Ni No Kuni Wrath Of The White Witch

[sleepery jeem]

Due for release on the 25th of January this will be my first big must have of 2013 (I've had it on pre-order for the last three months).

The story follows a young boy named Oliver who, stricken with grief by the death of his mother, is visited by a goblin-like fairy named Drippy who tells him there is a chance to bring her back to life. The creature reveals that there is another world existing in parallel with our own, and that every inhabitant of our reality has a soul twin in the adjacent dimension.

In typical RPG style, the rolling hills, vast woodlands and icy mountains are peppered with towns and mission locations to explore – and waiting somewhere out there is the eponymous White Queen, who seeks to thwart Oliver's quest.



Special Editions :



•300 page hardback physical copy of The Wizard’s Companion, the spellbook Oliver uses throughout his journey in the game. The full-colour Wizard’s Companion contains a bestiary of all the creatures found in the game along with in-depth item descriptions, spells and history of the other world.
•A plush doll of Drippy, Oliver’s guide through his adventures
•Exclusive “golden mite” and “golden drongo” DLC familiars.

Game : Wizard Edition @...Sold Out...Standard Edition £39.99 http://www.game.co.uk/en/games/playstat ... 4294966312

Zavvi : Wizard Edition @ £79.99 http://www.zavvi.com/games/platforms/ps ... 24958.html

Amazon : Wizard Edition with 2 Exclusive Familiars http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ni-No-Kuni-Wiza ... B008MLSNOY

Shopto : Wizard Edition @ £69.85 http://www.shopto.net/ps3/PS3NI09-ni-no ... ds-edition

Play.com : Wizard Edition @ £69.99 I had ordered it here but now the link is broken.

HMV : Wizard Edition @ £79.99 http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDet ... sku=912043

Tesco : (no listing as yet)
Asda : (no listing as yet)

Is it perhaps as a PS3 exclusive the supermarkets just aren't interested in such a niche game,is R.P.G. yet again a byword for poor sales.

Argos : (no listing as yet)


You just have to love the Japanese sensibility's.

[merman]

It looks amazing, thanks to the work with Studio Ghibli. But twin dimensions? That's not new...

[Snaggletooth]

Probably my most anticipated game of 2013, also got deluxe edition on pre-order, Everything just looks divine in the game, thanks to ghibli art work.

That being said I have been trying to distance myself from any videos or reviews, I want it all to be fresh when I play it.

[maf-me-quick]

Played the demo. Looks great but can't say it really grabbed me.

[DifferentClass]

Now, I'm not the biggest Ghibli expert... there are still a couple of key films I have not seen, but judging from what I've seen this isn't a very Ghibli-esque game.

You can't judge the game entirely from a demo I know, especially an RPG which relies on context more than any other game, and you can't incorporate all that in a demo. But still acknowledging all that, something bothered me: a forest guardian was a boss... that you fight with no real reason other that it's in your way... that is so not Ghibli... that bothered me a lot.

The game looks a lot like a Ghibli production, but it doesn't feel like one. It's like they provided the art and left Level 5 to their own devices story-wise, which is fine as they can be good too, but I can't help but feel this game may be a missed opportunity now. I'll probably still get it, but I will with some apprehension and lowered standards.

[Snaggletooth]

Now, I'm not the biggest Ghibli expert... there are still a couple of key films I have not seen, but judging from what I've seen this isn't a very Ghibli-esque game.

You can't judge the game entirely from a demo I know, especially an RPG which relies on context more than any other game, and you can't incorporate all that in a demo. But still acknowledging all that, something bothered me: a forest guardian was a boss... that you fight with no real reason other that it's in your way... that is so not Ghibli... that bothered me a lot.

The game looks a lot like a Ghibli production, but it doesn't feel like one. It's like they provided the art and left Level 5 to their own devices story-wise, which is fine as they can be good too, but I can't help but feel this game may be a missed opportunity now. I'll probably still get it, but I will with some apprehension and lowered standards.

You have a bit of a point, however given the style of the game and feel it springs to mind the more peacefully Ghibli films, but Ghibli have made a fair few films with some action in Princess Mononoke being the key one that springs to mind, I think that's why they used drippy to possibly help preserve the innocence of Oliver, But I am kind of expecting it to get a bit darker at points in the game, as some of their animation can do the same.

Also Ghibli isn't afraid to lending its animators to other studios Grave of the Fireflies wasn't a Ghibli film per say but its animation team worked on it for one of TV networks, short of the game having been a point and click adventure which isn't a genre associated with Japanese devs it was always going to be a bit harder to capture the feel of a film in a game precisely.

*note when typed in Mononoke it auto corrected to Monkeyshine, Which should actually be a film, Princess Monkeyshine.

[DifferentClass]

Yeah but Princess Mononoke is a film I'm familiar with and that was about having some misguided reason to kill the Guardian in that film, but realising that wasn't the way, so trying to convince other characters not to was what the story was about. Ghibli has always been pro nature and stuff and having you fight creatures that represent nature seems weird to me... In a Ghibli game I would of expected to mostly fight Man. Even in Princess Mononoke that's what happens.

My favourite Ghibli films are Princess Mononoke, Whisper of the Heart and Laputa, so I guess I was hoping for that kinda thing but in game form... But what all I think it will be is another JRPG that looks like a Ghibli film, which is okay in its way, I suppose.

But this is speculation. We'll see how it is when it's out.

[Pious the chosen]

Grave of the Fireflies

Wow what a depressing film
Personally I loved the demo and couldn't be anymore stoked for this game. It gave me the vibe of FF 1-9, DQ 8 et al, that said I will stick with the standard edition. As for Ghibli work in general I've watched most of them and really couldn't mention one I didn't enjoy and I went off animated/kids movies in general a long time ago.

[sleepery jeem]

That being said I have been trying to distance myself from any videos or reviews, I want it all to be fresh when I play it.

Same here hence my staying away from the demo,though from my limited exposure to online pics i was getting a Jade Coccon vib from the gameplay.

As for the Ghibli connection the fact that i'm playing a cartoon is more than enough to keep me happy

[sleepery jeem]

OK Houston we have a problem.

"Play.com : Wizard Edition @ £69.99 broken link"

I had ordered this with PLAY.COM but after finding GAME sold out i thought it best to query PLAY on the Wizard's edition availability so i sent this...

"Message : I am checking on the availability of the Ni No Kuni wizard edition as my link to the listing on my account page is broken added to this the fact that you are no longer advertising the wizard edition in the PS3 RPG page,i would just like to confirm that you are still selling it."

And found a reply this evening..

"Dear Customer,
Thank you for your email.
Below is the link to order the game you have mentioned:
http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/ ... tails.html
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your time & valued custom.
Kind Regards,
Chelsea
Customer Support Team
Play.com"
Which just takes me to the standard edition
Gee thanks PLAY that helped

Still waiting for AMAZON to e-mail me about their Wizard edition availability so will probably switch.

[sleepery jeem]

Seems that the Yanks are getting a slightly shinier special edition to us.




And Game now has a link available for the wizard edition...http://www.game.co.uk/en/ni-no-kuni-wra ... ion-180778

[Blakey]

This is now on my radar after Persona 4 has taught me that I actually DO like JRPGs, the genre I had avoided like the plague for my of my game-playing years....

That Wizard Edition looks hella good, but a £70 investment may be a bit much for me considering it might just end up on eBay the next day if I don't get on with the game (most likely)...

[Pious the chosen]

In other news

Namco Bandai has announced the release of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch in Europe and Australia has been pushed back a week to February 1.

The company took to Twitter to explain that the delay was due to "logistics", but reassured customers that they would receive compensation in the form of a free DLC companion.
The Draggle familiar will be available to download from launch day for anyone who purchases the game in either territory.

The JRPG was originally planned to release on January 25, and is a collaboration between veteran RPG-makers Level-5 and legendary animation company Studio Ghibli.

[sleepery jeem]

This might explain why PLAY had no listing for the wizard edition,had moved my preorder to GAME anyway after PLAYs lack luster response to my email.

[Snaggletooth]

This might explain why PLAY had no listing for the wizard edition,had moved my preorder to GAME anyway after PLAYs lack luster response to my email.

Good to hear play haven't gotten any better, not used them in ages due to lack of response from emails. Quite happy for this to be pushed back though got to much gaming on go atm.