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. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. barbaari
    Jul 2, 2013
    5
    After reading some reviews I was expecting an all new classic J-RPG in the vein of old Final Fantasy titles. At first it seemed that I was getting exactly that, but pretty soon the excitement faded away and left me disappointed.

    Music, world design, graphics etc. are all top notch Studio Ghibli quality. The battle system is pretty decent, although like with so many other RPGs, you    After reading some reviews I was expecting an all new classic J-RPG in the vein of old Final Fantasy titles. At first it seemed that I was getting exactly that, but pretty soon the excitement faded away and left me disappointed.

    Music, world design, graphics etc. are all top notch Studio Ghibli quality. The battle system is pretty decent, although like with so many other RPGs, you hardly ever have to do anything else than press X repeatedly (even in boss battles, but that might be just because I like level grinding a bit too much). Also the fact that you are able to catch practically every enemy in the game as your "familiar" (and then use them in battles) was too much for a perfectionist like me. There's simply way too much work in "catching them all".

    The main drawbacks for me were the story and the characters. Of course, with Studio Ghibli you are expected to dwell into the world of a child, but the childishness in this game just goes too far and doesn't offer any emotional depth back. The story is like a bad caricature of a typical RPG story, a boring stereotype at best. We have the young boy learning his magic, the evil wizard trying to destroy the world and even the collecting of crystals (this theme got old, if not with 1987's Final Fantasy I, at least with 1991's Final Fantasy IV). For me the story did not feel engaging, immersive or epic at all.

    The characters are also nothing but worn out stereotypes and as such, most of the time extremely irritating. The most annoying dude is this little fairy guy Drippy, whose job is to hang out with you throughout the game and give you the most basic, elementary advice that you can think of in situations where even a 5-year old child could easily figure out what to do without any fairy advice. I'm not sure if the game was designed for children who have never played an RPG before (that would explain it all), but I somehow doubt it, since I don't really see most of Studio Ghibli's products as something created for children, even if on the surface they seem childish.

    The whole game felt like one giant tutorial, where everything is constantly explained to me as if I was five.

    The game is also unnecessarily structured, lacking any "chaos". I might say that it's too player-friendly. This is obvious in regards to sidequests, which have been organized so that the player won't have any problems locating new sidequests. Every town has a board where the currently available sidequests are neatly listed. The sidequests themselves are too easy and linear and usually don't take any effort from the player. As a result, the world lacks mystery, when everything is laid out in front of you like this.

    In the end it's down to expectations, and in this case, mine didn't meet up with the game. A die-hard RPG fan will most certainly find this game enjoyable. A more casual player like me will have at best mixed feelings. The game is enjoyable, even very enjoyable, to some extent, but the dull story, the frustrating characters and dialogue, the never-ending tutorial-esque feeling and the fact that the game treats you like a five-year-old who has never played a video game or solved even the world's most obvious puzzle in his life are the big setbacks that turn this beautiful game into something very ordinary.

    I know some people have turned to Ni No Kuni expecting a comeback of the classic J-RPG. As such the game didn't work out for me at all, as the story lacked emotional depth that has been the best part of any J-RPG experience for me.

    Thumbs up to Studio Ghibli for a brace experiment, but Ni No Kuni is just too much of a stereotype to be truly enjoyable.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. popeyetyty
    Oct 19, 2013
    10
    Level 5 outdid itself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  12. 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
  13. 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.
  14. 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
  15. 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~!
  16. 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.
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. Anb
    May 4, 2014
    5
    After beating the game i have mixed feelings - on one hand this game is classic jrpg with beautiful world and gorgeous music. On the other hand - the plot is so dumb, too childish and unoriginal there is no single point in the game where player may feel any intrigue - it is all clear what will happen next.
    There is also a big problem in a gameplay balance. I've beaten final boss on lvl40    After beating the game i have mixed feelings - on one hand this game is classic jrpg with beautiful world and gorgeous music. On the other hand - the plot is so dumb, too childish and unoriginal there is no single point in the game where player may feel any intrigue - it is all clear what will happen next.
    There is also a big problem in a gameplay balance. I've beaten final boss on lvl40 and it was not hard, actually every boss in the game wasn't hard to beat at all, even though i spent zero time grinding levels BUT, the regular mobs at the same time can drain all your mana in single battle, leaving you exausted for upcoming mobs in the dungeons. So, 90% of the time i've just ignored all the regular mobs and rushed through the bosses. And it is not very fun, if you are not willing to grind. On the other hand again, if you grind on regular mobs - the bosses become so damn easy to beat that it breaks all the fun even more.    … Expand
  24. LucyJFer
    May 27, 2014
    6
    Played it for a long hours and I've finally realised what's the problem with this game. Two words: target audience. This game's themes can be a great story for a kid - you know - bright colours, soft language, possibility of raising your own pokemons. That's absolutely not a bad thing but I became tired of it eventually, the bad thing is a difficulty level/lots of difficult text which willPlayed it for a long hours and I've finally realised what's the problem with this game. Two words: target audience. This game's themes can be a great story for a kid - you know - bright colours, soft language, possibility of raising your own pokemons. That's absolutely not a bad thing but I became tired of it eventually, the bad thing is a difficulty level/lots of difficult text which will be too challenging for a kid. Basically it's a family game - I'm sure I'll give it a go when I'll have kids so I can help it on difficulty spikes but if you've no kids and you're older than 12 years old I don't think there will be much to hold you in front of a screen for long. If you ask why I played for long if I don't like the game I can answer that I've forced myself to play to give it a chance. One day I'll update this review after playing with kids and we'll see if I've changed my mind.… Expand
  25. 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
  26. rscl
    Oct 23, 2017
    6
    To begin with the game had an appealing cartoony feel to it with warm characters and a good story. It however gets quite slow and uninteresting after awhile - not to mention the combat mechanics which gave me a headache.
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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.
    Read full review
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