Tag: level 5

Ni No More Kuni For Me

Ni No Kuni

I am done with Ni No Kuni.

No, I haven’t finished it. I’m just done with it. After stopping for a month to play Bioshock Infinite (twice) and Tomb Raider, the thought of going back to Ni No Kuni was enough to make my body recoil in revulsion. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a similar feeling when I stopped Ni No Kuni the first time in order to play Dead Space 3. But once I started playing again, I found it surprisingly easy to get back into the swing of things. I put 24 hours into it before I took my month-long break.

But just like last time, I decided to throw it back into the old PS3 and see if my sudden aversion to the game would dissipate once I got going again. It didn’t. The moment I started playing I wanted to stop. The first battle I got into was literally the last battle I ever wanted to play in this game, which I think is the crux of the problem. I love the characters, the world and the story, but the battle system, while tolerable for the first 20 or so hours, just suddenly hit a wall for me. I love everything else about this game except for the battle system. I thought back to some of the tedious boss battles I had been through and I knew I didn’t want any part of that again. In the end, they were more of a chore than enjoyable. Continue reading Ni No More Kuni For Me

Review: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

ni no kuni review

In an era where ever game is so self-serious, it’s kind of refreshing to see a title that basks in whimsy. Level 5 and Studio Ghibli’s Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is such a game. It fairly oozes with clever environment design and goofy, pun-filled dialogue.

Traditionally, I don’t truck with JRPGs. Not because I actively dislike them, or anything, but they never really clicked with me. That said, Ni no Kuni is an experience that wrapped itself around me like a warm blanket and drew me in. Let’s get down to specifics, though, shall we? Continue reading Review: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Ni No Kuni and the Lost Art of Cut Scenes

Ni No Kuni

Over the weekend, I finally jumped into the world of Ni No Kuni, Level 5 and Studio Ghibli’s collaborative take on JRPGs. As has been reported from pretty much the whole world, the game is charming as all hell, from the story down to the monster design. With a great big world to explore and tons of sidequests, the experience is certainly reminiscent of the RPGs I used to play during my summers off of school.

But one of the more surprising reasons for my nostalgia happens to be the game’s cut scenes. Back in the day, one of my favorite parts of a new game was getting to a CG cut scene. These fully animated sequences served as a bit of a reward after a particularly harrowing part of the game, and always kept me on the edge of my seat. The fact that they looked so much better than the game made it all the more rewarding. Continue reading Ni No Kuni and the Lost Art of Cut Scenes

The Trailer for Studio Ghibli’s Ni No Kuni

If you’re at all familiar with anime, then you’ve no doubt heard of Studio Ghibli, the group behind such memorable and classic titles like Nausicaa, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. These movies are known not only for their stories, but for their memorable artistic style and the quality of the animation. They’ve produced some truly remarkable films, some of which rank among my favorites of all time.

That’s why I’m excited that Studio Ghibli and Level 5 (Dragon Quest VIII) are teaming up to create Ni No Kuni, a PS3 and DS title that’s slated for release next year in Japan. The new trailer for the game is out, and in my opinion, its absolutely stunning to look at. I love the animated look of the whole thing, and how smooth and vibrant everything appears. I for real can’t wait to play this game.

What do you guys think? Anybody else excited?