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. DDayGold
    Feb 5, 2013
    8
    The story is good even tho childish and the game play works well. The difficulty rises as you get near the end of the game. My only beef is the makers seem to change focus near the end of the game.
  2. Caste
    Feb 5, 2013
    9
    I'll try to help to those gamers that are thinking about getting it. And excuse my english, please. All about graphics and atmosphere it's already said, but you really have to consider this game as a gift for the old school RPG players.
    The game starts slowly, even a little boring for me, but it increases the pace little by little the same way you take care about the characters and story    I'll try to help to those gamers that are thinking about getting it. And excuse my english, please. All about graphics and atmosphere it's already said, but you really have to consider this game as a gift for the old school RPG players.
    The game starts slowly, even a little boring for me, but it increases the pace little by little the same way you take care about the characters and story and fall in love with the world around you. The game proposes a lot of interesting bosses, secondary missions and some situations which aren't common nowadays. For example, how many years have passed since you play a game where in a new city you can't buy every new weapon and item from the shops. I even died a couple of times agains the same boss and I use to grind a lot, that was a nice surprise for someone who hates the actual tendency of game's difficulty, challenge-reward values.
    My point is, the game looks simple and easy due to its graphic style, but is an absolute masterpiece that can be enjoyable for a ton of hours, and you should!    … Expand
  3. KingYP
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    I don't usually throw out 10s, infact this is the first ten im giving, and im proud to say that this game definitely deserves so!! Its so good that im surprised everytime I look at the metascore to see 86 out of 100, for this game does so little wrong. It basically is perfect in every aspect, from graphics to story and should of gotten a higher rating for I feel that it should be a gameI don't usually throw out 10s, infact this is the first ten im giving, and im proud to say that this game definitely deserves so!! Its so good that im surprised everytime I look at the metascore to see 86 out of 100, for this game does so little wrong. It basically is perfect in every aspect, from graphics to story and should of gotten a higher rating for I feel that it should be a game that competes for goty!! even with titles such as god of war, bioshock, the last of us, sly cooper, dead space, crisis 3, fifa 14 and more, I feel that it would take a miracle for this game to be beaten for game of the year!! Then again, all these titles are more then capable of doing so, yet I feel that this game is special for its storytelling and gameplay bring a different view on how games should be played, and it is the epitamy of legendary gaming!! I really hope this game is remembered for a long time for it is a wopper!! and I highly recommend everybody to buy this game for you almost certainly will enjoy it!!… Expand
  4. Kermie
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    Ni No Kuni is one of the best JRPG'S I have ever played. Combining Studio Ghibli's incredible imagination with Level 5's polished and fun gameplay mechanics, Ni No Kuni feels like the JRPG'S of old while revitalizing a dying genre. It feels like Dragon Quest VIII (a personal favorite), mixing elements of Tales, Star Ocean, and Pokemon into one pot of pure bliss. And man, how I've missed anNi No Kuni is one of the best JRPG'S I have ever played. Combining Studio Ghibli's incredible imagination with Level 5's polished and fun gameplay mechanics, Ni No Kuni feels like the JRPG'S of old while revitalizing a dying genre. It feels like Dragon Quest VIII (a personal favorite), mixing elements of Tales, Star Ocean, and Pokemon into one pot of pure bliss. And man, how I've missed an overworld!

    The story and world sucks you in right quick, creating a sense of charm and wonder right from the get go. The opening is a tear-jerker, creating a sense of desperation and sympathy for our hero, Oliver. More than anything, Studio Ghibli's incredible ability to create such unique and real emotion in such with their animation is one of their strengths, and combining that with Level 5's sincere approach to the story, it works like magic. Right away, you meet Drippy, one of the most incredibly charismatic and lovable characters to ever grace a video game. The writing and script is top notch, filled with hilarious dialogue and wonderful characters (that feature some of the best English Dubs of any JRPG translation that I've played).

    Battles play out like a synthesis of Tales meets Pokemon. You gain control of familiars, small creates that have attributes (sword and shield, tank, fire, etc.) that do your fighting in battles. You can also take control of Oliver to command him to use various tools such as the ability to use items, heal, and run. Battles begin fairly simple with you fighting one to two monsters, but the progression exponentially increases and by no time battles become chaotic affairs that will test your wit and reflexes. The combat is incredibly addicting, rewarding constant interaction and movement on the battlefield. One of the best features is the real time aspect of the battle system. If you command your familiars to attack, defend, and use tricks (or special abilities) at the right time HP and MP orbs fall from your enemies, offering a quick heal. It sounds like a simple mechanic, but it keeps you constantly engaged while in combat, offering a fun, fast paced and exciting tug of war against your enemies.

    Story telling is, to put it simply, reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. A hero going on an epic adventure to save his kingdom, healing the people of the land of their broken-heartedness, all while trying to save your mother sounds, walks, and talks just a Ghibli presentation shoud. NNK can be enjoyed by a younger audience, but the elements here are consistently dark and mature, which comes as a major relief. Keeping it spoiler free, the game engages you quite well. It's a simple yet emotionally effective story that grabs you right away.

    Also of note is Joe Hisaishi's majestic, sweeping, and beautiful original score. Frequent collaborator with Studio Ghibli, Joe was (gladly) offered to compose the score, and man is it incredible. The overworld theme is still reverberating in my head as I write this. It captures the moods with gorgeous melodies and memorable themes. It allows you to explore and enjoy an already tremendous achievement all the more. They seriously need to release the PS3 soundtrack, because this is as good as JRPG and video game scores get.

    And speaking of outside influence, Studio Ghibli made a significant contribution in the art department. There are original animated cut scenes produced by Ghibli themselves (namely Momose) which are wonderful (especially in HD!), the monsters are original and cute, and the gorgeous colors used in the backdrops provoke the imagination. Everything is here, and it feels like Ghibli production combined with Level 5's JRPG mastery in full force.

    If there are any complaints (and these are minor grievances) it's that the draw distance is nothing to write home about. On the world map you'll see mountains "peel" in in the distance, and foliage in more graphically intensive areas obviously pops in as you walk through the areas. I also have experienced one or two werid glitches in which I had to restart the game. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is sincere, wholesome, and most importantly FUN entertainment that might just be the last push the JRPG genre needs to get its legs again in a predominantly "bald-space-dude-marine-bro" controlled market.

    Part homage to JRPG's and part fan service for Studio Ghibli lovers, it's hard not to like Ni No Kuni. If you love RPG's/JRPG's, this is a no brainer. If you love Studio Ghibli, this is a no brainer. If you've been looking to jump into the genre, you won't get a better chance. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a steroid shot to the imagination, giving players freedom to explore one of the best adventures this console generation. It's a masterpiece that won't soon be forgotten.    … Expand
  5. VelocityGamer
    Feb 4, 2013
    9
    Ni No Kuni has some faults, but its visual display, its actual child like sincerity, and unexpected quirks have a firm grip on my unexpecting heart. It’s a world where children can save the world, not everything necessarily needs to be stated, and magic is not only powerful but visually beautiful.

    Following the usual rounds of the hero’s path we find a young boy named Oliver sitting in    Ni No Kuni has some faults, but its visual display, its actual child like sincerity, and unexpected quirks have a firm grip on my unexpecting heart. It’s a world where children can save the world, not everything necessarily needs to be stated, and magic is not only powerful but visually beautiful.

    Following the usual rounds of the hero’s path we find a young boy named Oliver sitting in small city America acting all cute and adorable to everyone in town. He’ll pick up food for his mother, help his best friend mess around with strange secret contraptions in the hopes of achieving some simple childhood dream, and will find ways to not tell lies while still doing things he probably shouldn’t. Disaster strikes, Oliver almost dies, and his mother saves him at the cost of her own life. Oliver finds himself alone, miserable, close to broken hearted when his best friend Mr. Drippy a doll) is suddenly brought to life and exclaims that Oliver is a wizard. Only the pure hearted could have undone the curse that Mr. Drippy was apparently entrapped in, then asks Oliver to enter his world to hopefully save everyone because he is now the chosen one.”Ollie-boy” is then sent on a journey, a journey that if the cards are played right will save Mr. Drippy’s friends and hopefully save Oliver’s mother with magic to spare. With wand in hand Oliver casts a magic spell to enter a world filled with wonder and whimsy. The world of Ni No Kuni.

    Before I started my magical adventure I decided I would need an army or a really good team. With “Ken Grify Jr.“ in hand along with “Hulk“ I began scouring the Kingdom of Ding Dong Dell for any items or monsters that could help me attain my perfect magician destiny. Sadly I lacked the ability to capture any monster I fought, but a lemur was given to me before I entered the first dungeon… I decided to call him “Wesley Snipes”. So with Ken, Wes, and Hulk in hand I set about saving the world. Ding Dong Dell’s King, a delightfully over sized cat has sadly been cursed in a similar fashion to Mr. Drippy, he has become “broken hearted” as in a piece of his heart has been stolen by the great Dark Djinn Shadar. Ollie-boy whips out his wand with spell book in hand and does a quick spell to take the overabundance of heart in one of the kings subjects to repair the damage done to his holy meow-ness. The king then stands up immediately and decrees he has a gift for Oliver a wand, which was the reason as to why we came here to begin with) but will need to fight the Mouse King in order to obtain it.

    This is a game that was made for children, we are just lucky enough to enjoy the ride. The more complicated tones of any modern RPG have been confusing us all for years. We can never truly understand why any of it is going on or why it is that everyone is talking about lightness, darkness, or their overabundance of weird crystals. Ni No Kuni I think chose to skip all of that nonsense and decided to focus more on making sure that the game itself actually works. We travel the world, watch Ollie-boy heal some hearts, play a few fun hands of platoon, face some great evil that is harming the land, then hope everything will turn out alright for Oliver and his new found friends. While I wish some of these more subtle details had been further explained or stated because I guarantee they have them written down somewhere it is not a game breaker when compared to how much in this game Level 5 managed to do right. Ni No Kuni is an actual world filled with hilarious characters, memorable quests, and actual moments of excitement. Perhaps Studio Ghibli next time around should be given control over the story along with the animation, but none the less Ni No Kuni is the best Modern Day JRPG.

    For the full review check us out at :
    http://www.velocitygamer.com/ni-no-kuni-review-a-sincere-heart/    … Expand
  6. muzziklover
    Feb 3, 2013
    10
    It's just the beginning of the year and I'm already considering this a Game of the Year contender. Ni No Kuni is a love letter to the legendary traditional JRPGs like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Secret of Mana from the SNES days and probably one of the best games on the Playstation 3. From it's breathtaking visuals courtesy of Studio Ghibli, the satisfyingly lengthy playtime, theIt's just the beginning of the year and I'm already considering this a Game of the Year contender. Ni No Kuni is a love letter to the legendary traditional JRPGs like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Secret of Mana from the SNES days and probably one of the best games on the Playstation 3. From it's breathtaking visuals courtesy of Studio Ghibli, the satisfyingly lengthy playtime, the simple yet compelling story to its traditional yet deep gameplay, it was like the SNES never really went away. If you want to experience the glory days of the JRPG's, then look no further than Ni No Kuni.… Expand
  7. Kenmei
    Feb 3, 2013
    5
    I gotta say, this game had me fooled. After reading all the wonderful reviews, I felt like it was a no brainer for me to purchase. After playing it for awhile, I can't help but feel like this is Dora the Explorer in a fantasy world. Everything is far too cute and cuddly for me. I feel like this game's setting is meant for children and I've got zero interest in pretty much everything goingI gotta say, this game had me fooled. After reading all the wonderful reviews, I felt like it was a no brainer for me to purchase. After playing it for awhile, I can't help but feel like this is Dora the Explorer in a fantasy world. Everything is far too cute and cuddly for me. I feel like this game's setting is meant for children and I've got zero interest in pretty much everything going on in the game. The battle system is decent but I was hoping for something more engaging seeing as how it was compared to the Tales series in the reviews. In the end I just feel like this game was meant more for children than adult gamers. It's not the JRPG revolution that people made it seem like and I'm actually very disappointed that a game with this kind of content matter is being seen as a serious, mature game meant for the real gamers out there. Goes to show that people are so desperate for another classic JRPG that they will say anything is the next FF VII.… Expand
  8. Vandral007
    Feb 1, 2013
    9
    After playing this game for what I feel a sufficient amount of time, I can say that while not perfect, Ni No Kuni is easily one of the best JRPG's to come out during this generation, and will likely stand as a classic in the same vein as the earlier Final Fantasy's or Dragon Quest games. I won't go into heavy detail about the graphics: in short they are beautiful. Anyone who looks at aAfter playing this game for what I feel a sufficient amount of time, I can say that while not perfect, Ni No Kuni is easily one of the best JRPG's to come out during this generation, and will likely stand as a classic in the same vein as the earlier Final Fantasy's or Dragon Quest games. I won't go into heavy detail about the graphics: in short they are beautiful. Anyone who looks at a screenshot can easily see that. For me the single greatest acheivement of Ni No Kuni is the story and the way it is presented. I'm the first to admit that I'm a heartless cynic, and I started this game with no small amount of eye rolling and groaning in regards to the dialogue and direction that this game seemed to be heading in. That changed very quickly however, and while this games story is presented in a similar way a childrens movie might be, it is done intellegently and so masterfully that my blackened heart had no choice but to care and sympathize with Oliver on his travels. I legitimately cared for the characters in this game, something that I rarely do. The gameplay may seem simple and repetitive to start, but once you allow the game to open up you will find a highly polished and refined battle system and find yourself intentionally getting into battles just to experience. The soundtrack is well produced, but fair warning: the battle theme will begin to grate on you after some time. Overall, this is truly a great game and fans of JRPG's or just good games in general should check it out.… Expand
  9. steffmaister
    Feb 1, 2013
    10
    Magic game that will most definitly involve you in a dazzling world and beautiful story.
    It was a long time since a good jrpg was made, especially for the ps3. If you only chose one rpg to play this year than this is the one!
  10. CiSurvive
    Jan 31, 2013
    10
    Game is awesome. It borrows many properties from great jrpg games and invents new ones.This game is a great to play. Story is good and goes on in great speed. Battle system has good variety and tempo. Monster collecting is one of many great addicting qualities. If you like long jrpgs, good stories, great and vibrant graphics and smooth battle systems, you will love this game. It is reallyGame is awesome. It borrows many properties from great jrpg games and invents new ones.This game is a great to play. Story is good and goes on in great speed. Battle system has good variety and tempo. Monster collecting is one of many great addicting qualities. If you like long jrpgs, good stories, great and vibrant graphics and smooth battle systems, you will love this game. It is really the best jrpgs of this generation. Drippy is fun character 4 real… Expand
  11. Ironsheik
    Jan 30, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a less than mediocre game, it should have been a movie.

    It starts out good, great voice acting, great art, great setting.

    But within 5 hours it evolves into the most boring confusing and bugged jRPG I've ever played

    The main story is about 40~ hours, the plot is about 3~ of those hours, and the rest is filler fetch quests.
    Half of the spells in the game are one time use, and the other half are not used at all.

    To catch the familiars in the game, it is all random number generated, and usually requires 1-2 hours just to catch a regular familiar, and to catch the rare ones can require a 5+ hour investment.

    The AI is atrocious, they will burn their MP to 0 if you let them cast spells, and if you don't let them cast spells they die due to not healing.
    You get two macros regarding AI, All-out-defense and All-Out-Offense.

    All out defense is usually them bringing out the worst familiar to defend with, getting hit hard and dying, and they also never attack during this phase. All-out-attack is them bringing out the worst familiar to attack with and doing zero damage.

    In specific there is a boss fight with a magic-weak boss, the AI will never use spells and continually dink the boss for 2-5 damage a hit.

    The game holds your hand tutorial wise throughout, even the last boss has a mid-battle tutorial telling you to dodge. I understand this is an E game, but what happened to simply figuring things out?
    You get a spell called bridge, which by its' namesake, creates a bridge. This is great, I can cross chasms and canyons with ease! But drippy (The walking tutorial) literally spells out when to use the spell. Also there are ledges that make it apparent a bridge would go here. They may as well just removed the spell entirely and just put the bridge there.

    Also there is a feature which you must remove emotions from people and give them to those lacking. At first I think cool, healing people and figuring out who has what and help others! BUT, in literally EVERY occasion you need to do this, the game HIGHLIGHTS the emotion they have, and the emotion they need. What is the point? Just remove this entirely if the game is going to hold your hand every time. If one had to read the text and figure out what they had it'd be okay.

    There are also huge overlooks with the gameplay. When performing alchemy you can mix-and-match items to create new ones, or use a formula, cool! But when you do find a formula thru mixing, IT DOESN'T ADD IT TO THE FORMULA LIST. An extreme annoyance. Also the path finding when attacking is atrocious, during one boss fight you spend the entire attack phase running around the monster who is continually turning, and you never get an attack in.

    As said earlier, the game has 2-3 hours of full voice acting, but as you progress, it literally turns to about a 50:1 text to spoken ratio.
    This causes all character development to cease, and you lose immersion in the story.
    It's a good thing because the story jumps the shark halfway through, and starts contradicting itself and adding red herring plotlines every 5 minutes. It also never comes back to correct the plotholes, and the story is just utter trash. The characters are extremely forgetful. Oliver the protagonist starts out by losing his mother, and is fighting to save her. I was taken by this and loved it, but soon you get the other two main characters, who are about as entertaining as Dane Cook to someone with an IQ over 100.

    The NPC who comes to save everyone in the end has literally no reason for existing, and is never explained. What is explained, is that this character (Pea) is brought to us by Gallus (The Wizard King). yet Gallus is an imaginary being who was thought up by Pea. I can't make this up. It's that bad.

    The only thing that kept me playing was the art style.

    Only giant fans of Level-5 and ghibli need play this, otherwise avoid at all costs if you are a JRPG fan. level-5 has released far superior titles to this.    … Expand
  12. Aurelion
    Jan 30, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SORRY FOR MY POOR ENGLISH. There have been a lot of positive reviews for this game. I agree with all of them. Don't let the negative ones keep you from buying this gem. Many of them are complaining about a.) a clunky battle-system b.) too much grinding or to many battles c.) too much text d.) repetitive sidequests e.) a childish story f.) a stupid main character g.) a linear gameplay. So let's set things straight. a/b.) This IS a RPG of course there are many battles and if you get used to the battle system it becomes fluid and addictive. I've watched many walkthroughs on Youtube. The majority of players clearly don't pay attention to tutorials and are making stupid decisions while in battle. You can't blame the game for an lack of intelligence. c.) The plenty amount of text is called a STORY. If you don't like lenghty storylines why even bother buying a RPG? And the lack of an voice-over does not make the dialog less interesting or the game broken. d.) The sidequest-part is indeed repetitive. But all quests are wrapped in a nice story so it's not that bad. And you get really usefull rewards an not the usual crap like in other RPG's. e.) Childish story? Really? The game starts with the death of a mother trying to save her child from assassination. I must have missed the childish part in here. If you pay attention there is a lot dark stuff going on as the story progresses but I guess the kids nowadays need explicit gore an violence to understand the concept of horror. f.) Oliver is not stupid or "poorly written". He is naive. Yes there is a difference! What did you expect from a 13-year-old boy who is living in a perfect storybook town filled with nice people who still care for each other? He isn't even able to lie properly. It HAS to be that way, he is the pure-hearted-one, remember? g.) This game is NOT linear. Just turn the guide-star off and you will see how everything is changing dramatically. I am playing without it and the game feels so much deeper than before. And also set the mini-map to rotate, the navigation will become more enjoyable. After a console-generation pestered with questionable game development finally something admirable an big has arrived: Open world exploration, hidden places, dungeons, dragons and witches. Tons of side quests, creature taming and alchemy. 40-80 hours main campaign as well as many hours of post game content. I feel truly sorry for everyone who is unable to realize how immersive and heart-stirring (pun intended) this game is. I am very very pleased and I hope there is gonna be a sequel!… Expand
  13. pahlke99
    Jan 30, 2013
    10
    Ni No Kuni is a triumphant in the modern state of gaming. Gone is any shoehorned in online or dlc, you get the complete package from the start. The game is simply gorgeous, with superb ingame graphics, stellar audio, tip tier voice acting (english and japanese) and high quality ghibli goodness cinematics. The game is just fun to play, igniting a sense of happiness and wonder while playing.Ni No Kuni is a triumphant in the modern state of gaming. Gone is any shoehorned in online or dlc, you get the complete package from the start. The game is simply gorgeous, with superb ingame graphics, stellar audio, tip tier voice acting (english and japanese) and high quality ghibli goodness cinematics. The game is just fun to play, igniting a sense of happiness and wonder while playing. You could just leave the menu running to hear the music. This is a game worthy of buying a ps3 for, its just simply flawless. If you like rpgs you need to own this game, if you like the game journey you need to own this game, if you love studio ghibli you need to own this game, if you love orchestral scores you need to own this game. Just buy it!… Expand
  14. ferith
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    This game is a treat, it is like a wonderful blend of Pokemon and DragonQuest IX. It has the familiar collecting and evolving of pokemon and the wonderfully campy humor and exploration aspects of DragonQuest IX....wrapped up in a lovely anime movie.
  15. BillySpandex
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    Just an amazing title. It plays to the strength of what JRPGs used to be. It used to be about exploration and incredible characters, not linear wannabe movies. Ni no Kuni is an exceptional game for the PS3, and if you're on the fence, you should be ashamed of yourself.
  16. Shu_Nitori
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    I'm a fan of RPGs, but not a huge fan of J-RPGs but I gave this game a try. The results were very appealing; the cute characters, action packed story, the exploration, familiars, and much more features made this game very enjoyable. Tidy, should I say, a $60 well spent!
  17. dechico2004
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    Wow, for years I've wanted to love new school games that go for the old 16 bit JRPG feel. Until now all contenders have fallen short due to one reason or another. Ni No Kuni is the perfect bled of that old familiar feel mixed with a dash of new school polish. From the minute you turn this game on you are greeted with a feeling of amazement. The amazing art work, by world renownedWow, for years I've wanted to love new school games that go for the old 16 bit JRPG feel. Until now all contenders have fallen short due to one reason or another. Ni No Kuni is the perfect bled of that old familiar feel mixed with a dash of new school polish. From the minute you turn this game on you are greeted with a feeling of amazement. The amazing art work, by world renowned animators Studio Ghilbli, is simply amazing. Cell shading hasn't been done this perfectly (or should I say purrfectly, for all of the insiders) since Wind Waker concurred it earlier this century. That animation style along with a great sense of humor, heart string pulling emotional appeal, and a fantastic battle system place this game on many people's greatest of all time list (jrpg). While that may be slightly premature I will say that if your going to play one JRPG this console generation do yourself a favor and make it Ni No Kuni.… Expand
  18. VsAssassin
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    This game is absolutely breath-taking! The world, the lore, the story are all entwined into a beautiful masterpiece. The graphics are captivatingly sumptuous, and the musical score is A-grade. The game's battle mechanics are medium-paced with real-time tactic application.

    This title deserves all the high praises it's been getting. If you've been yearning for a proper JRPG on a    This game is absolutely breath-taking! The world, the lore, the story are all entwined into a beautiful masterpiece. The graphics are captivatingly sumptuous, and the musical score is A-grade. The game's battle mechanics are medium-paced with real-time tactic application.

    This title deserves all the high praises it's been getting. If you've been yearning for a proper JRPG on a current-gen console, this is it! Trust me, this is an instant classic!    … Expand
  19. ayronos
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    This game is so freaking beautiful! The Sound, the graphics, the gameplay... all of it comes in a fluid and fitting package of awesomeness. I love this game.... really :D
  20. tombo
    Jan 28, 2013
    10
    This is my grandson's first RPG, and ,of course, he delights in the traditional elements of exploration,
    discovery, combat, progression,etc. Yes, it's enchanting; the art direction is stellar! For me though, the virtues of love, courage, enthusiasm, kindness,etc. that Ni No Kuni instill are so humane and wise in their teaching. This is too rare in any form of entertainment, but because    This is my grandson's first RPG, and ,of course, he delights in the traditional elements of exploration,
    discovery, combat, progression,etc. Yes, it's enchanting; the art direction is stellar! For me though, the virtues of love, courage, enthusiasm, kindness,etc. that Ni No Kuni instill are so humane and wise in their teaching. This is too rare in any form of entertainment, but because gaming is uniquely
    interactive, the experience becomes even more memorable and profound. Indisputably, this is art
    in its most exemplary and sublime form. Too often, gaming is dismissed as mindless violence, but it
    is capable of soaring to so much more.    … Expand
  21. brabb555
    Jan 28, 2013
    10
    This game is outstanding. It's an RPG that stands out more than any other to date on this current gen., and even rivals the old greats from the SNES/PSX eras. This game's story, visuals, characters, and all in all depth is insanely detailed and polished. Well worth the $60, almost a steal at that. The combat is a cross of what feels to me, FF 12 meets Dragon's Quest and Pokemon. Which isThis game is outstanding. It's an RPG that stands out more than any other to date on this current gen., and even rivals the old greats from the SNES/PSX eras. This game's story, visuals, characters, and all in all depth is insanely detailed and polished. Well worth the $60, almost a steal at that. The combat is a cross of what feels to me, FF 12 meets Dragon's Quest and Pokemon. Which is in no way a bad thing.… Expand
  22. MrFlankster
    Jan 28, 2013
    10
    I wasn't too sure about this game. I got 4 hours into it and wondered if I had made a mistake dropping 60 bones and not waiting for a price drop. I pushed through it for a few more hours based off of story alone. About the 9th hour, I was hooked. I learned the benefits and rewards of countering and defending. This game has it all! Story, graphics, and gameplay! I hate JRPGs, but thisI wasn't too sure about this game. I got 4 hours into it and wondered if I had made a mistake dropping 60 bones and not waiting for a price drop. I pushed through it for a few more hours based off of story alone. About the 9th hour, I was hooked. I learned the benefits and rewards of countering and defending. This game has it all! Story, graphics, and gameplay! I hate JRPGs, but this should be given a chance by anyone who even casually considers themselves a gamer. Don't be fooled by the nature of the game. This is NOT for kids when it comes to difficulty. The game is deep and takes some thought. If you try to rush through it (like I did at first) the game will punish you. If you pick this game up, dedicate yourself to experiencing it fully. This game gave me a reason again to use my PS3 for something other than a bluray player. Would I recommend buying a PS3 for this game alone... Yes! (Because you get a great bluray player as well as one of the best games ever made.) IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY PLAYING IT and you are bored, give it a few more hours and you will love it!… Expand
  23. Esfar
    Jan 28, 2013
    10
    Rouge Galaxy was one of the best RPGs I ever played which was made by Level 5 and they have done it again .. What a fantastic game! This is clearly the best Jrpg beside Xenoblade .
  24. Rally187
    Jan 27, 2013
    9
    If you are a fan of JRPGs and the pokemon series then you will enjoy this game. I will admit I was hoping for a little more, you cannot customize a lot (visually) as I expected you would, it holds your hand quite a lot, and the story while very good is slow to pick up. The visuals are incredible as well as the music and voice over work. There's lots to explore and if you do all the sideIf you are a fan of JRPGs and the pokemon series then you will enjoy this game. I will admit I was hoping for a little more, you cannot customize a lot (visually) as I expected you would, it holds your hand quite a lot, and the story while very good is slow to pick up. The visuals are incredible as well as the music and voice over work. There's lots to explore and if you do all the side quests you will be at it for a while. Its a polished game with a lot to do an obvious choice for any jrpg fans. I do suggest turning off the "guide star" in the settings menu others wise u tend to just go from point a to point b with out really thinking about what you are doing and it becomes really linear.… Expand
  25. hellyeah9019
    Jan 27, 2013
    10
    not a fan of these types of games but gave this a shot and so far great game. mature story, simple yet challenging gameplay starts easy but definitely becomes more difficult. 15 hours in. honestly this game will have me try out other games in this genre with out being bias towards them. i say give it a shot and hopefully you enjoy it like i'm doing
  26. stupiddog1979
    Jan 27, 2013
    10
    (This is a review for the JAPANESE version of this game.) For everyone learning Japanese and being on the intermediate level, this game is highly recommended. Apart from the superb quality of the game (as lots of others have already pointed out), I have to praise it for using Furigana all the time in the subtitles, making the game very accessible even for pre-JLPT-N2 learners.
  27. whiskeyknight
    Jan 27, 2013
    9
    Wonderful. I don't understand how any website could give this a bad review. This game is gorgeous, emotional, challenging, addictive, and satisfying. I think people have been pampered by easy games and don't understand the concept of a "real hardcore" RPG. If you have even the slightest interest in RPGs or Miyazaki, buy this now dude!
  28. wesker2012
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    I'm a bit disappointed with this game. I was expecting for sure it would blow me away and would be a solid 10 game or def. at least a 9. The first problem with the game is although its supposed to be an emotional journey, you never really any emotional weight in the game. You are merely just going through the motions of what the game tells you to do. The game moves at a glacial paceI'm a bit disappointed with this game. I was expecting for sure it would blow me away and would be a solid 10 game or def. at least a 9. The first problem with the game is although its supposed to be an emotional journey, you never really any emotional weight in the game. You are merely just going through the motions of what the game tells you to do. The game moves at a glacial pace and I was expecting the pace, emotional weight, and gameplay to pick up and come together as a fun and emotional journey. But it never becomes that game. Instead most of the dialogue is needless and skippable. And you feel like you are going from one place to another just for the sake of it. You never really feel any urgency to your quest. The gameplay mechanics at first are creative and refreshing but get old after the umpteenth time in battle. The story and pacing becomes predictable and a bore while the only thing that keeps you playing is to see the next gorgeous locales and to see if there are any cool twists in the story. The sidequests aren't that fun either and are chores. The upsides of the game is its unique mix of warm, humorous, and dark themes and locales in the game. The voice acting is great but I wish there was more of it. Overall, if you a fan of tradional RPGs, you'll love this game otherwise if you are growing a bit tired of the formula, you might be a bit disappointed. All in all, it's a solid RPG.… Expand
  29. Teh_Beavs
    Jan 25, 2013
    9
    This game is great if you loved Level 5's white knight chronicles there are a lot of similarities in side questing. However the art direction and character design is excellent very Ghibli. The story can best be described as heartwarming. I know what your thinking...lame but this is coming from someone who enjoyed prototype 2 and just throwing people off roofs TMI? If you miss the gloryThis game is great if you loved Level 5's white knight chronicles there are a lot of similarities in side questing. However the art direction and character design is excellent very Ghibli. The story can best be described as heartwarming. I know what your thinking...lame but this is coming from someone who enjoyed prototype 2 and just throwing people off roofs TMI? If you miss the glory days of RPG's checking this one out is a must.… Expand
  30. EverettLamb
    Jan 25, 2013
    10
    Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch could possibly be the Chrono Trigger of this generation. In the sense of being memorable and as a classic. Great all around.
  31. ExprS
    Jan 25, 2013
    10
    This is the best RPG of this generation! Simple saying, it's more than incredible, from the art style, to the combat and story, it's simple amazing and one can put it side-by-side with the most loved RPGs of all time, like Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger. Yes, it's that good!
  32. tataku999
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    I just picked this game up today, and just started playing (not spoiling anything, but just near the end of the walk through), and I would have to say, this game is beautiful. Everything about it, the looks, the feel, the design, even the menus! Honestly I got this game for 2 reasons, 1) I am huge Miyazaki fan, I have seen just about all his movies. 2) I knew that the art would beI just picked this game up today, and just started playing (not spoiling anything, but just near the end of the walk through), and I would have to say, this game is beautiful. Everything about it, the looks, the feel, the design, even the menus! Honestly I got this game for 2 reasons, 1) I am huge Miyazaki fan, I have seen just about all his movies. 2) I knew that the art would be unbelievable, and boy was I right. With in the few hours I've played it feels like I'm playing Howls moving castle! I've spent at least 10 minutes running in circles just looking at his cape ^_^. Though I was satisfied with those 2 factors, the game has already gone beyond my expectations! Joe Hisaishi blew me away with just the music on the title screen. The story line makes me feel warm, taking elements from his other films just add to my inner child. When I first entered a battle I was assuming it would just be one more turn based Really, which I really don't like. Then when I found out that it wasn't, and the created a whole new system, I was impressed. The only thing that I am not fond of is the in battle controls. because it is set where you can run, it is a bit difficult to switch between actions. it would be nice if that was set to R1 and R2. besides this minor setback, this game in my eyes is almost flawless. I would recommend this to anyone who is an RPG or Ghibli fan ^_^.… Expand
  33. Hackfest
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    Made a new account just to say this: I'm in my late 30's and THIS game has the magic that FF VI had when I was young. The way a game used to feel so wondrous when I was young has been missing for years. There is a difference between "childish" and "childlike". When you're mature, you will see that "childlike" is something to run after! Get this game.
  34. Beta123
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    It's Level 5 and Studio Ghibli. It's fun, lengthy, beautiful and has a score composed by Joe Hisaishi that; in my opinion could be one of the best he has ever composed.

    What more do you need to know?
  35. thedeadrose
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    Absolutely amazing and undeniably heartwarming. The RPG fan base has been starved for an instant classic such as this. Just within the few hours I've played the game thus far, there were so many times that I felt myself reminiscing to older, wonderful experiences that I had as a child playing Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Legend of Legaia, Blue Dragon and so many others. Studio Ghibli andAbsolutely amazing and undeniably heartwarming. The RPG fan base has been starved for an instant classic such as this. Just within the few hours I've played the game thus far, there were so many times that I felt myself reminiscing to older, wonderful experiences that I had as a child playing Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Legend of Legaia, Blue Dragon and so many others. Studio Ghibli and Level 5 have created a masterpiece that will live on in the hearts and minds of its players for many years to come. I'm glad to be one of the people to experience it at its very beginning.… Expand
  36. Britzio999
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    WOOOOOOOWWW!!!!! a nice experience....... one of the best RPG that i've played...... is interesting that i traveled to my infant years.... thanks level 5 for that experience!!!!
  37. Funk
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    When it comes to games, I live and die by RPGs(barring a brief stint as a professional FPS player). I have all the best RPGs for almost every system(xbox360 died a year ago) and can safely say this ranks up there as one of the best of the last decade so far. If you enjoy a touching story, stunningly gorgeous visuals, interesting combat and beautiful music...buy the game with no regrets.
  38. Dufflad
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    I was not entirely fond of the demo for this game. I feel it wasn't very well explained, and I felt I didn't get a good enough taste for the story. When the game came out I decided to give it a whirl on a whim since I was always a fan of jrpg's as a kid. It was one of the best video game decisions I've ever made. This game is amazing. If you own a PS3, buy it. Support more games like thisI was not entirely fond of the demo for this game. I feel it wasn't very well explained, and I felt I didn't get a good enough taste for the story. When the game came out I decided to give it a whirl on a whim since I was always a fan of jrpg's as a kid. It was one of the best video game decisions I've ever made. This game is amazing. If you own a PS3, buy it. Support more games like this coming out. Great story, great graphics/cinematics, fluid gameplay and controls. Intense battle sequences. Great orchestral score. No complaints at all. Masterpiece.… Expand
  39. Abstractpurpose
    Jan 23, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a wonderfull game with only 1 glaring weakness so ill get that part out of the way first. I love the main character and his awesome sidekick. The cute childlike art to themand the townsfolk as well.HOWEVER tge enemies being cute and lovable looking steals from the concept of tge story. You are a young boy thrown into another world forced to fight evil in order to both save the world and hopefully your mother. With that in mind making him young with childlike art really drives home the idea that your doing something extreme for a young boy. But then you see these monsters thats supposed to illustrate just what leangths hes going to aths age to do something good and them being super happy and ultimately childish looking enemies steals away that feeling that your doing somethong amazing and brave and replaces it with all the tones of a disney junior show for toddlers. The enemies are often goify looking with big smiles and other features that make you wonder if there going to fight you or cuddle up to you at night and it kills the epic feeling of your journey and replaces it with the feeling that youre lost in a 5 year olds dream. This game coukd have easily kept the childlike art for everything else but made a darker more sinister look for the enemies trying to stop you.

    Now on to the good. Presentation- this game is beautiful. Fantastic traditional style anime cutscenes give life to the already wonderfull and colorfull world. The voice acting is never cheesy or overdone and the story gives you all the justification you need to play as a child desperately trying to fix something important to him. Gameplay-this is a true rpg that will make all fans of the rpg riddled 90 go crazy for. World map towns npcs items gear stores and a more traditional combat system reminding you a little of pokemon mixed with classics lije chrono trigger help turn this game into a dream come true for all those who where horribky dissapointed in what recent final fantasy titles did to remove rpg from there rpg title.Ni no kuni is an rpg with all the elements we loved from those games brought back in full glory. Story-not going to ruin it but its full of fantasy and good enough that noone should have a complaint Combat- you are in a time based attack system allowing you to run around cast spells on your turn or just attack but using your familier is the key. They are summonable creatures who fight for you. They lvl up gain new moves and so forth. Some are melee experts and somehave other usefull skills. All in all its a traditional combat system with a sprinkle of the pokemon aspect to add depth and it does so very well. Verdict- this is a must own for all those who love the traditional rpgs of the past. Wonderfull graphics great voice acting good story great combat system and all the rpg element the ff13 stole from you are all here and better than ever. Dont let the cute monsters hold you back its only 1 retarded aspect of an itherwise perfect return of jrpg to those of us who waited so long for a new one. Ni no kuni is a must own    … Expand
  40. Taadow187
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Slow start but picks up nicely. The visuals are so beautiful. I entered a zone and the music had my hair stand up and a shiver ran up my spine. The voice acting could be more professional but overall it is still pretty good. The dialog had me laughing - video games rarely make me laugh.
  41. DeLeon
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Did you miss the epic Japanese RPGS of the PS1 PS2 and snes days? then this game is for you, this along whit Xenoblade, valkyria chornicles and Last story are on par whit the best JRPGs of the past and the best WRPGs of today like skyrim or mass effect.
  42. setz
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Ready for the perfect review? Beautiful art, amazing score, wonderful story, extremely deep battle system and an overall level or charm that is unmatched. I went to bed thinking about the characters, woke up thinking about my "familiars" and I have spent the day counting every moment till I can go home to play some more. If you like RPG's this is a perfect game.
  43. JazzyJay
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    If ever there was a perfect game for our time it is this one. I for one am so sick of FPS, as I imagine most other people are right now, that this beautiful JRPG seems even more new and vibrant than it might actually be. The story is good and did I mention the art design is beautiful? Wow, enjoy everybody this is 40 to 100 plus hours of pure heaven for gamers.
  44. runningbackward
    Jan 23, 2013
    9
    Ni No Kuni Review (So Far) So, to start, I would like to say this game is pretty much a love letter to anyone who still has old school JRPGs in their heart somewhere hiding in there. The moment the game starts you are wowed by the detail in the art style and presentation. Instead of a cell shaded look, Level 5 went for more of a rounded edges look. This almost gave it that hand drawnNi No Kuni Review (So Far) So, to start, I would like to say this game is pretty much a love letter to anyone who still has old school JRPGs in their heart somewhere hiding in there. The moment the game starts you are wowed by the detail in the art style and presentation. Instead of a cell shaded look, Level 5 went for more of a rounded edges look. This almost gave it that hand drawn feel. This makes since because the art direction is inspired by the beloved Studio Ghibli. (Known for producing Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, and other favorites.) The story feels like is going to be like all other Studio Ghibli stories, … Expand
  45. mistycavatar
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    I've been patiently waiting for an RPG that has balance between battle system and story. Ni No Kuni offers this. It's amazing how Studio Ghibli poured out the details that make all of their movies magical, and how Level-5 took the advantage of the art to give us a game thats accesible to all and at the same time challenging to the fan of old, challenging and compelling RPG's, look no more,I've been patiently waiting for an RPG that has balance between battle system and story. Ni No Kuni offers this. It's amazing how Studio Ghibli poured out the details that make all of their movies magical, and how Level-5 took the advantage of the art to give us a game thats accesible to all and at the same time challenging to the fan of old, challenging and compelling RPG's, look no more, this is the game we all be waiting for.… Expand
  46. Forsaken1Kills
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has been the sole reason I bought a PlayStation 3 again. I had very nasty spat with Sony's warranty department, and I cut all my ties with the company product wise. However, after see the demo of Ni no Kuni at a friends house I could not stay way the visuals, sound, and story and gameplay were nothing short of amazing. Being an avid jRPG gamer I thoughtNi no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has been the sole reason I bought a PlayStation 3 again. I had very nasty spat with Sony's warranty department, and I cut all my ties with the company product wise. However, after see the demo of Ni no Kuni at a friends house I could not stay way the visuals, sound, and story and gameplay were nothing short of amazing. Being an avid jRPG gamer I thought this was going to be one of those soulless run of the mill jRPGs but I was never so wrong in my life. Call me shallow, narrow minded, or plain American but this is one of the most beautiful games you will come across any platform. I would describe this game as a mixture of Zelda/TheWhitcher2/DarkCloud2/DragonQuestVIII/FinalFantasy9. I know that may sound a little bit on the crazy and broad side, but its not a simple Tales style game where its all Japanese anamai with flat flat textures. This games simplest environments are so rich I spent 20 minutes in the first segment watching the shadow transitions I know I have a problem. A close friend of my who is in the industry says that is a very strong singe of quality at least in the visual department, and thereafter I saw nothing that wasn't just better than the thing before it. Sound... well its on par with FF3,FF7, and FF8 need I say more?

    Story has been an utter surprise for me to be honest. It starts with a strong visual the loss of a young boys mother, and not to spoil whats ahead it is truly a instrument that will drive you to battle your way through boss battle after boss battle. To me the game play has never been so well blended with the Story the sidekick Drippy is the best videogame side kick ever, and I mean it he is the Robin to Batman the Biden to Obama you can not go with out him. When ever there is a portion of story delivered there is a mechanic involved, and its not a silly one time use and move on, but rather its a tool for the entire adventure. Needless to say they do not just keep throwing stuff at you but rather spread it out well. I highly recommend this game to any jRPG, Zelda, The Whitcher, or heck story/plot driven fan. Combat, crafting, and everything in between it explain very clearly and you wont feel lost or overwhelming. I had only a few minutes to write this review and my poor writing shows, but I hope you can see my passion, love, and desire to share this game with as many as I can and to Level 5 thank you, thank you very much.    … Expand
  47. a20012322
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    Normally I don't play a game all the way into the night on a workday but I did for Ni No Kuni. The story, polish, combat, difficulty, mechanics are all very well executed. The game also introduces all its mechanics as part of the natural logical story progression and as the mechanics and story expands the game is very engaging. With the the Studio Ghibli art direction and music Ni no KuniNormally I don't play a game all the way into the night on a workday but I did for Ni No Kuni. The story, polish, combat, difficulty, mechanics are all very well executed. The game also introduces all its mechanics as part of the natural logical story progression and as the mechanics and story expands the game is very engaging. With the the Studio Ghibli art direction and music Ni no Kuni is a top notch game.… Expand
  48. minharo200
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    if you had a mild interest in RPG's, this game is a MUST PLAY [and even if you dont, this is a game that almost anyone can pick up and enjoy]. Story? Fantastic. Gameplay? Familiar [no pun intended] but still fresh and fun. Animation? GREAT. You havent seen something dedicated so honestly and well done in a long while. If you are even slightly curios to play this, please PICK THIS UP. Youif you had a mild interest in RPG's, this game is a MUST PLAY [and even if you dont, this is a game that almost anyone can pick up and enjoy]. Story? Fantastic. Gameplay? Familiar [no pun intended] but still fresh and fun. Animation? GREAT. You havent seen something dedicated so honestly and well done in a long while. If you are even slightly curios to play this, please PICK THIS UP. You will have a great time :)… Expand
  49. Nieuma
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    I made an account just to say, I didn't know how much I missed playing a damn good rpg until this game. So glad I went and bought it. Oozing quality out of every pore, and so much charm. It's all in the details, and this was made by people who actually care about every piece of the game being enjoyable, down to something as simple as still running forward when you move to the next screenI made an account just to say, I didn't know how much I missed playing a damn good rpg until this game. So glad I went and bought it. Oozing quality out of every pore, and so much charm. It's all in the details, and this was made by people who actually care about every piece of the game being enjoyable, down to something as simple as still running forward when you move to the next screen while running around, even if the camera has moved so that the direction you were pushing the stick would no longer have you continuing to run the direction you were (in a typical game). You would think that's a given, but somewhere along the line games became more and more trashy, full of annoyances. This game is nothing but a pleasance. SO refreshing. Just play it dammit. See what real gaming's all about if you've never known of it before. … Expand
  50. deadmanlol
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    I had huge expectations for this game and I was not disappointed, I have not played my Playstation 3 in about 1 year now because recently every console game has been really awful. Thank you level-5 for giving me hope in console gaming again. Beautiful game, everything is polished you can tell great minds worked on this piece. I wish more games like this would come out, I absolutely loveI had huge expectations for this game and I was not disappointed, I have not played my Playstation 3 in about 1 year now because recently every console game has been really awful. Thank you level-5 for giving me hope in console gaming again. Beautiful game, everything is polished you can tell great minds worked on this piece. I wish more games like this would come out, I absolutely love JRPGs and this game is exactly why. Everything is simply perfect, the animation, music, absolutely beautiful. Thank you Level-5 and Studio Ghibli for this masterpiece.… Expand
  51. spectre855
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Part of me wants to say that what Level-5 has done in Ni No Kuni is innovative. That it's an entirely new and unprecedented concept. However another part of me knows that this is the game that Square was supposed to make one day. It has everything that made me fall in love with video games in the heydays of Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, plus all the right elements of a modern day rpg.Part of me wants to say that what Level-5 has done in Ni No Kuni is innovative. That it's an entirely new and unprecedented concept. However another part of me knows that this is the game that Square was supposed to make one day. It has everything that made me fall in love with video games in the heydays of Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, plus all the right elements of a modern day rpg. The relatability of this game's simple and heart warming story vividly throw into focus everything that is wrong with the convoluted and downright bazaar themes of other modern JRPGs. There are no spiky hair cuts, feminine men, or ridiculous costumes to be found here. Just good old fashioned fun and narration wrapped in a visually striking bow.… Expand
  52. necromancer08
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Played the game for about 3 hours now and i can say that it is what i have been looking for. If you like final fantasy and pokemon, then you will love this game. Pokemon + Final Fantasy = AWESOMENESS
  53. DrChocolate
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Like playing DQ8 all over again, but even better. Such an excellent game. Nice story, balanced battle system, open-world exploration, and classic JRPG feeling (and the option for original Japanese voice acting is always a plus). Highly recommended for every JRPG aficionado.
  54. Liostro
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Don't believe that for one second that this game is for children! This is a truly beautiful game with an amazing depth of story and combat that will rival all other JRPG'S that have come before it and then expanding upon it! Your eyes, ears, and heart will thank you for playing this game! So, do yourself a favor.
  55. rpgczar
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Don't listen to the naysayers this game is not just for a child. It is quite possibly the best jrpg of this generation and more entertaining than anything squareenix has dished out lately. The graphics are top notch. Prob the best celshaded game I've seen on ps3. The music is also nice and the cg is in a class of its own. I wont get too much into the story but that is also nicely done. TheDon't listen to the naysayers this game is not just for a child. It is quite possibly the best jrpg of this generation and more entertaining than anything squareenix has dished out lately. The graphics are top notch. Prob the best celshaded game I've seen on ps3. The music is also nice and the cg is in a class of its own. I wont get too much into the story but that is also nicely done. The battle system is like tales of and pokemon mixed. Switching the monsters in and out of battle also reminds me of 13-2 a little. Familiars can evolve twice was they get to a certain level and you have great mobility in battles. This game seemlessly blends turnbased and realtime combat into what is nothing short of a masterpiece. The world map is similiar to the playstation final fantasy games and is highly detailed. You can cast spells later in game that build bridges and other things to get to areas you previously couldn't go. If you love jrpgs you owe it to yourself to try this.… Expand
  56. Spman2099
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    I will keep this short and sweet. This is an amazing game. The RPG genre has been desperately starved for the entirety of this generation; however, we finally have a game in the genre worth our time. Not only is Ni No Kuni visually amazing, but it also plays quite nicely. The combat start very basic, but becomes more nuanced the more you play. The story is strong; evocative but with a goodI will keep this short and sweet. This is an amazing game. The RPG genre has been desperately starved for the entirety of this generation; however, we finally have a game in the genre worth our time. Not only is Ni No Kuni visually amazing, but it also plays quite nicely. The combat start very basic, but becomes more nuanced the more you play. The story is strong; evocative but with a good sense of levity. If you were an RPG lover at some point, but lost interest in the genre during this generation, you need to go out and purchase this game, it will blow you away. However, this isn't only a purchase for those wanting a nostalgia high, this is an easy recommendation for damn near everyone. The only thing that could keep you from loving this game is significant prejudice; if you refuse to play colorful games that have a great deal of charm, then maybe you should skip this one. For everyone else, come join the journey, you won't regret it.… Expand
  57. B1ue24
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    The ultimate collaboration between two of the most loved JRPGs, Pokemon and Final Fantasy. Explore till you can't explore anymore; capture more than 300 Familiars (similar to Pokemon); take on the hours and hours of side-quests; fall in love with a story that's sure to warm even the darkest of hearts; gaze at graphics and scenes that will stop anyone in their tracks that manages to glanceThe ultimate collaboration between two of the most loved JRPGs, Pokemon and Final Fantasy. Explore till you can't explore anymore; capture more than 300 Familiars (similar to Pokemon); take on the hours and hours of side-quests; fall in love with a story that's sure to warm even the darkest of hearts; gaze at graphics and scenes that will stop anyone in their tracks that manages to glance at the screen; and best of all, throw yourself into a battle system that will feel like a breath of fresh air (reminiscent of a Tales game).

    Truly a game that should not be missed by anyone that considers themselves a fan of video games and RPGs.    … Expand
  58. Tele
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Amazing game. Quirky characters and brings back the genre of JRPGs. Ignore people that down rate because of the "childish and not action oriented". This is what a JRPG is supposed to be. Don't confuse this with western RPGs because it is not. Turn based combat is very good. A slower start that I think is there to refresh players with how a JRPG is played. The pacing of difficulty is aAmazing game. Quirky characters and brings back the genre of JRPGs. Ignore people that down rate because of the "childish and not action oriented". This is what a JRPG is supposed to be. Don't confuse this with western RPGs because it is not. Turn based combat is very good. A slower start that I think is there to refresh players with how a JRPG is played. The pacing of difficulty is a little off but that's okay. It's a game that should take time and practice to master the combat system as the speed of encounters become much more difficult.… Expand
  59. xxMurdoK
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    AMAZING GAME!!! First game in a while I actually feel IS WORTH THE 60 BUCKS!!! THANK YOU STUDIO GHIBLI AND LEVEL-5!!!!!! If you have a PS3 BUY THIS GAME if you don't have a PS3 get one and BUY THIS GAME!
  60. squalledd
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    You heard and read all the good about this game. So i just want to make a brief review.

    The Good: A nostalgic feeling come through your bone, and stay inside your body when you playing Ni No Kuni. The artwork, the soundtrack, the gameplay, the puzzle, and the world map.. All of that make you feel like you are playing modified old JRPG. Everything is just right. The one that should    You heard and read all the good about this game. So i just want to make a brief review.

    The Good:
    A nostalgic feeling come through your bone, and stay inside your body when you playing Ni No Kuni.
    The artwork, the soundtrack, the gameplay, the puzzle, and the world map.. All of that make you feel like you are playing modified old JRPG. Everything is just right.

    The one that should be Good:
    There are two things that i think it can be improved. Which are the AI of the human character that we are not controlled.
    They should be smarter. And the AI option is limited. I wish to have more option but not as complex as FF XII.
    Because of that, the player really has to watch the other character really well not consuming a lot of MP which are very precious or dying.
    Also, it should be better if there is online feature like Familiar Battle across the globe. We can level up the Familiar and do the battle and tournament. It will make the longevity of this game longer and more fun. That's the only complaint of this game.

    Conclusion:
    My score is 10/10. It doesn't mean it is perfect game. Nothing in this world is perfect. I guarantee you.
    Despite of no online feature and smarter AI, as a whole, Ni No Kuni is come with the right ingredients to really satisfy my JRPG hunger.
    So why do you still here? Go and buy this masterpiece.. :)    … Expand
  61. Bradissorad
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    amazing! ni no kuni is a true JRPG of new times that gives the genre justice. it gives you a beautiful story and gorgeous visuals all the while giving you a depth game play system. if JRPG's have been on the low as of late, then ni no kuni is one you will want to play to ignite the JRPG flame!
  62. leahcim
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    I just want to say than you Studio Ghibli & Level 5 thanks for give us this masterpiece !!!
    The colors, the music, the battles, what a wonderful day am having.....
  63. SPectrAL_rus
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    Game is very beautiful, awesome soundtrack, interesting and lengthy side/quests. A wide variety of images and spells. This is Studio Ghibli and that's enough.
  64. sirojasb
    Jan 22, 2013
    10
    I must say it is a wonderful storytelling with a nice gameplay never seen in a J-RPG from playstation 3, it makes rememeber the golden era of the J-RPG from psone.
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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

All reviews »
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.
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  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.
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