Ni No Kuni is a game that I’ve wanted to play for a long time. This game is the brainchild of Studio Ghibli and Level 5. Originally released for the PS3 it finally comes to a Nintendo system. On the Nintendo Switch it shines because like other monster hunting games, portability is key to unlimited fun.
Ni No Kuni stars Oliver a young boy out to save his mother. After an accident with a car he and his friend built, he loses his mother. This sets off a chain of events where his favorite plush comes to life and takes him to another world. It turns out that this world and his original world are connected. In this world, everyone is connected to another person. If you live in Oliver’s world there is a being that is connected to you. Sometimes it might be an animal and a person. Usually, the characters look vaguely familiar so it can be easy to see who is connected to who. The character work is a marvel and it is always fun seeing who is connected to the other. Sometimes the connections come out of the left field.
Oliver must take out the wicked wizard Shadarr. Shadarr is the emissary of the White Witch who also isn’t to be trusted. This wicked being wants nothing more than to destroy what the world is, and will do anything he can to destroy it. Oliver and his faithful companions are the only beings who can stand up to him. Luckily, he isn’t alone on this adventure as things do start to heat up. Oliver will pick up a few friends along the way, including Esther a young girl and daughter of one of the great sages, and Swaine an odd man with a rather interesting past. It is also possible to play as them in battle which will likely change how the player fights. These two characters will be exceedingly important as the more allies Oliver has the more familiars he can have at his disposal.
Familiars are the main power in this game. These little Pokemon-esque creatures will aid Oliver in battle and take down enemies for him. Oliver first must materialize a familiar but soon will be able to capture them, with the help of Esther. He might even pick up a few during the story, and that is always a treat. There are a good deal of familiars for Oliver and his future friends to pick up. They even evolve under the right circumstances which can lead to stronger familiars. Sometimes they might get cuter, but a few are rather fearsome. It’s up to the player to choose the familiars right for the job and to take care of them. These familiars might be magic, but they still need to eat, so make sure to feed them their favorite foods!
Familiars might be great for battle but they will need to be taken care of. They have a certain amount of stamina that will recharge when they are recalled. But players can also strengthen them with items. Feeding them the right things can boost their stats. If they level up to the right level and the player feeds them color-coded stones they will even evolve. So it’s a good idea to take care of these familiars on and off the battlefield. Familiars gain a variety of skills that can aid the player in battle. They can even learn magic which might save the day. Though the AI for Esther and Swaine might not always think in the way the player is asking. It’s good to outfit them with the best familiars possible too. Players will often bound between the party so always outfit everyone with solid familiars.
It’s a good thing Oliver is a wizard, his wizard’s compendium is chock full of information. This book contains his bestiary, a weapon compendium, an alchemic guide, a map, and even legends of the region. It is also filled with knowledge and descriptions of all the things within. It’s honestly staggering how much is kept within this book. The telling stone tells the player some interesting information as well. He can give players tutorials on things they might have forgotten. This stone also holds information on the completion of regions and the monster compendium. Plus if a player wishes to know how much of the game they have completed this is the menu to check.
There are many quests the player will pick up along the way. They can obtain quests from different characters and also from Swift Solutions. Swift Solutions is the home base for a majority of the quests. Players will need to return here to complete every quest. As they go through the quests they will receive rewards so its always a good idea to complete every quest. Plus these quests often open up the lore of the world and that’s always a plus.Swift Solutions also offers bounty hunts. These battles are fought with high-level monsters. The rewards are great but Oliver and co must be ready for them. It’s best to take these on when the player is sure they can handle them. Though don’t take to long as these fights become child’s play all too easy. It’s best to clear these as they come up for the added challenge.
There are also special crystals known as pieces of heart for players to collect. These gems are important as they can change one’s heart. For instance, Oliver might take a little bit of someone’s joy and give it to someone sad. Oliver takes a small portion and saves it for a rainy day. It is a nice thing to see Oliver give these feelings to people who need them. Oliver will want to keep himself and his friends armed. There are many weapons and armor offerings to pick up during the game. It’s always good to be prepared and to keep the party ready for battle. There are even some costumes that characters can wear to mix things up. Most of these simply come with the story but some are harder to track down.
Players will eventually pick up a genie and will then be allowed to craft. Crafting can be a crapshoot if players wish, but they can also find recipes. It’s a good idea to look around for recipes to not waste valuable items. Though players may be able to find recipes on their own by simply mixing and matching. Their genie will always be there to show support if they fail so it’s not all bad. Like a good amount of RPG’s before it, Oliver can take part in a colosseum known as the Solosseum. Oliver will take on multiple foes to win his way up the arena’s ranks. These battles will take all the grit and determination our hero can muster. The right familiars and gear will also be necessary as Oliver never knows what kind of monsters he is going to face.
The world in this game is so marvelous as it’s done by Studio Ghibli. Studio Ghibli helps make this game shine even brighter. The characters are so full of life and the world they live in is pure magic. It’s great going to all the different areas and seeing what the designers thought to include. I appreciate this game and love Ghibli so it’s a big win in that area. The music in this game is also pretty solid. Though the battle music does get tedious. It sounds pretty cool, but it plays so often that eventually it wore me down. Though there is different music for some bosses, the regular battle music isn’t all that great after the 1000th listen. The rest of the music in the game is nice though and it’s always fun coming back to past areas.
Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch is a charming story of a boy becoming a man. Oliver might not age during the story but he learns valuable lessons and becomes better for it. With the help of these otherworldly friends and his familiars, Oliver learns that he can do it. Will the player help Oliver save the world, or will Shadarr destroy it in all its glory?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided