Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Review (PS3)
Story
Oliver is a boy who wants to save his mother from her death, by going into another world to save her soulmate. A soulmate is a person who looks the same as the other person in two different worlds. Before he started his journey, he met Drippy, a fairy and asked him to save the other world by using magic, which Oliver has affinity to use it to solve various problems and for combat. During his journey, he will meet new companions and learn new spells to save the world.
The story is quite interesting, with interesting game mythology for players to learn in the game. The characters in the game are also pretty interesting, with distinct characteristics like Oliver, Drippy, Swaine, Esther, and many more. I find that supporting characters in the game are also pretty well-established in the game, even though they do not get much exposure throughout the game's storyline.
Gameplay
i) Exploration and Progression Section
The exploration and progression plays like many other JRPGs. There are towns and dungeons for you to visit, and a big world map for you to explore in the game. Later in the game, you will get transports for you to access other continents in the World Map.
While exploring in cities, you may need to solve some obstacles before progressing in the game, such as restoring a person's broken-heart with a piece of heart with specific virtue like enthusiasm and kindness by using magic. You also need to use spells to solve puzzles in dungeons, which can be challenging to some since many of the puzzles in the game are quite creatively designed.
Main objectives in the game can be repetitive, but the process of completing an objective can be different every time in the game. The basic principle of JRPG progression is: visit city -> talk to someone -> go to dungeon -> defeat boss -> report back to the person. This game also follows the basic principle of JRPG progression, but with unique ways of progression process since you can use spells during combat or exploring.
You may also opt to play side missions called Errands or Bounty Hunts. Errands are side quests for you to do in the game, such as retrieving an item from somewhere. Bounty Hunts require you to defeat specific monsters in specific locations. Completing these side missions will reward you money, stamps and an additional item. You may redeem your stamp cards for a variety of rewards, such as bonus EXP during combat. They are entirely optional to do, but can be beneficial for you to complete if you are stuck in the game.
ii) Combat Section
You will encounters monsters in when exploring dungeons or in World Map. Battles are fought by making contact them on screen. During combat, you can only control one character, and other characters are controlled by A.I. You can use your main character during combat, or use a familiar to do the character's bidding. You can move in the battlefield, attack your enemies physically, defend against attacks, use items, or use special skills.
A familiar is a creature that you can control during combat. In many ways, familiars are stronger than your main characters since each familiar may have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, a Mite is a physical fighter familiar that specialises in physical attacks. You can control up to three familiars in battle, and you can switch between them in combat. Experiment with a variety of familiars in the game to suit different situations and with your playstyle.
You may also be able to recruit familiars when defeating them in battle. However, the rate of recruiting monsters are very low, thus you may have to grind a lot of battles to recruit the monster that you really want as your familiar.
There are many variety of monsters in this game to be fought, as well as unique and tough bosses. Each enemy have their strengths and weaknesses, such as resist or weak against certain elements.
When fighting enemies, you may spot green or blue balls called glims in the battlefield. Green glim restores some of your HP, whereas blue glim restores some of your MP. There is a rare glim that appears in battle which is called special glim that will allow your main characters or familiars to use their special move called Miracle Move.
To win a battle, you need to defeat all enemies in the battlefield. If your HP is depleted in the battle, you can switch to another party member in the game. The game is over if all three party members' HP is zero. Remember that when you are summoning your familiars, they will share your HP and MP, thus if their HP is depleted, your controllable character will be knocked out as well.
iii) Upgrading, Customisation and Leveling Section
You can spend your money to buy items such as healing items or new weapons. You may also use alchemy to create new items, weapons, armours, or accessories in the game. To create one, you may mix and match ingredients to create a new item, or use alchemy formulas to create it. Mix and match ingredients in alchemy is not recommended, since you need the precise ingredients and amount to successfully to create an item. Thus, finding and use alchemy formulas to create items are highly recommended instead.
You may equip your party members and fmailiars with variety of weapons, armours, and accessories. Bear in mind that each familiar and party member in the game can only equip certain stuffs.
This game also features experience system, where you need to gain enough experience points to gain a level. Your party members and familiars can level up to gain stats boost. Except for Oliver, other two party members and your familiars can learn new skills to be used in the game. As for familiars, they will learn skills called Tricks which are useful during combat. Once your familiars reached a certain level, they can transform to a newer and stronger form, but their level will be reset back to level one. You need to use certain items to transform your familiars to newer forms.
iv) Gameplay Conclusion
The gameplay is good, with great pacing, nice exploration, creative puzzles, and etc. There are few nuances in this game that most players will not like such as the hit or miss battle system, but it did not detract this game's great gameplay style.
Graphics
I like this game's graphics, since it features very effective and great cel-shading graphics that is better than other JRPGs that use cel-shaded graphics. Realistic character animation, nice background, and great art design complement the impressive cel-shaded graphics greatly.
Some animation cutscenes are animated by Studio Ghibli, which are pretty great in my opinion. The animation for these cutscenes is very smooth and well-done.
Sound
The soundtrack is composed by Joe Hisashi, a veteran music composer who has worked on many Studio Ghibli's movies. The soundtrack is pretty great, fitting, and beautiful. Although there are some themes I dislike in the game, most of the themes are pretty well-done and fitting in many situations in the game.
The game features both English and Japanese voice acting. As for the English voice acting, it is generally good such as Drippy's voice actor, Swaine's voice actor and many others. As for the Japanese voice acting, I can't comment on it since I played the game solely in English audio. Any players who dislike English voice acting in games may want to switch the voice option to Japanese instead, or vice versa.
Replay Value
This game has good replay value. You can opt to play mini-games that are available in the game, or complete any Errands or Bounty Hunts left in the game. Remember that after completing the game once, you will unlock more Errands and Bounty Hunts for you to do when playing back the game.
Conclusion
Many people thinks that JRPGs are dying in this generation, especially for consoles where there are lack of actually good JRPGs in the market now. However, this game proves that JRPGs can still be the top in the game market, and this game is complemented with effective and nice gameplay, endearing and emotional storyline, as well as other factors. Although it has some issues, I highly recommend players to try out this game if you like RPG games.
Score
Story: 9/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Final Score: 8.5/10.0 or 34/40
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Nice and emotional storyline.
- Good use of humour.
- Excellent characters.
- Well-imagined game mythology.
- Great gameplay.
- Unique art design for characters, monsters, and environments.
- Impressive cel-shaded graphics.
- Variety of controllable familiars to be used.
- Dual voice acting.
- Good English voice acting.
- High replay value.
- Creative puzzles.
- Excellent orchestral music.
- You can use lots of spells in combat or during exploration.
- Variety of side quests to be completed.
Cons
- Hit or miss battle system. - Requires moderate to heavy grinding to progress in the game.
- Art design may be too childish for certain people.
- Taming familiars require some grinding.
- Learning curve of the game at first can be steep for inexperienced RPG players.
**Images are from official Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch site.
Delve into a journey to save Oliver's mother with your companions.
Oliver is a boy who wants to save his mother from her death, by going into another world to save her soulmate. A soulmate is a person who looks the same as the other person in two different worlds. Before he started his journey, he met Drippy, a fairy and asked him to save the other world by using magic, which Oliver has affinity to use it to solve various problems and for combat. During his journey, he will meet new companions and learn new spells to save the world.
The story is quite interesting, with interesting game mythology for players to learn in the game. The characters in the game are also pretty interesting, with distinct characteristics like Oliver, Drippy, Swaine, Esther, and many more. I find that supporting characters in the game are also pretty well-established in the game, even though they do not get much exposure throughout the game's storyline.
Gameplay
i) Exploration and Progression Section
Use spells to solve puzzles or to progress in the game.
The exploration and progression plays like many other JRPGs. There are towns and dungeons for you to visit, and a big world map for you to explore in the game. Later in the game, you will get transports for you to access other continents in the World Map.
While exploring in cities, you may need to solve some obstacles before progressing in the game, such as restoring a person's broken-heart with a piece of heart with specific virtue like enthusiasm and kindness by using magic. You also need to use spells to solve puzzles in dungeons, which can be challenging to some since many of the puzzles in the game are quite creatively designed.
Main objectives in the game can be repetitive, but the process of completing an objective can be different every time in the game. The basic principle of JRPG progression is: visit city -> talk to someone -> go to dungeon -> defeat boss -> report back to the person. This game also follows the basic principle of JRPG progression, but with unique ways of progression process since you can use spells during combat or exploring.
You may also opt to play side missions called Errands or Bounty Hunts. Errands are side quests for you to do in the game, such as retrieving an item from somewhere. Bounty Hunts require you to defeat specific monsters in specific locations. Completing these side missions will reward you money, stamps and an additional item. You may redeem your stamp cards for a variety of rewards, such as bonus EXP during combat. They are entirely optional to do, but can be beneficial for you to complete if you are stuck in the game.
ii) Combat Section
Combat feels like Pokemon game, as well as Tales or Star Ocean games.
A familiar is a creature that you can control during combat. In many ways, familiars are stronger than your main characters since each familiar may have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, a Mite is a physical fighter familiar that specialises in physical attacks. You can control up to three familiars in battle, and you can switch between them in combat. Experiment with a variety of familiars in the game to suit different situations and with your playstyle.
You may also be able to recruit familiars when defeating them in battle. However, the rate of recruiting monsters are very low, thus you may have to grind a lot of battles to recruit the monster that you really want as your familiar.
There are many variety of monsters in this game to be fought, as well as unique and tough bosses. Each enemy have their strengths and weaknesses, such as resist or weak against certain elements.
When fighting enemies, you may spot green or blue balls called glims in the battlefield. Green glim restores some of your HP, whereas blue glim restores some of your MP. There is a rare glim that appears in battle which is called special glim that will allow your main characters or familiars to use their special move called Miracle Move.
To win a battle, you need to defeat all enemies in the battlefield. If your HP is depleted in the battle, you can switch to another party member in the game. The game is over if all three party members' HP is zero. Remember that when you are summoning your familiars, they will share your HP and MP, thus if their HP is depleted, your controllable character will be knocked out as well.
iii) Upgrading, Customisation and Leveling Section
Buy new items and weapons for combat, or use alchemy to create stronger ones.
You may equip your party members and fmailiars with variety of weapons, armours, and accessories. Bear in mind that each familiar and party member in the game can only equip certain stuffs.
This game also features experience system, where you need to gain enough experience points to gain a level. Your party members and familiars can level up to gain stats boost. Except for Oliver, other two party members and your familiars can learn new skills to be used in the game. As for familiars, they will learn skills called Tricks which are useful during combat. Once your familiars reached a certain level, they can transform to a newer and stronger form, but their level will be reset back to level one. You need to use certain items to transform your familiars to newer forms.
iv) Gameplay Conclusion
Simple and great gameplay.
The gameplay is good, with great pacing, nice exploration, creative puzzles, and etc. There are few nuances in this game that most players will not like such as the hit or miss battle system, but it did not detract this game's great gameplay style.
Graphics
Simple but nice cel-shading graphics, as well as impressive animation by Studio Ghibli.
Some animation cutscenes are animated by Studio Ghibli, which are pretty great in my opinion. The animation for these cutscenes is very smooth and well-done.
Sound
Great orchestral music and good voice acting.
The game features both English and Japanese voice acting. As for the English voice acting, it is generally good such as Drippy's voice actor, Swaine's voice actor and many others. As for the Japanese voice acting, I can't comment on it since I played the game solely in English audio. Any players who dislike English voice acting in games may want to switch the voice option to Japanese instead, or vice versa.
Replay Value
High replay value.
Conclusion
An excellent JRPG game, enough said.
Score
Story: 9/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Final Score: 8.5/10.0 or 34/40
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Nice and emotional storyline.
- Good use of humour.
- Excellent characters.
- Well-imagined game mythology.
- Great gameplay.
- Unique art design for characters, monsters, and environments.
- Impressive cel-shaded graphics.
- Variety of controllable familiars to be used.
- Dual voice acting.
- Good English voice acting.
- High replay value.
- Creative puzzles.
- Excellent orchestral music.
- You can use lots of spells in combat or during exploration.
- Variety of side quests to be completed.
Cons
- Hit or miss battle system. - Requires moderate to heavy grinding to progress in the game.
- Art design may be too childish for certain people.
- Taming familiars require some grinding.
- Learning curve of the game at first can be steep for inexperienced RPG players.
**Images are from official Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch site.
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