 31, 2020
    8
    A JRPG straight out of a fairy tale book, Ni No Kuni impresses with its scope and characters. There are dull moments in between but they don't detract too much from this charming and whimsical adventure.
  8. Narwhal
    Jan 27, 2020
    10
    This game is amazing with immersed game play. It is generally easy to get the hang of. Even the grinding feels good. I feel like this should be played by a lot of people. The best part is the battle system which is also easy to handle and play with. You can select every party member's action to either attack and defend. it is really engaging.
  9. Cafe_8bits
    Nov 11, 2019
    10
    Ni No Kuni its a perfect game for me. This game has so much polishing, so much content, so much love involved. Its a masterpiece of our age. NNK does not make anything new, but instead it collects many elements of classic JRPGs and use them in the rightest way possible. At the same time, NNK use all the modern resources it could to make the best experience possible, without fall into theNi No Kuni its a perfect game for me. This game has so much polishing, so much content, so much love involved. Its a masterpiece of our age. NNK does not make anything new, but instead it collects many elements of classic JRPGs and use them in the rightest way possible. At the same time, NNK use all the modern resources it could to make the best experience possible, without fall into the same old tropes of the genre.
    And, besides being a perfect blend of old and new, NNK excels well in his narrative, using the Studio Ghibli factor by his side.
    And to complement all of that, NNK have a fun and polished game play, in which we can be stuck by hours and hours.
    In fact, NNK is my most beloved game ever. And the only one i can easy give a 10 out of 10... It does everything i like in a RPG right, and i cant recommend it enough.    … Expand
  10. SilverGriever
    Sep 6, 2019
    10
    Not many games like it. The combat system feels unique. Even tho it borrows monster collecting and training from series like Pokemon, the combat is real time and more action based. The art style, animations and soundtrack are also all amazing.
  11. brendo214
    Aug 13, 2019
    8
    I absolutely loved the way that Ni No Kuni combines the collection of Pokemon from Pokemon and the semi-realtime combat system from a few JPRGs. It led to really fun and unique gameplay.
  12. KratosKong
    Jun 16, 2019
    9
    Este Jrpg con la colaboración del estudio Ghibli supuso en su momento la vuelta a los Jrpgs clásicos de mapamundi. Posee una bonita banda sonora y una historia propia del estudio Ghibli
  13. Empyrea
    Jan 24, 2019
    8
    I've just beaten the game so here goes my impressions: my first 6 hours were really great because everything was new. Graphics are really great, it's like an anime. It reminds me a bit Dragon Quest VIII. Soundtrack is really good as well, although the music in the battles can be repetitive as it can be these battles. About gameplay, is a mix of both turn based and real time based andI've just beaten the game so here goes my impressions: my first 6 hours were really great because everything was new. Graphics are really great, it's like an anime. It reminds me a bit Dragon Quest VIII. Soundtrack is really good as well, although the music in the battles can be repetitive as it can be these battles. About gameplay, is a mix of both turn based and real time based and reminds the Pokemon games. About plot is interesting at first. I think this game would have been better if it was shorter and with a more entertaining battle system. I think this is a really good game for children and young people but even if you're an adult and you are not only focused in bloody games with insults you're gonna enjoy this game. About difficulty, I didn't have much problems in easy mode until the end. Just make sure to save this game from time to time an especially when you are close to the "star" in the map (which is the main mission) because sometimes you can find a boss without having saved your game and save when you are a little far from the star cause sometimes you don't even reach the star and a scene triggers and sometimes is a boss. About bosses, if you have problems don't bother in leveling up your team. You only need to change your strategy, use the right attacks and have some potions in your bag. Doing this will be enough until you are finishing the game were enemies will be hard. My advice: do all the Horace riddles when you are close to the end. He will give you very good spells such Veil (with this you can avoid battles) and other strong spells. That's all. So yes, this is a good game. There should be more anime games like this in ps3 and ps4. It took me 39 hours to beat the game and a total of 44 hours and half to reach the real final. I beat the real final bosses at level 50 but with many PM potions (more than 20 and I used them all but 1). The worst of the final enemies is that your strongest spells are very slow to shoot and you can't cancel them to protect yourself when they send you a strong spell. This is the main gap I think.… Expand
  14. Leontorres7
    Nov 15, 2018
    10
    A Masterpiece, loved everything about this game, it is definitely a must play!
  15. Chara-Dreemurr
    May 24, 2018
    10
    I Love Ni No Kuni!I Love The Challenges And Art Style,Ooh!And Even The Amount Of Strategies You Can Use,I Know This Is My Opinion But, Ni No Kuni Is Great! 10 out of 10!
  16. PaupiTLD
    May 21, 2018
    10
    Hermoso juego!! me engancho de principio a fin! una de las razones que la ame tanto fueron las escenas de cinemática hechas por uno de mis estudios favoritos de la vida :D , no me aburrió en ningún momento y tiene una historia hermosa
  17. rachillustrate
    May 14, 2018
    8
    Ni No Kuni is a fun and charming game filled with endearing characters and an enchanting world. Although the story may not be incredibly deep or complex, it’s well-executed and keeps things interesting. However, the battle system can be frustrating as you are constantly questioning your AI party members' intelligence and decision-making skills. The "familiars" bring a unique angle to theNi No Kuni is a fun and charming game filled with endearing characters and an enchanting world. Although the story may not be incredibly deep or complex, it’s well-executed and keeps things interesting. However, the battle system can be frustrating as you are constantly questioning your AI party members' intelligence and decision-making skills. The "familiars" bring a unique angle to the battles though and I find myself looking forward to exploring new areas specifically to find new creatures to add to my team. The animations created by Studio Ghibli also make the game a wonder to look at. Overall, a great game that is definitely worth jumping into.… Expand
  18. artificeprime
    Apr 14, 2018
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A perfect example of a family friendly game that is deep and complex while still being accessible.

    Ni no Kuni is a very innocent and childish game on the surface but just like a good Disney or Ghibli movie it has just as much appeal for adults as it does for kids. It has a well thought out world with a deep history and the more I played the more I found I wanted to learn. The games' magic was also quite well thought out and made sense within the story as well as gameplay. The characters weren't as complex as RPGs like Persona or Final Fantasy, but they felt believable enough and each one had meaningful development throughout. By the end I truly cared about the cast and felt like they had grown immensely. On a technical level it looks and sounds great while offering very unique gameplay that is fun and rewarding. The more you play the better the game gets. I recommend it to all fans of JRPGs regardless of age.

    In terms of gameplay. There are many ways that it is exceptional. The menu system is one of the most intuitive and well thought out of any game I have ever played. Basically the whole menu system is part of a book called the Magician's companion. It includes everything you need to know about monsters you have enountered, your familiars, your characters, items, and spells. It is like an interactive book and it is so easy to use and enjoyable to look through. It is so good I really wish that more games had a menu system that is so robust while being easy to navigate. So many elements of the game are just really well thought out. For example as you get further in the story and reveal more of the map you progressively get better vehicles and abilities that make traveling long distances easier. It happens in a very natural way so that traveling to knew places always felt like a fresh experience but rarely felt like a chore. All of the methods of travel also made perfect sense within the context of the story. The combat system starts out very basic but as you learn new spells and tame more familiars, it progressively gets more interesting. By the end of the game I had so many spells and familiars that I genuinely felt very powerful. The way that new spells get unlocked also fits perfectly into the story making it all the more satisfying. There are a huge variety of familiars so I always felt motivated to discover new ones. Combat can be challenging but was never frustratingly difficult. The only major downsides of the gameplay is that exploration is pretty boring, on the field and in dungeons there isn't a lot that Oliver can do. There are a few field spells but those don't really do much to enhance the gameplay experience. Aside from that minor weakness though the gameplay is well above most JRPGs.

    The Story is surprisingly very deep. It is a great blend of intimate and epic. At first it seems like a simple journey for Oliver to save his mother but the further you go the grander the conflict becomes. I was genuinely surprised by just how deep the story went in the end and the plot was for the most part very well crafted. Each area you travel to reveals more about the world, its history and its problems. It is delivered in a way that is simple enough for a child to appreciate but it is deeper than most games targeted at a mature audience. It is clear that a lot of thought was put into the story and by the end almost everything is clearly explained. My only major complaint about the story is that I thought the final arc was a little bit disappointing, it isn't bad and it actually came as a surprise but I thought there was just so much potential for it to be far more than it was. The reveal of Shadar's identity to me was very satisfying and then the reveal of the White Witch was also very satisfying. Their connection to each other and Oliver made a lot of sense. What disappointed me though was the reveal of the final reveal of the identity of the zodiarchs and the explanation behind their downfall. There was just so much potential to make the zodiarch and the White Witch more complex. I also thought the explanation behind the collapse of the ancient kingdom to be a bit too simple considering the deep history surrounding it. The way that the White Witch is defeated was also a missed opportunity to me it would have been so amazing if Oliver had to complete her heart by gathering every type of emotion from across the kingdom. They had all the mechanics and world building for it to make perfect sense. None the less, the story is amazing and full of surprises.

    Visually the game speaks for itself. I think it is one of the best looking games on the PS3. The cartoony style won't be for everyone but I think it will age exceptionally well. I think it still looks better than most JRPGs on the PS4. There is care and detail put into every design. Each location is memorable and each spell looks interesting. Bosses look great some of the familiars look stupid but there are so many.

    I give it 86%    … Expand
  19. ORevisor
    Mar 29, 2018
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos, história perfeita e emocionante, sistema de combate empolgante, colecionar e evoluir familiares que te ajudam nos combates é maravilhoso, música e gráficos fantásticos.
  20. SuperkenGaming
    Mar 25, 2018
    9
    Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Playstation pokemon
    Ni No Kuni Wrath of The white witch is a pokemon like action jrpg where you play as a boy named oliver who sets out to save his mom. This is a really heart breaking and heart fixing story and adventure.. The game opens in a 1950s and 60s feeling town known as motoville.. there are tons of cutscenes and voice acting here.. though    Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Playstation pokemon
    Ni No Kuni Wrath of The white witch is a pokemon like action jrpg where you play as a boy named oliver who sets out to save his mom.
    This is a really heart breaking and heart fixing story and adventure..
    The game opens in a 1950s and 60s feeling town known as motoville.. there are tons of cutscenes and voice acting here.. though sadly this gets rarer the deeper you get into this game.. its mostly reading which holds this game back a bit, but youre just s typical school boy getting into all kinds of shenanigans with your best friends.. and then things happen.. you cry, and your tears free a fairy that’s been trapped in your world and takes you to his world to help you save your mom..
    Cause this game is all about soulmates.. there are 2 versions of everyone..
    Characters that live in motorville live in this other world as other characters and youll be going back and forth occasionally to take care of their issues to help them in the other world and get one step closer to saving your mom
    To do this youll be mending the broken hearts of this worlds characters.. youll have to borrow love and enthusiasm, and belief from characters that have plenty and give it to people with broken hearts using your spell book..
    Did I forget to mention youre a wizard, cause youre a wizard.. youre the hero this world has been waiting on to save them.. as you progress the game youll learn new spells to cast in world as well as in combat..
    The meat of this game..
    This is a very pokemon heavy styled game..
    At least for the majority.. you have to get a few hours in until a character joins you that allows you to capture familiars throughout the world..
    To capture them you have to impress them by weakening them in battle, and esther can then serenade them to make them your own..
    you then throw them in your party or store them..
    Your party will eventuially have 3 main characters, and each can hold 3 familairs at a time, all equally gaining xp from battles.. once leveled up high enough you can evolve them into their next form which starts them back to level 1, but their stats will greatly improve throughout their 3 different forms..
    Characters do have weaknesses, and will learn new elemental moves, and they all have different sub classes like fighter, tank, caster, healer… all of which are important to have in your party.. at least for the members you don’t use that often..
    I was very olivery heavy and I stuck with my beginning familiar throughout..
    But I made sure to give the rest of my party tanks so they wouldn’t die as quickly as well as healers to make sure the team stayed healthy, and fighters to do a bit of damage
    And both of my party members did a great job of doing damage using magic and healing
    Though youre able to freely switch through all 12 characters at any time during a battle as its all happening real time with a mix of turn based timers going on.. attacking and defending has to cool down and your special attacks are tied to magic points
    The combat here can really get intense.. i was active in most battles, even simple encounters with regular enemies…
    I feel like this is mostly thanks to how much magic points moves take..
    I hardly ever did any special moves because of how costly they were,, I would save my magic to heal my part to make sure I wasn’t sent back to the start of an area at a save point, which will refull your health and magic..
    I do feel that these moves are just a little too expensive though..
    It feels like a waste to have them there and again.. never really get to use them
    Though this isn’t the case during boss battles..
    Easily the highlight moments of this game.. where all of your grinding and leveling and party building with different weapons and armours pay off…
    Youll be timing attacks and defenses to get the poss to drop health and magic so you can pull off awesome moves and towards the end of the game youll even get to call in the bosses you’ve defeated as champions to pull off element based moves for massive damage…
    And occasionally bosses will drop a gold orb for you to do a super move and fill up your health..
    Every boss battle felt just the right amount of challenging, excluding a certain moment in the game where you get to choose the order you take down these 3 different bosses.. for obvious reasons after you defeat one of the 3, the other 2 are a breaze.. but the rest of this games bosses are insane and are such a great pay off for crawling through the maze like dungeons..
    Ni NO Kuni is a really special game..
    its addictive with a heart warming story.. the grinding never feels like a grind.. the 30 hours fly by and its just the right amount of challenging the whole way through
    It would be great to see it come to ps4, but its worth dusting off the ps3 for
    I give Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    an 8.5/10    … Expand
  21. greg555
    Nov 9, 2017
    8
    Excellent story, music, art. Only setback the unending battles with a tiresome real-time battle system. Abandoned it at 60%, not bearing more and more required battles... Worth trying it anyway.
  22. Hoso
    Apr 10, 2017
    10
    After more than a hundred hours to get my platinum trophy, I must say this is a «Masterpiece». It is like playing in a Studio Ghibli movie with a fun fighting system. It is like Pokemon and Tales of had a baby. The story is well written and all the characters are fun to discover. The soundtracks are feeling just like a Studio Ghibli movie. Seriously, this game has nothing missing for aAfter more than a hundred hours to get my platinum trophy, I must say this is a «Masterpiece». It is like playing in a Studio Ghibli movie with a fun fighting system. It is like Pokemon and Tales of had a baby. The story is well written and all the characters are fun to discover. The soundtracks are feeling just like a Studio Ghibli movie. Seriously, this game has nothing missing for a Single player JRPG.

    A must for JRPG and Studio Ghibli fans.    … Expand
  23. Pariable
    Mar 23, 2017
    10
    This is another on the list of masterpiece RPGs you must play in your lifetime. The plot from beginning to end will keep your pressing through each save unto the early hours of the morning. Not many RPGs in recent years have struck me the way Ni No Kuni has. My first qualification for such a positive rating is the holy trinity: challenging, rewarding, and emotionally impacting. InThis is another on the list of masterpiece RPGs you must play in your lifetime. The plot from beginning to end will keep your pressing through each save unto the early hours of the morning. Not many RPGs in recent years have struck me the way Ni No Kuni has. My first qualification for such a positive rating is the holy trinity: challenging, rewarding, and emotionally impacting. In RPGs which tell a linear story it MUST be compelling. Trust me when I say, this game will pull at you emotionally. The combat system is unique and impressively intense at times. The final showdown in the game will have you enjoying every aspect of the combat you experience throughout. A perfect climax in terms of the system they used. All other bells and whistles of the game were otherwise perfect. If it didn't have so digital downloads, copies of this game would be worth 80-100 dollars in appreciation, years from now. Go play this game!… Expand
  24. GreenSkullRider
    Jan 30, 2017
    10
    Con la llegada confirmada de la secuela se deben tomar las molestias para jugar o rejugar este juego japonés, vaya que belleza de juego con los estudios ghibli en la parte visual y un trasfondo del mas puro y clásico rpg, esta es la historia de un niño, magia, 2 mundos y una madre perdida (o muerta). de ahí solo se abre un libro que te enviara a los mas grandes y peculiares sueños. unCon la llegada confirmada de la secuela se deben tomar las molestias para jugar o rejugar este juego japonés, vaya que belleza de juego con los estudios ghibli en la parte visual y un trasfondo del mas puro y clásico rpg, esta es la historia de un niño, magia, 2 mundos y una madre perdida (o muerta). de ahí solo se abre un libro que te enviara a los mas grandes y peculiares sueños. un juego perfecto… Expand
  25. Lycanthropunk
    Jan 1, 2017
    10
    This game is as close to perfect as any game I have played. Full of charm and humour, with graphics which put most current gen titles to shame and with surprisingly deep gameplay too. An absolute masterpiece.
  26. gq_foine
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    This is in my TOP 5 best JRPG ever made! Best RPG on PS3.. It brought back my love for RPGs, since everything has been god awful - Skyrim, and all these other games that people are playing.

    This is how I broke down my rating: Story - 10 Graphics 10 Gameplay 10 Sound - 10 Overall - 10 *Absolute masterpiece! Ni No Kuni 2 is coming out next year and looking forward to it! This    This is in my TOP 5 best JRPG ever made! Best RPG on PS3.. It brought back my love for RPGs, since everything has been god awful - Skyrim, and all these other games that people are playing.

    This is how I broke down my rating:

    Story - 10
    Graphics 10
    Gameplay 10
    Sound - 10
    Overall - 10

    *Absolute masterpiece! Ni No Kuni 2 is coming out next year and looking forward to it! This is absolutely amazing and is a must play for PS3 owners!    … Expand
  27. HTGamer
    Nov 27, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is probably the best modern JRPG of the PS3 console generation, and deservedly so. It's a significantly expanded version of the original Nintendo DS game (Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn), and since it has been freed from the constraints of the ancient portable, the game really shines on PS3.

    The story is about a child named Oliver who early in the game loses his mother. His beloved toy (an Irish-speaking doll named Drippy) animates and tells Oliver about a parallel world where a "soulmate" of everybody exists there. Oliver travels to the other world and learns to use magic, hoping to save his mother in his world. From that point on, the story progresses and becomes a blend of epic and drama, as Oliver travels the world to accomplish his quest, making new friends along the way.

    Gameplay is about traveling in a world map and entering towns to explore further, and fighting monsters in order to level-up. The main story events are accompanied by numerous side activities (bounties, errands, side quests, mini games). The combat system is a classic JRPG with active time based moves (no turn-based), and the player can use either Oliver or a minion (known as "familiar") to fight enemies. The player can defeat monsters and recruit them to use as familiars, which can also level up through combat and evolve to become even more powerful. You can also issue commands to the other AI-controlled party members. After completing the main story quest, there is plenty of high-level enemies to fight in the post-game, and many more familiars to catch, just like on Pokemon. The only negative aspect of the gameplay is the classic JRPG issue of having to grind for hours and level up in order to progress the story (there is no prerequisite player level to progress through the story missions, but sometimes you realise you have to gain 5 levels in order to beat a boss and progress, which may mean you previously rushed through the campaign and didn't do other side activities to gain XP), but if you mix story progression with side quests, you will have more variety and it won't bog you down as much. Still, the combat system is so great that grinding isn't frustrating, other than time-consuming.

    Thanks to the collaboration of the developers with the acclaimed Studio Ghibli, graphics are beautiful. Cut-scenes are hand-drawn anime, and the in-game graphics are cel-shaded to look like a 3D anime. The soundtrack is great, and the voice over is surprisingly good.

    Overall, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a wonderful game. It was a surprise hit back in 2013, and it was so successful that a sequel was announced in 2015 to be in the works (Revenant Kingdom). I can't wait to hear more about it. In the meantime, if you read this review, be assured that Ni No Kuni is a good reason to return to the old PS3 console and play one of its best exclusives.    … Expand
  28. houyi111
    Aug 2, 2016
    9
    Ni no Kuni is an amazing game. I am not into JRPG at all, in fact the only JRPG I played is dark souls which is not a traditional slow-paced, turn-based and lengthy JRPG. At the beginning I find the game is kinda of boring, i.e, every encounter is just to spam attack button.. but maybe 10 hours into the game, I realized that the fighting system is rather complicated and elegant. You haveNi no Kuni is an amazing game. I am not into JRPG at all, in fact the only JRPG I played is dark souls which is not a traditional slow-paced, turn-based and lengthy JRPG. At the beginning I find the game is kinda of boring, i.e, every encounter is just to spam attack button.. but maybe 10 hours into the game, I realized that the fighting system is rather complicated and elegant. You have minions with one of star, moon, and sun elements, they have pros and cons against each other, e.g, sun element deals more damage to moon, but less damage to star, etc. I maxed level dozens of minions, they are all fun to use and feels different.
    The story is quite enjoyable and cheering. Everyone has a heart even the bad guys. In the end, I just love every parts of the game. I cannot wait for ni no kuni 2.    … Expand
  29. Colaflare
    May 25, 2016
    10
    A truly fantastic journey and narrative with a new take on JRPG elements. Ni No Kuni takes the key fun and impactful elements of games like Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Dragon Quest etc and pours them into a game that is simply stunning. Buy this if you can and experience what more JRPGs should be like in this day and age. I'll be picking this up the moment it comes to PS4 if it ever does
  30. NexusTsunami
    Mar 9, 2016
    9
    Ni no Kuni. Ein Spiel welches es vermag einen vollkommen in seine Welt eintauchen zu lassen. Zum ersten liegt das an der liebevoll, bis zum Rand mit Details, gefüllten und im passenden Anime-Look gehaltenen Spielewelt. Zum zweiten an dem süchtig machenden Zähmen und Entwickeln von Monstern/Vertrauten. Und zum Dritten an dem interessanten Kampfsystem, welches mich persönlich, an eineNi no Kuni. Ein Spiel welches es vermag einen vollkommen in seine Welt eintauchen zu lassen. Zum ersten liegt das an der liebevoll, bis zum Rand mit Details, gefüllten und im passenden Anime-Look gehaltenen Spielewelt. Zum zweiten an dem süchtig machenden Zähmen und Entwickeln von Monstern/Vertrauten. Und zum Dritten an dem interessanten Kampfsystem, welches mich persönlich, an eine Mischung aus "Tales of" und der "FF13" Reihe erinnert.

    Alle die etwas mit der Optik und dem Kampfsystem der "Tales of" Reihe, dem Sammelwahn von "Pokemon" und vergleichbaren, dem Kampfsystem der "FF13" Trilogie, einem epischen orchestralem Soundtrack und allgemein etwas mit Anime bzw. Cell Shading anfangen können, sei dieses Spiel ans Herz gelegt.

    9*    … Expand
  31. masterplan
    Feb 21, 2016
    10
    A superb game that;s reminded me why I loved games in the first place.

    Genuinely wonderful JRPG that I borrowed a PS3 to play - and I was not disappointed :)
  32. thepatient613
    Feb 16, 2016
    10
    I bought this game and only because I had to see what all the hype was about. It litterally blew my mind. There could be 10 in the series and it would still be a gem. Best part? Litterally everything! Just make sure to check that you still have a life once in a while because you might get deep into it.
  33. madmats
    Aug 25, 2015
    9
    Best RPG i played on PS3.

    Really good story and studio Ghibli is great as usual.
    Great music, soundtrack and voice acting.
    I was afraid it would be too childish for me but I really enjoyed it.

    I hope they make a sequel.
  34. sityoazzdown
    Aug 3, 2015
    9
    Amazing game, easily in my top 10 games of last gen. It's basically a hybrid Pokemon game, and a pretty good one at that. The grinding/looting/ capturing was crazy addicting and also crazy rewarding. When you go the extra mile in this game you know you'll be rewarded, (which some games don't). The overall gameplay was fun, challenging, and refreshing. The hybrid real time battle system isAmazing game, easily in my top 10 games of last gen. It's basically a hybrid Pokemon game, and a pretty good one at that. The grinding/looting/ capturing was crazy addicting and also crazy rewarding. When you go the extra mile in this game you know you'll be rewarded, (which some games don't). The overall gameplay was fun, challenging, and refreshing. The hybrid real time battle system is perfect in this game imo, it is strategic and feels awesome when you finally beat a boss or a bounty hunt. The story was good and i enjoyed the characters and story missions, but must say i wasn't wowed by the ending. The open world element of this game was a cherry on top, looting for ingredients , grinding and trying to find strong familiars, etc. all added to the adventure and amazing variety of this game. The only negatives were the annoying reappearing monsters during story missions and the lack of feel of whether or not a familiar is any good when you start, the revelation in the story was kind of meh to me, but thats imo. To end, this is basically Pokemon for ps3, whaddya waiting for!… Expand
  35. Sammy680
    Jul 16, 2015
    8
    Nowhere near as great as it's made out to be- and far from perfect. It's a good game but has severe flaws and the story can be quite dull at times and nonsensical at others.

    It personally took me a loooong time to get into the story; the intro was rather bland and aside from the legendary Mr. Drippy, the characters in the beginning aren't especially exciting. Oliver is your typical    Nowhere near as great as it's made out to be- and far from perfect. It's a good game but has severe flaws and the story can be quite dull at times and nonsensical at others.

    It personally took me a loooong time to get into the story; the intro was rather bland and aside from the legendary Mr. Drippy, the characters in the beginning aren't especially exciting. Oliver is your typical do-gooder-no-personality-whatsoever hero, and remains uninspiring throughout the game.

    Graphics-wise, the game is gorgeous, and I often found myself taking time out to simply look around. The cut scenes by Studio Ghibli are the typical fare you'd expect from them.

    The soundtrack is brilliant, not much else to say on that point!

    Apart from the story, the biggest flaw is the AI of your comrades. This makes later battles incredibly annoying at times- for example, I've set them to heal before and they do anything but that- and the game could've benefited greatly from a FF12 style gambit system or something similar, giving greater control over the party members.

    The familiars are a fun aspect of the game and will appeal to most Pokemon fans.

    The Wizard's Companion is actually one of my favourite aspects of the game, but for anyone who hates large amounts of reading it may seem choresome trawling through it for certain side quests- thankfully there is always Google!

    I think they also missed a trick by not utilising all of the spells you acquire over the game; some spells you don't have the opportunity to use at all. Many spells are just fillers and I found that disappointing.

    Overall this a game worth playing, but it's far from the best JRPG ever.    … Expand
  36. Sephiroth_X
    Jun 20, 2015
    10
    Im biased because this game represents something i always wanted in my life, an RPG that strongly resembled a cartoon! The artstyle this game deliver has to be yet surpassed is simply a joy to watch everything and wander around, through the whole game the visual quality never lets down.

    Also is not completely linear and encourages exploration, lots of monsters to aid you in your quest,    Im biased because this game represents something i always wanted in my life, an RPG that strongly resembled a cartoon! The artstyle this game deliver has to be yet surpassed is simply a joy to watch everything and wander around, through the whole game the visual quality never lets down.

    Also is not completely linear and encourages exploration, lots of monsters to aid you in your quest, nice orchestral soundtrack and a nice story makes this a must have and probably future classic.    … Expand
  37. SpenserReynolds
    Jun 2, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was a very surprisingly pleasant little RPG. I went in not expecting this from it.

    "Pokemon". OK people. We act like pokemon is the only thing ever to take the concept of having creatures be your friends and help you fight. Chill out. Yes, I can see that this is reminiscent of pokemon, certainly. But many games use this; it is not a ripe-off. Calm down. I really enjoyed the familiars-based combat (but holy your AI party members will be really stupid with theirs sometimes, like dang, hope you're ready to baby sit during combat). Leveling familiars can be a little annoying sometimes, but later in the game there is an easy creature that dishes out a lot of EXP so the grind becomes not so bad.

    POSITIVE:
    The sort of dual plot is where I was surprised- the ambiguity of this make believe world, for me, was stunning. There is the surface level little-boy-saves-fantasy-world part to it, which was honestly quite cute (against my usual opinions). Then on another level, there was the implication that the world didn't really exist at all and was really just a coping method for the little boy's loss of his mother.

    The graphics are very cute, and the occasional Ghibli animated parts were truly a treat.

    The universe was pleasant. And the throwback to a world map based game (I am referring to FF7 style) was refreshing, but also very nice that the battles were not random encounter- you see the enemies and it takes you into another screen. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED that lower level enemies run from me. Like, how realistic, right? Wouldn't they though? But anyway. I was also excited by each new location (and also how not terribly painful they were. dungeons are brief and to-the-point).

    The sidequests were pleasant (some repetitive, but hey, they're 100% optional). They often send you back to previous locations, but you obtain a fast travel and THE LOWER LEVEL ENEMIES DON'T INSIST ON WASTING YOUR TIME. WHICH IS GREAT. So you can come and go to low level areas without wanting to shoot yourself as you please.

    After-game content is not pure grinding! Which is cool! (the after game, unfortunately, is not chronologically after you save the world. this is still a rare thing in games. it takes you back to before you won. but that is fine).

    MEH:
    Nothing is perfect, of course.

    The music was ok. Just your standard adventure game music, about what you would expect.

    The characters and their relationships. The duality of the plot was great, but the surface level plot was about what you would expect tbqh. The characters didn't really do much to surprise you with their behavior (the grumpy one was grumpy, the two who always bickered still always bickered, the jokes were silly at best, etc.) This is easily excused, for me, by it being the creation of a little boy struggling with grief.    … Expand
  38. Rustedtruck
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    I loved this game so much! It still reminiscing very lively in my heart and I will never forget how its story, gameplay, and characters touched me heart. This RPG deserves to be experienced by every fan and it will have enough memorable content in it to last a lifetime.
  39. rodericrinehart
    Mar 27, 2015
    10
    Absolutely gorgeous game from one of the best animation studios int he world. Story is long and great in true JRPG fashion. You won't ever forget this game. RPG at its finest!
  40. danieltule
    Feb 24, 2015
    10
    Ni No Kuni is one of my all time favorite games. It has great battle system. Great story, and you always have something to do from side quests casino or the story. The graphics are great. This is a game you can easily get into.
  41. IreneGR
    Feb 22, 2015
    10
    one of the BEST games I have ever played! if you are a pokemon lover you will love it! if you are a fantasy lover you will love it! it will drive you through amazing places you will enjoy it for sure! grab it though is over 70 hourse gameplay!
  42. bobbsyw
    Feb 1, 2015
    8
    It's not the best game that I've ever played, but it's possibly the most beautiful and engaging. The battles get pretty tedious after a while, but it was a nice touch that "low level" enemies tried to avoid encountering you. You're basically playing a Ghibli film, so as you'd expect, the story is great and the visuals are stunning.
  43. DeusXCom
    Dec 9, 2014
    10
    Fantastic JRPG that took me on an amazing adventure to another beautiful world. Everything is superb, from the world design, to hundreds of unique and controllable creatures that are often so well-designed, original or just plain cute, it's awesome, tons of equipment, complex alchemy that is actually fun to mess with and cook your own food and treats, boat sailing, dragon riding, casinoFantastic JRPG that took me on an amazing adventure to another beautiful world. Everything is superb, from the world design, to hundreds of unique and controllable creatures that are often so well-designed, original or just plain cute, it's awesome, tons of equipment, complex alchemy that is actually fun to mess with and cook your own food and treats, boat sailing, dragon riding, casino mini-games, all these things this game has to offer, Ni No Kuni was clearly made with love and incredible attention to detail. The best example is the wizard's companion, your in-game handbook which is probably the most impressive piece of book I have ever seen in a game, detailed maps, information about everything in the world, the provisions, creatures, spells, weapons, exclusive tales, everything with beautiful hand-drawn pictures, even it's own alphabet, lucky the ones who were able to get their hands on the real thing from the deluxe edition. Yes, the story and the whole theme might seem a bit childish, but it doesn't mean it's bad, just the opposite, it's incredibly emotional piece of work and battles are quite challenging, so yes, it's a fairytale, but don't get fooled, this is some serious fairytale material, mun! Visuals are breathtaking, it's made by Ghibli, so it basically feels like living inside one of the Miyazaki movies, even Joe Hisaishi provided a fantastic soundtrack that actually ranks among his best, so the experience is truly complete and it cannot be recommended enough. Main story took me about 60 hours, plus additional 30 hours of post game content, add some grinding that was needed for some of the quests and you get easily around 100 hours of an unforgettable experience. 10/10… Expand
  44. cwinters710
    Nov 8, 2014
    10
    This game has it all and gives it all to you! It has leveling, It has equipment. It has battles every few seconds, It has an amazing over-world, It has a desert, It has towns. It has an arena, It has a casino, It has summon magic, It has an airship, It has a DRAGON THAT YOU CAN RIDE!, It has side quests, It has bounty hunting, It has famous Japanese artists and musicians on the team, ItThis game has it all and gives it all to you! It has leveling, It has equipment. It has battles every few seconds, It has an amazing over-world, It has a desert, It has towns. It has an arena, It has a casino, It has summon magic, It has an airship, It has a DRAGON THAT YOU CAN RIDE!, It has side quests, It has bounty hunting, It has famous Japanese artists and musicians on the team, It has alchemy, If you can think of a common JRPG staple, here's Ni no Kuni. If you're a fan of classic, time-consuming, grinding role-playing experiences, you're not going to be disappointed in this game, its just too good!… Expand
  45. Andjelico
    Nov 6, 2014
    8
    This is the best modern JRPG game i have ever played. It's like a mix of Pokemon, Zelda and Final Fantasy!
    The story is touching, fantastic animation, matching music, and really fun combat system.
    It's a big plus that this game have many different side quests, but some of them can be boring. These alchemy and Derwin quests took so much time, i don't understand why the team needed to do    This is the best modern JRPG game i have ever played. It's like a mix of Pokemon, Zelda and Final Fantasy!
    The story is touching, fantastic animation, matching music, and really fun combat system.

    It's a big plus that this game have many different side quests, but some of them can be boring. These alchemy and Derwin quests took so much time, i don't understand why the team needed to do these quests so complicated...

    But overall this game is fantastic and challenging on a great way!    … Expand
  46. zanella_marco
    Oct 10, 2014
    8
    Se da un lato ci sono innumerevoli ragioni per considerare Ni no Kuni un’eccellente JRPG, dall’altro voglio segnalare piccoli ma incisivi “difetti” che non ho gradito. A partire dall’IA degli alleati che più volte si è mostrata inaffidabile e mi ha messo in difficoltà, costringendomi ad intervenire andando a comandare i compagni di Oliver che usavano improbabili e discutibili strategieSe da un lato ci sono innumerevoli ragioni per considerare Ni no Kuni un’eccellente JRPG, dall’altro voglio segnalare piccoli ma incisivi “difetti” che non ho gradito. A partire dall’IA degli alleati che più volte si è mostrata inaffidabile e mi ha messo in difficoltà, costringendomi ad intervenire andando a comandare i compagni di Oliver che usavano improbabili e discutibili strategie offensive. Le missioni legate ai cuorinfranti sono ripetitive e noiose a lungo andare. Forse però la cosa che più mi ha dato fastidio è la mancata originalità che gli sviluppatori hanno dimostrato nel copiare il mondo Pokémon. Circa 8 anni fa giocavo con i classici Rosso e Blu su Game Boy. Forte di quei lontani ricordi, ho “odiato” vedere in Ni no Kuni le stesse idee che hanno portato al successo mondiale Satoshi Tajiri, creatore della serie di videogiochi Pokémon. Per questa serie di ragioni non valuto Ni no Kuni come meriterebbe per il lavoro svolto dallo Studio Ghibli, che mi ha sorpreso ed emozionato sino alla fine, con l’appassionante storia di Oliver.… Expand
  47. Perxoda
    Oct 6, 2014
    9
    For fans of Studio Gibli or JRPG's overall this is a must-have title. If you get bored with any one aspect of the game there's always something else that will keep you going.

    Gameplay: The gameplay of Ni No Kuni is great. The only real downside it has is the combat controles. These let you scroll through menu's in real-time combat with enemies at your heels. This feature can be    For fans of Studio Gibli or JRPG's overall this is a must-have title. If you get bored with any one aspect of the game there's always something else that will keep you going.

    Gameplay: The gameplay of Ni No Kuni is great. The only real downside it has is the combat controles. These let you scroll through menu's in real-time combat with enemies at your heels. This feature can be frustrating, especially against bosses with devestating attacks. The AI on the other characters you're not controlling is simply horrible and the overall attack and overall defend commands can be clunky. Once you get used to this though, it's very workable and after a while I found I didn't notice it as much.

    Graphics: Studio Gibli and Level 5 did a fantastic job on this. The game looks amazing in it's own cell-shaded like way. The cutscenes in between are a treat, even though they get rare after the start. The atmosphere is thick and sugary and fits perfectly. The characters in this world are exactly what you expect and range from overzealous to downright weird, mun. It's a perfect combination of character design, graphics and music.

    Replayability: This game kept me going and going for around 60 hours and still there's plenty of stuff I could be doing. In this case I wouldn't call it "replayability" but this game has one long breath. I feel enticed to keep collecting familiar's, grind materials for making items (alchemy) and completing all other challenge grinds this game offers. Anyone trying to fully complete this game will most likely enjoy every step along the way (or live a life void of any kind of happiness).

    Conclusion: This game is worth the price it was when it came out. For anything under 50 euro's/dollars I'd say this is well worth the money. Buy this if you don't mind mucking about for a couple of hours to get the combat system down for a great story and a great experience. The only reason you should leave this game is if you utterly hate JRPG's (mostly due to the farming).    … Expand
  48. Kai82
    Sep 9, 2014
    9
    A really awesome game. It looks like it is made for children but it is not. The game deals with some sad and depressing issues. Overall the whole game / game world is created with a lot of love and care. The story is engaging and the characters are well written with clear and believable motivations. I wished that Square Enix put the same amount of care in their games. Also there are lot ofA really awesome game. It looks like it is made for children but it is not. The game deals with some sad and depressing issues. Overall the whole game / game world is created with a lot of love and care. The story is engaging and the characters are well written with clear and believable motivations. I wished that Square Enix put the same amount of care in their games. Also there are lot of side quests / optional activities which gave me a total playtime of 60 hours. It is slightly below 10/10 but it is a must have game for PS 3.… Expand
  49. Bedgypooks
    Jun 24, 2014
    9
    I picked up this game just on a hope that LEVEL 5 was back to making good games and that Studio Ghibli's involvement was a blessing. I was completely correct.

    As soon as I started playing and watching the cutscenes I noticed the Ghibli flare. Everything about it screamed Ghibli from the art style to the voice acting, but I didn't think that could keep up in the gameplay. Boy did it    I picked up this game just on a hope that LEVEL 5 was back to making good games and that Studio Ghibli's involvement was a blessing. I was completely correct.

    As soon as I started playing and watching the cutscenes I noticed the Ghibli flare. Everything about it screamed Ghibli from the art style to the voice acting, but I didn't think that could keep up in the gameplay. Boy did it ever, everything from the buildings to the ground to the sky looks hand drawn and onderful. Especially when you are exploring the hometown and cities throughout the game.

    Once I delved into gameplay I noticed it was similar to Pokemon, but an added twist. It was more complex to me in a way, but also very relaxing. I spent almost a hundred hours playing this game and not for one second did it feel repetitive or boring.

    The story is pretty unique, I mean the characters are very set and standard but the way it unfolds is entirely it's own. This game was never too hard either, there was only one time I felt a little baffled as to why I couldn't beat someone and that was one of the hardest enemies in the game.

    The game doesn't feel childish either, just like Ghibli films, it evokes a sense of wonder and awe. I really don't know what else to say about this game, the gameplay, style, atmosphere, art, story, characters are all just great! It reminds me of my childhood as well, which is extremely inviting because not many things can. Buy this if you are open to new concepts, but in at the same time familiar that are set in a wonderful world!    … Expand
  50. theecakee
    Jun 22, 2014
    9
    Despite the controversy with Namco and the wizards edition scandal, and having to wait two years for a proper English port of the game, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch arrives! The game came out early in 2013, finally got the time to actually sit down and put in 50 hours of time to beat the game, which is standard at this point for JRPGs. Ni No Kuni has a mixture of emotions fromDespite the controversy with Namco and the wizards edition scandal, and having to wait two years for a proper English port of the game, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch arrives! The game came out early in 2013, finally got the time to actually sit down and put in 50 hours of time to beat the game, which is standard at this point for JRPGs. Ni No Kuni has a mixture of emotions from gamers. Seems to vary between people loving the game naming it one of the best JRPGs they have ever played, or others just thinking it is an okay game. Haven’t come across anyone who passionately despises the game yet though.

    Ni No Kuni is based on a story where a young lad name Oliver comes across a pretty serious tragedy that changes his life. Oliver then goes to another world in which he hopes to reverse the tragedy that has happened in his world there, while also helping this other world with the perils it is going through. Pretty standard for JRPGs if you ask me, boy has to save the world from big bad evil and spoiler alert, he needs to have some big bad weapon to do it. However, there isn’t anything wrong with staying with the standards set of blueprints of typical JRPGs, and in fact Ni No Kuni’s story is one of thee best if not thee best part of the game. The story is a story we can all relate to, and may even give some nostalgic memories of childhood with dare I use the word “cute”. Despite Ni No Kuni being cute, it is no kids game. In fact, the story is actually rather dark and sinister. In addition, the story has some interesting twists, some that I didn’t really fully suspect until right before the end. The side stories of the various side characters “Drippy, Swaine, and Esther” are also very well written, and there are even more side stories than that! The voice acting dialog and writing of the game are top-notch, and at points funny with characters like Drippy and Swaine.

    So the story is good, it should be something you expect from a solid RPG honestly. How about the gameplay? It is very similar, if not an extensive rip off of Pokemon. You catch familiars “Pokemon” train them and evolve them with large amounts of sweets and then fight with them. It is quite surprising that all my familiars did not end up with type two diabetes by the end of the game, because holy **** eating 10 sundaes, chocolate bars, ice creams, pies, or cakes will never end well. Not to mention, the whole concept of leveling your characters with these damn sweets is awfully tedious and time-consuming to give them the treats one by one. Course, you could just give them the sweets that have more fullness, but I have other things to buy then just making these sweets to evolve them. It got to a point where I just stopped evolving them because the whole task just got so cumbersome and took forever. Despite barely evolving them, the game was very easy. I only had some troubles with about one to three of the regular bosses, and then had quite some trouble with the very last boss. Other than that, I played the entire game on normal and had no problems doing much of anything. About half way through the game, you get a spell called travel that makes matters only worst for the games difficulty. Essentially, travel is the fast travel of Ni No Kuni. Once I got travel, the game went so much faster, which was something it didn’t need because it was pretty damn easy already. Others have claimed they never had enough MP or always ran out, and for some reason caffeine must be scarce because Coffee costs a fortune at 1,000G or so eventually. I never really used the spells, and still had no problem. The one I did was Oliver’s healing touch, and that only took 3 MP per cast. There is a whole thought out system of weaknesses and strategy and all set for you, but didn’t use any of it as I didn’t need to. Many people I have seen complain about the battle system and the battle UI. I had no problem with it, and quite frankly liked the battle UI.

    The second complaint I had with the game was the whole concept of errands. All the errands and such are repetitive, to the point where they use the same characters. Most of them involve finding someone with a broken heart and then mending their heart. I don’t really want to explain the whole concept of the hearts, but essentially it is a “take this from this person to this person” type of situation. At first, they had some variety in Ding Dong Dell with errands, and then post-completion they had the variety they needed during the game all along! Errands however, are still worth doing despite being awfully linear and boring, as they remove the grind from the game “for the most part, I still did some grinding at the end”, give you the majority of your funds, and supply you with neat bonus attributes by turning in your merit cards you earn from doing errands for a reward of attributes that may boost the xp gained per battle to boost the loot of battles and much more.    … Expand
  51. DRUsweatpants
    Jun 4, 2014
    9
    If you're into time consuming JRPGs this game is right up your alley. The world map is huge (although it takes a good amount of time to get the fast travel spell). There is so much to see and do, and the combat system is really unique. For PS3 owners who love a huge game to dig their teeth into, Ni No Kuni is a must-have.
  52. archonome
    Jun 4, 2014
    8
    I can't give it a fair review because honestly I stopped playing very early(within 3 hours). However, there is nothing horrible about this game but EVERYTHING IS EXCELLENT!!!

    1)Remember the RPGs of the 1990s? Chrono trigger, Secret of Mana, Shining Force? etc etc THIS GAME BRINGS LOVE AND PASSION BACK INTO THESE GAMES!! 2)Combining epic Movie studio + love for old school rpgs =    I can't give it a fair review because honestly I stopped playing very early(within 3 hours). However, there is nothing horrible about this game but EVERYTHING IS EXCELLENT!!!

    1)Remember the RPGs of the 1990s? Chrono trigger, Secret of Mana, Shining Force? etc etc THIS GAME BRINGS LOVE AND PASSION BACK INTO THESE GAMES!!

    2)Combining epic Movie studio + love for old school rpgs = 10/10 for me.

    3)The bad Part that made me quit? The Theme was too childish.

    I give it a 8/10 because the positive overshadows the negative.    … Expand
  53. Vanpire73
    May 2, 2014
    9
    This game gets bonus points for not having every single character being a spiky haired whiny little b*tch. Kudos there, I guess. Starts off a bit slow as far as opening up the combat, but once it does it is a fun ride. The cartoon graphics are sharp and the writing is better and more touching than your standard cliche' and/or nonsensical sh*tty RPG affair. If you like RPGs, certainlyThis game gets bonus points for not having every single character being a spiky haired whiny little b*tch. Kudos there, I guess. Starts off a bit slow as far as opening up the combat, but once it does it is a fun ride. The cartoon graphics are sharp and the writing is better and more touching than your standard cliche' and/or nonsensical sh*tty RPG affair. If you like RPGs, certainly give it a shot. 8.75 rounded up 9.… Expand
  54. Hi_Im_Game
    Apr 20, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's been a while since I've played game I've enjoyed so much. I put this in my gamefly just based on ratings. It wasn't even one of my higher rated games but they sent it to me anyways. I wasn't too happy when I first started playing it but as I progressed, I fell in love rather quickly.

    The game play is phenomenal from the battles, to the errands, to capturing different familiars. Each area is varied with different familiars to collect and different bosses to fight. I can't really put to words how amazing this game is. The story makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and the characters keep you entertained. Classic, old school JRPG. The game has a pokemon type feel to it where you can explore many different areas and capture different monsters.

    There is one thing I found annoying, however, in this game. When you are in a battle and cast a spell, it can get canceled if an opponent or one of your teammates cast a quicker spell (spells with cutscenes). Very annoying when you are trying to steal items. Otherwise this game is as close to perfect and polished as any game you will play. PICK IT UP AND ENJOY!    … Expand
  55. Wolfie1987
    Mar 24, 2014
    10
    It's just so perfect, pretty much to PS3 what Dragon Quest VIII was to PS2. Exploration, catching monsters, gorgeous graphics, charming, brilliant story. Studio Ghibli makes awe inspiring films, I hope they'll make many more gems such as this game, as the line between movies and interactive games continues to blur.
  56. alexaxa
    Mar 23, 2014
    9
    Really addictive JRPG. However the story and sidequests are really childish but everything else is top notch. The combat feels great and the monster capture will keep you playing for a while !
  57. Turion17
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    First platinated game in my career, a stunning work, a piece of art, the only bad part is the IA, bad bad IA system, not only for foes. but the vote is still 10/10 for me.
  58. carlost
    Feb 8, 2014
    9
    Ideal para jugar con un pequeño a tu lado, es como una pelicula de los estudios ghibli, no hace falta casi subir de nivel, farmear, que no lo soporto, todo radica en tu habilidad para combinar tus personajes, hechizos... Y bueno, es que es precioso, para llorar.
  59. Turbodowg
    Feb 1, 2014
    10
    I had never really been a fan of JRPG's until I played Ni No Kuni. I was interested in the game due to the affiliation with Studio Ghibli (who I am a massive fan of). From the moment the game loads up and the title screen appears accompanied by the magical soundtrack composed by Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi , you can tell this game is going to be special.

    The story follows Oliver    I had never really been a fan of JRPG's until I played Ni No Kuni. I was interested in the game due to the affiliation with Studio Ghibli (who I am a massive fan of). From the moment the game loads up and the title screen appears accompanied by the magical soundtrack composed by Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi , you can tell this game is going to be special.

    The story follows Oliver who along with his Fairy companion Mr Drippy (a creature with a lantern attached to his long nose and a Welsh accent) as they travel to Mr Drippy’s world on a quest to save Oliver’s Mother from the White Witch and her second in command Shadar. Along the way they meet a cast of colourful characters, allies and enemies across a massive world, towns and many challenging dungeons. The combat is tight and works perfectly. The battles are fun and at times extremely challenging. They play out kind of like Pokemon battles as you collect creatures called familiars who you can level up and use in battle. There are many to find and tame across the world.

    The game has a terrific story quest which is exciting, funny and sometimes extremely moving. The end had me and my seven year old Daughter in tears. The bosses are imaginative and really fun to beat. And the cut scenes are beautifully drawn.

    The biggest joy for me was wondering around a world straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. The graphics are absolutely beautiful. The attention to detail makes you feel as if you really are in another world. The soundtrack throughout is stunning. The game takes around 100 plus hours to complete and do all side quests and bounty hunts. By completing these you are heavily rewarded. And even after the main story is completed you still have tons to do.

    I could go on and on about how genius this game is. Just play it, you will not be disappointed. I really hope there is a follow up or a re-release on the PS4. This game is truly magical. It is a great memory to share with my daughter and we still go back and play hunting for Toko Toko and levelling up familiars even though we have beaten the whole game.

    A true masterpiece.    … Expand
  60. Ingolicious
    Jan 27, 2014
    10
    Although I haven't played this game to the end, I must say that this is an extremely good game! So far I have played a little over seven hours, and that time has just passed by as if it was only an hour. Firstly, the graphics are perhaps not over the top, but the artistic value of this game makes everything worthwhile. Second, the story and the lore of the game is something that I fallAlthough I haven't played this game to the end, I must say that this is an extremely good game! So far I have played a little over seven hours, and that time has just passed by as if it was only an hour. Firstly, the graphics are perhaps not over the top, but the artistic value of this game makes everything worthwhile. Second, the story and the lore of the game is something that I fall deep into every time I open the in-game book and I can easily use 30 minutes in there. Thirdly, the gameplay in itself is perhaps not as original as one could hope for. But, if you like Pokemon and Spirited Away you're gonna love this game.
    All this together makes an experience that is so extremely refreshing and entertaining. I can't stop playing this game and I actually have to set an alarm for when I need to stop playing (sic!). I would recommend this game to everyone; kids as well as adults!!!    … Expand
  61. JRPGReviewer
    Jan 27, 2014
    10
    Okay, to start off, Ni No Kuni is an amazing game...for the genre. It's one of those games that is really hit or miss depending on your gameplay preference. For a JRPG, it's visually stunning and truly brings what. Studio Ghibli has generously offered for years, which is a little special attachment you feel with the characters . The story is well written, though some aspects of it areOkay, to start off, Ni No Kuni is an amazing game...for the genre. It's one of those games that is really hit or miss depending on your gameplay preference. For a JRPG, it's visually stunning and truly brings what. Studio Ghibli has generously offered for years, which is a little special attachment you feel with the characters . The story is well written, though some aspects of it are childish and the game seems childish . For example, your main partner pretty much walks you through the same things (only some things ) endlessly. As for some who say they don't like the gameplay, it is not a fast paced action FPS. It's a JRPG, like FF. If you liked Final Fantasy or still do, this games play style will really speak to you. On to the actual game play review : It's an enclosed area that throws you and an opponent into a fight and it really has no super hard tactics. You can have up to three Familiars, which are beasts who you can eventually collect. Your human partners are not the brightest and as stated before, do not defend. Your MP ( magic or mana points and HP (health points) are critically the heart of all battle systems. If you play as the main character and run out of MP against a hard boss and you're done. But I think this adds to the difficulty and satisfaction of finally beating that one boss you're stuck on. Most games today are missing that feeling of childhood innocence and some difficulty. The music and monsters alone are enough for anyone to fall in love , and with anime cutscenes you can't really get much more Ghibli in a game. All in all , this may seem like a game for around ten and under, but it really can be enjoyed by anyone. With some minor profanity in the Japanese subtitles, it may seem offensive to some parents. It isn't bad though, and I doubt the English dubbed version has swearing . But this game doesn't need blood or swearing to make it fun, and I love it . So for any. JRpG fans or newcomers, I highly recommend this and for its in depth story, soundtrack , traditional gameplay , and moving characters .… Expand
  62. dkao12
    Jan 24, 2014
    8
    This is my honest review of Ni No Kuni. All my other reviews used to be really long but Metacritic's maximum text limits me. I haven't finished the game yet but I am roughly pass half of the game.

    Pros: - The gameplay has some depth to it( It's pokemon that is done right) - The visuals are great giving out that Level 5 feeling to it with Studio Ghibli's legendary animations. - The    This is my honest review of Ni No Kuni. All my other reviews used to be really long but Metacritic's maximum text limits me. I haven't finished the game yet but I am roughly pass half of the game.

    Pros:
    - The gameplay has some depth to it( It's pokemon that is done right)
    - The visuals are great giving out that Level 5 feeling to it with Studio Ghibli's legendary animations.
    - The music is absolutely fantastic. I expect no less from Joe Hisashi.
    - beautiful backgrounds and world. Each place is great and the music helped fuel the imagination.

    Cons:
    - The predictable and simple plot. I could tell what the was going to happen before anything happened.
    - The combat UI is not intuitive, It was quite frustrating even worse when you receive the next party member. The fact that you get party commands late in the game is unacceptable. Made boss fights frustrating because your A.I teammates were pretty dumb. Plus some monsters were missing abilities or out-of-place abilities like evade or block.
    - Metamorphosis lowers your monster to level 1, this is dumb and causes more grinding Text dialogue is fine to use but make it consistent and this case it was lazy. Text dialogue should only be used as when talking with locals or accepting quests, voiced should be only for story dialogues. Animated cut scenes are too short and cut off really abruptly making it look awkward.

    Okay I might have more Cons than Pros. You might think I hate this game but I don't. I really enjoyed playing it, and I am already use to the JRPG formula so I didn't have too much problem with grinding. If you hate JRPG then this won't really win you over unless you just want to see Studio Ghibli's animated works. But if you like both JRPG and Studio Ghibli then pick this up, the gameplay is pretty good. This is one of my favourite JRPG games with games like Persona 4 Golden, Final Fantasy X. It just has weird questionable design choices; it is visually appealing but mechanically unappealing .    … Expand
  63. mose14
    Jan 22, 2014
    9
    Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch brings back the old and familiar elements of the RPG genre and puts a coat of new and refreshing paint on it. The story of Oliver going to another world to find a way to bring his mom back to life is a touching and inspiring story for the game. You meet a lot of interesting characters on the way, but the most interesting of the bunch is the first oneNi No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch brings back the old and familiar elements of the RPG genre and puts a coat of new and refreshing paint on it. The story of Oliver going to another world to find a way to bring his mom back to life is a touching and inspiring story for the game. You meet a lot of interesting characters on the way, but the most interesting of the bunch is the first one you meet in the game, Drippy. The game play is 100% a turned-based RPG with a little Pokemon mixed in. You go around the world doing missions, fighting enemies, and collecting familiars to fight along side you on your journey. The game might seem easy at first, but you might need to level grind every once in a while. The game is also really long, if you want to see everything the game has to offer, it is around 60 hours of RPG goodness. The graphics and art style of the game are its unique qualities and stand out against the other RPGs that come out today. Especially the animated cut scenes are beautiful and I wish there were more in the game. Ni No Kuni brought me back to my younger self when I played games and all the joys of just exploring a wonderfully crafted world and having fun.… Expand
  64. Anebriate
    Jan 15, 2014
    9
    The only thing keeping this game from being a perfect 10 is the fact that your party AI is atrocious, and will get you killed through means outside of your control. That's the most frustrating experience in the game, but fortunately, you can usually solo your way through tough fights if you're good enough, making the problem negligible in the grand scheme of things.

    Otherwise, it's a    The only thing keeping this game from being a perfect 10 is the fact that your party AI is atrocious, and will get you killed through means outside of your control. That's the most frustrating experience in the game, but fortunately, you can usually solo your way through tough fights if you're good enough, making the problem negligible in the grand scheme of things.

    Otherwise, it's a modern masterpiece. Far superior to the Final Fantasies of today--it's as though the torch has been passed, and all it took was a fresh set of eyes and hands to produce the kinds of games that we thought could never be again.    … Expand
  65. smerickson89
    Jan 2, 2014
    10
    I'd give this a 9 but thought I should balance out the 0's. The game is great. Like many have stated, the main downside is the terrible human companion AI, but really, it only bothered me slightly.

    Love the story, the art style, and the gameplay. Easily in my top 5 JRPG's.
  66. BasilZero
    Dec 30, 2013
    8
    Game: Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Level 5/Studio Ghibli System: Playstation 3 (PS3) Total Score: 85/100 Value Score: 8.5/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 7/10 • GamePlay: 6/10 • Graphics: 10/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 5/10 • Player Value: 7/10 Pros +Great well made story with a lot of cliches    Game: Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Level 5/Studio Ghibli
    System: Playstation 3 (PS3)
    Total Score: 85/100
    Value Score: 8.5/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 7/10
    • GamePlay: 6/10
    • Graphics: 10/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 10/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 5/10
    • Player Value: 7/10

    Pros
    +Great well made story with a lot of cliches that were actually well done and werent awkward
    +Colorful cast of main characters
    +A lot of different gameplay mechanics not often seen in RPGs. Magical system is one of the best seen in RPGs.
    +A lot of additional non-story things to do such as the casino, the coliseum, etc.
    +Studio Ghibli making the art style and design makes this game a beautiful masterpiece
    +Voice acting was well made along with the sound effects well done
    +Musical score is as amazing as the art style and design
    +Lengthy storyline

    Cons
    -AI is terrible, they dont even defend and sometimes they stop using their familiars even if they have a reserve.
    -Strategy Tactics are pretty much useless, you'll be focusing more on All Out Attack or All Out Defense.
    -Familiar choices are limited, stale and repetitive
    -Too many fetch quests and walking back and forth
    - Unsure whether it was intentional or not but there are horrible delays when using items and sometimes the characters and their familiars stop (uncommon though).
    -A Common issue seen in most RPGs that use action RPG elements is the fact that sometimes familiars/characters attack or use a item but it sometimes do not go through or miss completely.    … Expand
  67. Mystril
    Dec 28, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have played it for about 6-8hours, something like that, and I must say, this is one great RPG. I have a few issues with it though: The respawning of enemies will end up sending you into a lot of fights you would rather not have, especially in the beginning, and it can be quite tedious, they should either remove the respawn or lengthen it considerably, for my taste. The abilities you use in the world, outside combat, are all cool and I like the ideas behind the spells and abilities, but, at this point, it feels like they are too coincidental (oh this dude needs some enthusiasm, oh look there is someone right next to the person with alot of it), and that kind of diminish the feel of it a bit.
    Also the Gateway spell seems weird, in the beginning it is stated that it needs a lot of space to be cast, but after the first time you can pretty much cast it anywhere you want (haven't cast it anywhere yet where I was told it wouldn't work).
    Could do with some more voice acting, the ticking sound of the letters being typed in accordance with the characters mimicking the words is annoying, would be preferrable if it all was voice acted. The voice acting when it is there, is excellent.
    The graphics are good technically, it is definitely not an ugly gem, but the true pleasure comes from the games aesthetics. If you miss the old hand drawn cartoons and would like to play a game that look hand drawn, this is it. I for one find this very charming, and very different.
    I hear that it is very long, and I dont think im even 10% through it yet, so you will definitely get your moneys worth of entertainment. Story wise it seems, so far, to be a pearl, so that will keep you entertained throughout.    … Expand
  68. MarcinOS
    Dec 27, 2013
    10
    Amazing game! Beautiful graphics, great music and interesting storyline. I'm really happy that you can choose original voice acting in japanese. Love it~!
  69. Jouna92
    Dec 20, 2013
    9
    One of the best RPGs that I have ever played. Ni no Kuni is a beautiful mixture of the traditional JRPG combined with gorgeous graphics, a wonderful story, interesting cast of characters and thoughtful gameplay.
  70. loadstone007
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    For RPG fans this game is a must. Superb visuals and music, very charming and special. The characters are fun and the main character is just cute. Only drawback, like every RPG game, is the combat grinding. But that's the whole point, so get this game if you like games like Persona 4.
    Oh, and the British accent is weird but at least humorous.
  71. CodeJerry
    Dec 7, 2013
    10
    A masterpiece of story telling. It provides a dash of unique gameplay with a solid base rpg we all know and love. When i started playing this my mind went wild as if i was a kid again exploring a new land with new people. The only things I can see them improving is adding a skip battle scenes and victory dances because it can be annoying if you just like to kill stuff. All that aside itA masterpiece of story telling. It provides a dash of unique gameplay with a solid base rpg we all know and love. When i started playing this my mind went wild as if i was a kid again exploring a new land with new people. The only things I can see them improving is adding a skip battle scenes and victory dances because it can be annoying if you just like to kill stuff. All that aside it still is better than any game i've played this year... The artwork/graphics is just simply amazing and such a pleasure to watch I do not know how many people have walked by and are like what are you watching. It's very hard to bring cartoons into gaming but Ni no kuni seems to do it flawlessly and to that it deserves a perfect score.… Expand
  72. MrRPG
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    When you pick up ni no kuni for the first time you don't know what to expect, a childish pokemon remake?, a repetitive Jrpg?, Or a generation defining game with depth and beauty to spare?
    Well if you haven't already played it, it's the latter.
    I Loved this game, I wish i could give it a higher rating then 10 to set it apart from the other tens I've given. Prepare yourself to be    When you pick up ni no kuni for the first time you don't know what to expect, a childish pokemon remake?, a repetitive Jrpg?, Or a generation defining game with depth and beauty to spare?
    Well if you haven't already played it, it's the latter.
    I Loved this game, I wish i could give it a higher rating then 10 to set it apart from the other tens I've given.

    Prepare yourself to be immersed In ni no kuni's rich story and game play, as this game takes you to worlds you could never imagine.

    The length of this game is nothing to scoff at with the main story easily taken upward of 40 hours and with side quests bringing that upwards of 100.
    If you have patience and appreciate story and artistic design ni no kuni is a game that you'll regret to miss.
    And now only $10 Usd on the psn store you have no excuse to delay playing this wonderful game!    … Expand
  73. PalomarBr
    Nov 22, 2013
    10
    So amazing in so many ways. First of all, the soundtrack is divine, the best one I've ever listened to in a game. Also, the art direction is mind blowing, the Gibli's work is phenomenal. The gameplay is also very enjoyable and in certain aspects very original with the monster taming and evolving mechanics. At last, the storytelling, althought very simple and childish, kept me deeplySo amazing in so many ways. First of all, the soundtrack is divine, the best one I've ever listened to in a game. Also, the art direction is mind blowing, the Gibli's work is phenomenal. The gameplay is also very enjoyable and in certain aspects very original with the monster taming and evolving mechanics. At last, the storytelling, althought very simple and childish, kept me deeply interested in the plot and also the memorable characters. Playing this game was a heart-mending experience which I will carry in my thoughts for years to come.… Expand
  74. Krizuwe
    Nov 20, 2013
    8
    Un grandísimo juego, el mejor de rol, duradero, divertido y entusiasmante. Engancha de principio a fin y es el único juego de rol wue recomendaría. Como todos los juegos también tiene fallos y errores, entre ellos: se vuelve repetitivo estar siempre luchando. La trama esta muy bien ambientada, pero como dije, a lo largo del juego te aburre estar siempre luchando.
  75. mazonik
    Nov 10, 2013
    10
    I just bought this game from psn, and played a few hours, but i can certainly tell you that this is the best jrpg, of this gen, magical and emotional history, super graphic quality, and you always want to play more and more, not like other new games that if you finish a chapter wanna go to sleep, the sense of magic with the magisterial music of japan symphony, if you love the true feelingI just bought this game from psn, and played a few hours, but i can certainly tell you that this is the best jrpg, of this gen, magical and emotional history, super graphic quality, and you always want to play more and more, not like other new games that if you finish a chapter wanna go to sleep, the sense of magic with the magisterial music of japan symphony, if you love the true feeling of games this is your true election… Expand
  76. SNS
    Nov 8, 2013
    10
    The beauty of Ni No Kuni isn't that it does anything new or original, but the charm it gives off as you play. This game is based on the art style and story telling of a brilliant Anime company who can do no wrong.

    The result is a game which has quite a deep and emotional storyline as a young child tries to cope with the death of his mother. But all this is surrounded by amazing visuals,    The beauty of Ni No Kuni isn't that it does anything new or original, but the charm it gives off as you play. This game is based on the art style and story telling of a brilliant Anime company who can do no wrong.

    The result is a game which has quite a deep and emotional storyline as a young child tries to cope with the death of his mother. But all this is surrounded by amazing visuals, easy controls, a fun (but challenging) fighting mechanism and a game full of content.

    The best way to describe the game is like a living, breathing anime film which plays very much like Pokemon. The key to the game is the idea of using familiars to fight a long side you and you're two companions, and you can capture and train them up.

    This game is essentially what Pokemon SHOULD be now!

    The game can take a while to truly dig everything out; it can be a good few hours before you actually unlock some very useful abilities and a good few more hours before you get a boat and a dragon to fly around on (which make life a lot easier).

    But outside of that small issue, this game is just so much fun and refreshing. A game which isn't all violence and swearing and aggression and has a real, emotional story behind it.    … Expand
  77. GABRIEL1030
    Oct 20, 2013
    10
    Ni no Kuni is an example of fine art, there a lot of things to do in the vast universe of this game. 80 hours of adventures, with amazing music and sensibility.

    Presentation: A amazing story, full of emotive moments, excellent interface and a great menu. Graphics: Stunning, the art is incredible, highly detailed landscapes, cities and characters well designed. Gameplay: the great    Ni no Kuni is an example of fine art, there a lot of things to do in the vast universe of this game. 80 hours of adventures, with amazing music and sensibility.

    Presentation: A amazing story, full of emotive moments, excellent interface and a great menu.

    Graphics: Stunning, the art is incredible, highly detailed landscapes, cities and characters well designed.

    Gameplay: the great feature is the liberty of the combats with a tons of customization and options, however there are some little problems with the allies, but nothing important.

    Sound: Nice music form Tokyo's philharmonic orchestra, great voices and sound effects

    Endless appeal: A true masterpiece, this game is amazing, You don't get wrong, this game is not only for youngest people, is for adults too. I have 29 and I enjoy the game.

    Ni No Kuni is a masterpiece with 80+ hours of gameplay and at the PSN store is available only 20 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If you have a PS3, then you must play it, What are you waiting for?    … Expand
  78. vixvicco
    Oct 20, 2013
    10
    The best RPG I've played in a long time. Really well done, storyline was excellent. Worth a try. Never get bored with so much to do in the game with sidequests etc.
  79. popeyetyty
    Oct 19, 2013
    10
    Level 5 outdid itself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  80. Rupeestyle
    Oct 14, 2013
    10
    In the wise words of Yukko, "Super ultra great delicious wonderful." Is everything that describes this game. The amount of detail put into the animation can be seen from every aspect. Running to walking up and down stairs. The hidden codes in the games own lettering system. The incredible story that had me crying 30 minutes in already. Studio Ghibli is beyond incredible. Best 20$ I haveIn the wise words of Yukko, "Super ultra great delicious wonderful." Is everything that describes this game. The amount of detail put into the animation can be seen from every aspect. Running to walking up and down stairs. The hidden codes in the games own lettering system. The incredible story that had me crying 30 minutes in already. Studio Ghibli is beyond incredible. Best 20$ I have ever spent. An extraordinary battling system. Amazing voice acting. This game is a great reason for owning a PS3.… Expand
  81. KreativerKaktus
    Oct 13, 2013
    10
    Best game I ever played. WONDERFUL Sound, awesome fight system, the story ist just great. And the charakters are just funny and awesome. As a fazit i want to say NI NO KUNI is the best game ever made
  82. tallanx
    Aug 30, 2013
    9
    I got the collector's edition with the Drippy plushie. This is a really good game, it's like Pokemon mixed with one of the "Tales of" games. Combat is fun, the collecting aspect will drive many completionists. My only issue with the game is that the story is somewhat predictable (though still enjoyable).
  83. Good-Smurf
    Aug 25, 2013
    10
    Ni No Kuni...Where were you when I needed you most?
    It's months after months of nothing but a mindless now-unbalanced glitchy Battlefield 3 syndrome ruining my health both physically and mentally.
    Always been waiting for a game to widen my gaming perspective than just Shooters and fast cars then here comes Ni No Kuni to the rescue 7 months after the release i finally found you... I'll    Ni No Kuni...Where were you when I needed you most?
    It's months after months of nothing but a mindless now-unbalanced glitchy Battlefield 3 syndrome ruining my health both physically and mentally.
    Always been waiting for a game to widen my gaming perspective than just Shooters and fast cars then here comes Ni No Kuni to the rescue 7 months after the release i finally found you...
    I'll get to point then...NI No Kuni is an awesome JRPG game that is beautiful,compelling,fun,touching,super lengthy (as any JRPG should be) surprisingly accessible yes it not what you call no-brainer from the get-go but it's accessible enough for anyone new to the genre that willing to try something new and out of their comfort zone.
    And yes i'm completely new to Role playing genre let alone a sacred JRPG genre so i'm not gonna comment on the gameplay turn based RPG stuff but i can tell you i thought i'm gonna get bored but i wasn't i just want to keep playing it!
    Soundtrack is simply epic and beautiful goes nothing dull nothing over dramatic.
    I'm not gonna spoil you with any characters or story i'll just say that if you're into something that is simple,effective and down right cute then this is game is for you!
    I can go on and on how good this game is despite it's my first JRPG game let's just say this game simply "Give Heart" to me and the hope to the Japanese gaming scene and even give the faith in the hope of a brighter future of gaming without too much "guns in your face"    … Expand
  84. turo999
    Aug 10, 2013
    10
    Nothing quite like it. An incredibly endearing and beautiful game with a rich universe to explore and a compelling story to tell. The graphics fit perfectly into Level-5's aesthetics, the music soars and the gameplay always leaves you wanting more. It will never be able to compete against more mainstream titles for the game of the year awards, such as Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite. ButNothing quite like it. An incredibly endearing and beautiful game with a rich universe to explore and a compelling story to tell. The graphics fit perfectly into Level-5's aesthetics, the music soars and the gameplay always leaves you wanting more. It will never be able to compete against more mainstream titles for the game of the year awards, such as Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite. But for my money, Ni No Kuni is a superior game, just not as accessible. Still, give in to Ni No Kuni's five hour introduction and you'll find immersed into it's amazing world. You will not regret playing this game, I can assure you of that.… Expand
  85. JudgmentJay
    Jul 23, 2013
    8
    This is a great game that's half a Studio Ghibli movie and half of an oldschool JRPG.

    The aesthetics and the music are of course amazing and they really make it feel like you're playing in a Ghibli movie. The story is fantastic as well and there are some interesting/unexpected twists. Surprisingly, I really liked the English voice acting. I typically prefer the native voice track,    This is a great game that's half a Studio Ghibli movie and half of an oldschool JRPG.

    The aesthetics and the music are of course amazing and they really make it feel like you're playing in a Ghibli movie.

    The story is fantastic as well and there are some interesting/unexpected twists. Surprisingly, I really liked the English voice acting. I typically prefer the native voice track, but they did a really good job with the dub this time. Also worth mentioning is the Wizard's Companion. I was really surprised at how in-depth and detailed it was. It was really fun to read the side stories and the lore scattered throughout. Other things I liked... lots of hidden items/areas to discover, tons of sidequests, and a worth-while crafting system.

    As far as actual gameplay is concerned, I only have two gripes... first of which is the combat. I don't mind the overall combat system itself, but I always felt like half my familiars were just filler and were relatively weak. This lasted all the way up until the end of the game. The party AI was also offensively bad. There were a number of occasions where they would just walk right through some dangerous ground effects and instantly die... especially toward the end of the game. My other complaint is that I felt like the game held my hand for too long. It wasn't a huge deal to me, but I could have done with fewer tutorials.

    In conclusion, this is a very good JRPG and is worth playing if you're looking for a more laid-back game with a great story, amazing visuals/music, and entertaining gameplay.    … Expand
  86. creath
    Jul 15, 2013
    9
    One of the best games I've played in a long time. Excellent story, dynamic battle mechanics, AMAZING art style, and PLENTY to do. I'm 65 hours in and the time has flown by. Only reason it doesn't get a 10 from me is because of the grinding that is often necessary to advance through some parts of the story. Aside from that though, it's by far my favorite game of 2013.
  87. FantasyGameFan
    Jul 8, 2013
    10
    Having played this game through and being an enormous fan of the genre, I rate this game a 10 because it is a marvel. I'm an enormous fan of Studio Ghibli, and the artwork was spectacular. The story was definitely fun, and all of the tasks were rather enjoyable. However, the reason I give this game a 10 is because it REALLY gets going once you finish the main story-line. I absolutely loveHaving played this game through and being an enormous fan of the genre, I rate this game a 10 because it is a marvel. I'm an enormous fan of Studio Ghibli, and the artwork was spectacular. The story was definitely fun, and all of the tasks were rather enjoyable. However, the reason I give this game a 10 is because it REALLY gets going once you finish the main story-line. I absolutely love it when games have fulfilling "after-game" aspects, and Ni No Kuni really did a good job here. I won't give anything away, but what I can say is it is very worth it to play this game out, I enjoyed every single minute of it.… Expand
  88. M9ki
    Jun 29, 2013
    8
    Good game but I prefer mature games but over all it was quite good.Its one of those repetitive games so if your ok with that then your surely will love this game.
  89. Punkinki
    Jun 15, 2013
    8
    I am really enjoying it as far as the nostalgia of playing a tradtional RPG goes. I honestly don't care much for the characters or the storyline but it is overall an enjoyable game if you like the genre. It's fairly basic and spamming attack on about 95% of fights seems to work. It's not overly complicated nor deep. A light rpg that's pretty much good for everyone, young or old,I am really enjoying it as far as the nostalgia of playing a tradtional RPG goes. I honestly don't care much for the characters or the storyline but it is overall an enjoyable game if you like the genre. It's fairly basic and spamming attack on about 95% of fights seems to work. It's not overly complicated nor deep. A light rpg that's pretty much good for everyone, young or old, experienced or not. It does do a fair share of hand holding but that's nothing too terrible to discourage you from playing it but it does make you question at times if you are playing a game suitable for an adult...no joke. All that being said though, it is a great game to just have fun with and take some time off of intense gaming.… Expand
  90. Dastrados
    Jun 14, 2013
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. I have never played a jrpg before but this game was amazing. Great story and lots of stuff to do after u beat the game. Easily got overt 100 hours in it.
  91. ihatecheez
    Jun 13, 2013
    8
    the game is great! music is great! and the gameplay is great! since this game is more for everyone, if you're looking for a more mature story, dont get this game. this game is made to be cute and emotional, i even cried at times.
  92. kowon
    Jun 11, 2013
    10
    Ni No Kuni made up for the latest surge of nasty final fantasy games i usually prefer turn based rpg like FF9 and FF7 however this game manage to make real time strategy work for me and to put the game into terms for people wondering what it is welsh guy pokemon good story replayability def worth 10 and tbh more if i could
  93. enkidu_clay
    Jun 5, 2013
    10
    Story: In typical Miyazaki fashion, this game has an incredibly good story. It is based off of an anime, which may not appeal to everyone, but the story is emotionally riveting in the sense that it tugs at your heartstrings without being melodramatic. The characters are beaming with positivity and sentiment, and you can’t help but feel even for the villains. (10/10)

    Voice acting: The    Story: In typical Miyazaki fashion, this game has an incredibly good story. It is based off of an anime, which may not appeal to everyone, but the story is emotionally riveting in the sense that it tugs at your heartstrings without being melodramatic. The characters are beaming with positivity and sentiment, and you can’t help but feel even for the villains. (10/10)

    Voice acting: The English dub for this game is great. All characters are executed well and are very believable. Some may say the voices are childish, but the characters are in fact children, so I think it completely appropriate. I wish that the entire game was voiced, but unfortunately only main story segments are, which leaves some exposition feeling a bit flat. (9/10)

    Characters/World: The cast, while small, is great. They compliment each other well and each has a fully fleshed out story with unique personalities and personal tribulations. Even the support characters are excellently executed. The world is large and ripe for exploration with very few areas being inaccessible once you get the necessary means of transportation. The landscapes and environments are incredibly varied and I found myself returning to places just to take a second look. (10/10)

    Graphics: This is an anime game, and it looks amazing. The character and enemy designs all look hand drawn and burst with color and character. Everything in this game looks amazing and it draws you into the world. (10/10)

    Game length/Replayability: The game is quite lengthy; I put in over 60 hours and still didn’t finish everything that could be done. There are tons of side quests, bounties, and optional enemies to fight, and the game has considerable length if you want to capture and train the 300 familiars available. There is also plenty of replayability. After beating the game, you are dropped back off into the world where you can explore further, hunt additional bosses, and do post-game quests. (10/10)

    Gameplay/Optimization: The gameplay has a robust alchemy system, myriad gear to equip your characters, unique skills you learn from completing quests, and dozens of spells and summons to learn. Each of the four main characters play differently and have unique affinities for different familiars, which adds tactical depth. (10/10)

    Verdict: I have no qualms saying this game is amazing. It is one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played, and I’m an RPG connoisseur, and it has a distinct feel that is uniquely its own despite its anime inspired world akin to the Tales games. Bottom line, if you enjoy RPGs, anime, good stories, and fun collect-them-all gameplay, this game is a must! (Overall: 9.8/10)    … Expand
  94. ControllerInHan
    May 12, 2013
    9
    This is the experience that I had been waiting years for. I played countless JRPG’s on my SNES and Playstation during my teenage years. There was a magic about the games from this era. I adored games like Chrono Trigger. Unfortunately, during my 20’s, I had a falling out with the genre. I played many JRPG’s that come out in the past decade, but nothing reached the heights achieved byThis is the experience that I had been waiting years for. I played countless JRPG’s on my SNES and Playstation during my teenage years. There was a magic about the games from this era. I adored games like Chrono Trigger. Unfortunately, during my 20’s, I had a falling out with the genre. I played many JRPG’s that come out in the past decade, but nothing reached the heights achieved by those classic games of my childhood, and nothing held my interest more than a few hours. Well, I have finally found another game that I can add to the list of JRPG’s that have captivated my imagination.

    Ni No Kuni is not perfect by any means, but it is magical. It’s story, visuals and game play combine to create an experience that I have been seeking for years. Level 5 has moved away from the generic, emo, protagonist that has taken over the JRPG landscape in recent years and created Oliver, a young boy with a sense of wonder that I was able to connect with. The progression of his story is somewhat predictable, but Oliver's character kept me engaged throughout his 40+ hour story. Using Drippy, Oliver’s fairy sidekick, to balance the innocence of the main character, was a smart decision. Giving Drippy a Welsh accent was perfect. It added humour to the game, and it never seemed forced. The other party members that travel with Oliver fit into the overall story very well, as do the many side characters encountered throughout. My one complaint with the characters, is you encounter many of the same ones in each town, always with a similar problem. These side missions can be easily skipped, but anybody playing will probably want to take the time to complete some of these errands. The voice acting in the game does a nice job but there just isn't as much as I was hoping for. For those purists out there, it can be played with subtitles and the original Japanese voice acting.

    As much as I enjoyed the story, the graphics is where Ni No Kuni really shines. I've heard people say “It feels like you are playing a cartoon,” and this description is completely accurate. Designed and animated by Studio Ghibli, the characters and environments in the game are stunning. There were numerous times I would enter an area and think it was one of the most amazing scenes I have even seen on my PS3, only to be blown away every time I entered a new area. The environments vary widely, hitting all the traditional game locales. The highlights for me were the towns, as they each seemed to have contain it's own personality that I could feel as walked about. Hamlin is closed in and cold, while Castaway Cove felt much more relaxed and carefree. Even the darker areas, such as Miasma Swamp, were amazingly animated, and feel dark and dreary.

    The score, performed by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, complimented the entire experience. The music fit the game really well, and other than the title theme, I have no complaints. The title theme was a little boisterous, and the first four seconds of it have become stuck in a continuous loop in my head countless times.

    The story and game play of Ni No Kuni has found a nice balance between being accessible to a wider audience and still capturing that unique charm of a JRPG. The story, while very predictable, is charming, and it is the characters that kept me wanting to play. There were no shades of grey here, Oliver was a good guy and as the story progressed he was trying to do the right thing. Throughout, characters are (literally) missing pieces of their heart, and Oliver takes it upon himself to restore the missing pieces. The story does tend to drag in a couple places, especially when you can see exactly what is going to happen, yet still have to go through the multiple steps to get there.

    Ni No Kuni also has a Monster Hunter/Pokemon aspect of catching creatures which the game calls familiars. I didn't really get into this aspect of the game, but I do see how players could spend hours trying to get them all. The side quests, in the form of errands and bounty hunts, are numerous in the game, and also add hours of gameplay. Many of the games best weapons and rewards can only earned through these missions. There is also an alchemy section, using items to create new weapons and supplies. The game has more than enough to keep collectors and RPG lovers happy, and very busy.

    I love that this game was able to recapture some of that magic I felt when I played games back on the SNES and PS1. The story never really shines, but was always good enough that it never mattered. The characters and their personalities kept me engaged, and the Welsh accent of Drippy is brilliant. I was drawn in by the visuals, which are among the best on the PS3. Everything about how this game looks, is breathtaking.

    http://controlerinhand.blogspot.ca/    … Expand
  95. MrVoid
    May 5, 2013
    10
    I tend to avoid JRPGs nowadays because they tend to be boring and very tedious. This wonderful game changes that completely. Very solid writing, the best graphics this generation and great gameplay does all the difference.
  96. Jacer200
    May 4, 2013
    9
    This is a great jrpg. Took me 55hrs to complete. This is a Pokemon style game. Don't play if you don't like jrpg or Pokemon. But if you do this is worth any amount you pay for. Don't let the childish art fool you. This is a hard core jrpg. Fair warning you need 40+ 70mp pots before you enter the Ivory Tower or you will not beat the game.
  97. travismarshall
    May 3, 2013
    9
    Back to my childhood games, where the games were magical, for all ages, I never felt that feeling since many years ago. Now Ni no Kuni has captured that feeling.
  98. babble
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    An amazingly beautiful art style with a very compelling story, Ni No Kuni is a must buy if you want to purchase an earthbound style next generation rpg.
  99. thelocolocal
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    Not just a good JRPG, a great RPG. Even though the game's combat system take a bit of work to get used to it's fairly simple (like a more slightly complex Pokemon game). I'm about 10.5 hours into the game and I have enjoyed 95% of it. PROS: The story is great (not my favorite). The English voice acting is well done (could be a little better). Graphics are good. SO much to do. CONS: TheNot just a good JRPG, a great RPG. Even though the game's combat system take a bit of work to get used to it's fairly simple (like a more slightly complex Pokemon game). I'm about 10.5 hours into the game and I have enjoyed 95% of it. PROS: The story is great (not my favorite). The English voice acting is well done (could be a little better). Graphics are good. SO much to do. CONS: The translation for the text seems a little off (not sure if done on purpose or not). I don't know why/when it decides to be text that you have to read, them speaking but in gameplay mode, or a just a smooth, well put together cutscene. These cons are very minor and should NOT prevent you from getting this game. If you have a PS3 and love JRPGs (or RPGs in general) GET THIS GAME!… Expand
  100. olik
    Apr 25, 2013
    10
    I picked up this game so that I could play it with my 5 year old boy. He generally does the walking around and enjoys all the different creatures we meet and "collect", and I do the fights.
    Being brought up on Final Fantasy and games like that, this game was easy to pick up and start playing. Even after beating the game, you actually open up a whole new world of things to do and the game    I picked up this game so that I could play it with my 5 year old boy. He generally does the walking around and enjoys all the different creatures we meet and "collect", and I do the fights.
    Being brought up on Final Fantasy and games like that, this game was easy to pick up and start playing. Even after beating the game, you actually open up a whole new world of things to do and the game has many more hours of life in it.
    We are over 100 hours in and it has been an enjoyable journey and we still haven't finished all the quests. The World is not too big to be overwhelming. The battles can sometimes be tough, but with the right items in your backpack or your familiars levelled to a good level, you should be ok.
    Sometimes you have to do a little grinding to level up your team, but it is very minimal, or you do it around some of the quests.
    Also some quests you might get stuck on when you are looking for a item, or a hidden forest, but that is where the internet helps because sometimes it is pretty obscure. I also recommend looking on the internet how to learn to play one of the card games to get lots of casino money it comes in handy.
    Definitely recommended, but remember to warn your child that the mother in the game is going to die and that you are going to try and do what you can to help her (no spoiler required as it is in the games description).
    So overall, the best game I have played this year and my son has enjoyed it too. "Is it the weekend Daddy? Can we play Ni No Kuni?" "Ask your mother if we are allowed" :)
    Looking forward to a sequel which might be in the pipeline.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PS3 Game of 2013
8
#8 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
4
#4 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Post Arcade (National Post)
    May 6, 2013
    80
    Ni No Kuni offers players an experience unlike almost any other RPG. At once, you are transported back to the innocence of a childhood filled with monsters, magic, and mysticism; but at the same time you find yourself immersed in an emotional story about a protagonist dealing with his innermost emotions.
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  2. RPG Fan
    Apr 11, 2013
    92
    The entertaining battles and the resolutions of plot threads as the game progressed toward the final credits were worth paying the cost of a slow start to the gameplay. This is a game that we'll be talking about for years to come, and I'm happy to have played it.
    Read full review
  3. Armchair Empire
    Apr 1, 2013
    85
    Despite the delayed journey to the West, Ni No Kuni is definitely a title you should at least give a chance. There is a demo up on PSN that you can go ahead and download, and once you get used to the combat system and mechanics of the game, you’ll be treated to an adventure like no other.
    Read full review
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