Ni No Kuni was released in the US for Playstation 3 on January 22nd, 2013. It is an aspiring adventure that follows the journey of a young boy named Oliver who enters an wondrous parallel world in an attempt to save his mother. During the course of this journey, Oliver will learn magic spells, befriend allies, and tame fantastical creatures known as familiars for use in battles. The game features a simple, but moving story, an amazingly creative and beautiful world to explore, and a clever and unique battle system.
The system in which you collect, battle, and evolve these familiars has drawn comparisons to other game series such as Pokemon, but Ni No Kuni adds enough small variations to give it its own unique flair. All battles take place in real time in which players can swap between 3 familiars they control, or even between their own allies. As players move around the battlefield and are paying attention to these many elements and choices at once, you begin to develop an interesting rhythm and flow to the combat that can be very satisfying. Then again, as an RPG, there are a great deal of battles to be had in this game which can eventually wear its welcome and become repetitive. Still, it builds a unique and interesting foundation and is respected for trying something new.
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| Art of some of the familiars found in the game. |
Probably what stood out as the biggest feat of this game is the amazing art direction and world building this game achieved. The game's animated sequences were produced by the esteemed animation studio that is Studio Ghibli (who have produced such films as Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, Princess Monoke, and more), while the score was co-composed by Joe Hisaishi (an esteemed composer and musical director known for over 100 film scores and solo albums). This game is just bursting to the seams in creativity, wonder, and the tiniest of details. There are separate animations for Oliver as he walks down stairs, balances across logs, or skips from giant mushroom to giant mushroom. There is even a jump button that serves no purpose other than to look adorable.
The developers wanted the theme of the game to resonate with a younger audience, so while the story may fall flat for some older players, this game will still enchant you with the quality and amazing artistic integrity it holds. And good news is a sequel is due to release later this year, in which while it takes place in the same world, it will bring new characters and a supposedly more adult plot in suit. So if you haven't experienced this wonder of a game and have some ample time to explore a large magical world, Ni No Kuni is certainly worth your consideration.
Fun Fact: A Nintendo DS version of this game was developed separately in Japan before such was brought to Playstation 3. This DS game was renamed Ni No Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Dijinn, released on December 9th, 2010. Both versions retain the same "story axle", but other features such as artwork, graphics, and other specifications all received significant changes.
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