amazon Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered reviews
Not trying to hide or deceive the player, the story of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is very open. Players easily know what they are doing, what to do.
The beginning of the game is quite light, the player will play the role of Oliver and his mother living in a small city called Motorville. At this stage, you mainly go around buying snacks for your mother, meeting neighbors to chat, listen to stories about Philip’s homemade car.
After spending a lot of time that I thought was “playing the wrong type of game”, our story began to change 180 degrees when Oliver’s mother sacrificed to save her child.
Oliver in grief over the loss of his beloved mother, inadvertently removed the seal for Drippy, a forerunner from another world but imprisoned in disguise … a stuffed animal!
Drippy convinced Oliver that his world and him are two worlds connected through a magical corridor, which also means that each of Oliver’s world will have a copy of himself (called Soulmate) in Drippy’s world.
Oliver’s mother has Soulmate, the great magician Alicia – who is being held captive by the dark wizard Shadar and if he successfully rescues Alicia his mother will probably return to the world.
Oliver’s great adventure begins here. Into the new world, the game will give you a Wizard’s Companion with everything described in great detail from the use of each type of magic, which monsters will be weak magic resistance …
However, this is not to say that the game “guidle” everything, instructions are set but the implementation is you.
The mechanics in the game are very manual and sophisticated, for example, standing in front of a locked chest – you have to unleash a spell to unlock, encounter a mushroom – you enchant the time the tree will grow, missions will show you where you need to go, but you have to find your way to the destination …
With everything being done in such a detailed and dense manner, almost half of the game time is around guiding players to learn how to use the game’s features properly.
Combined with the sluggish pace of the gameplay, each of the first chapters in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is humble with full introduction, happenings, results and integration into the side quests with value rewards that you can run around all day (besides the available rewards, after completing the side quests you will receive stamps, when enough stamps are collected you will redeem for skills especially as high jump, run fast, detect items …).
Gentle, adventure is like that, but after experiencing the first half of the game, the second half of the story began to progress faster and faster both in the gameplay and the plot.
The simple reason, although taking the turn-based style, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is not unique to the traditional style but mixed in with the influence of the ADB (Active Time Battle) style – the mechanism created the brand of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age and the Xenoblade game series.
Because of that hybrid, the options in the game become more improvised and flexible.
The system of companions (Familiar) makes things inherently troublesome now even more confusing. Basically, Familiar are beasts that you “convert” or voluntarily follow you with different powers and skills.
You have to rotate regularly between Familiar for different tactics, between Familiar have the ability to interact with each other (and interact with the owner), each “companion” has different physical bars and if they run out of stamina they will have to take a break …
With 3 main characters in the squad, each has up to 3 companions, each companion can control as a player, and that’s just a fighting mechanism and next to dozens of things like the item system, magic system, tactical system …
Although the story in the game goes straight but does not mean that there are no climax.
Going through the story of the game, the player plays like a true incarnation into the little boy Oliver with all levels of emotion and indignation.
From a playful boy into a responsible person with the burden of saving both worlds on his shoulders.
With the Ghibli style creation, you will surely have a poetic return to childhood.
The Cel Shading style is used and maximizes the full power in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered.
In fact, the writer has no choice but to greatly admire the use of the artists’ colors when only by using two original monochromatic color blocks, one bright, one dark, to highlight the sophisticated world and detail.
The vast steppe, the lovely small town of Motorville, the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell is filled with tiny nooks and crannies, Al Mamoon is burning … all lively and like dancing in front of the screen!
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered also impressed by the music from Joe Hisaishi – the witch behind Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle …
The music in the game will make you label a nostalgic but not bored, so classic or philosophical that it is more like the nursery rhymes.
Music, pictures, storytelling make it easy for adults to find themselves as a child yearning for adventure.
Originally a refreshing game, meaning Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered didn’t have many important changes in the gameplay or the like from the original game.
The battle continuously unless you flee (if you do not increase the speed do not dream of escaping monsters) or the distance of experience is too large between the two sides.
The scenes in Motorville are still locked, although it is not really important to feel the plot but the feeling is still uncomfortable when your character is hidden among the houses.
Tactic function is quite stupid, if not in your hands to control, the characters automatically only have to rush into the enemy to … commit suicide whether it is a defensive or attacking option.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is so great in every way, everything in the game is harmonious, enhancing each other’s beauty to the best.
If you’re looking for a nostalgic game but don’t know where to start or simply want to enjoy an adventure story, fairy but also full of romance, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is definitely is a name that is not in vain for your choice.
where can you get a Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered online
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered – PlayStation 4: Buy it now
Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch: Remastered (PS4): Buy it now
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered (Multi-Language) [Asia Import]: Buy it now
Characters and their story
Plot Summary
“Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” follows the life of Oliver: an innocent young boy who lives in the small town of Motorville. After the unfortunate death of his mother and during his sorrowful moments, Oliver discovers his tears had brought a fairy named Drippy to life. Drippy told Oliver that he is called to be the hero who would save another world called Ni no Kuni from the evil sorceress the White Witch.
Oliver’s adventure will take him into a beautiful world full of exciting characters and mighty enemies. The story is just brimming with pathos, infused with loss, hope, and friendship. Heartwarming and heart-wrenching, it’s all the heart and soul of a fairy tale.
Character Development
Characters are really well created and have memorable parts in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Main character Oliver, in fact, proves to be quite relatable; his desire is pure: rescuing his lost mother and saving others. Through the course of the game, one can see Oliver’s maturation from heartbroken child to courageous hero.
Drippy, Oliver’s companion, is not only a source of comic relief, but he also provides critical advice. His eccentricity and wacky Welsh accent make him even a more exceptional character. The allies that Oliver meets on his journey also have their backstories and drives: Esther and Swaine, for example, each bring something unique into the mix.
The game is full of colorful NPCs and enemies that add to the richness of the story. The White Witch in herself is a hell of a villain, for she has a very tragic background, which adds a lot of nuances to her character.
Gameplay Mechanics
Exploration and Quests
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch consists of a continuing vast world to explore, peppered with towns, dungeons, and the occasional lost secret. The game world map reminds of classic RPG maps regarding how it allows players to travel across all kinds of landscapes-from lush forests to hot deserts. Indeed, a lot of the feeling of exploration comes from these marvelous art designs and from environments that are really detailed.
Quests form a major part of the game, mainly comprised of main mission quests and side quests. Main quests are directly correlated toward advancing the overall storyline; side quests supplement both challenge and reward. Helping NPCs, hunting rare monsters, or sometimes simply digging for treasure might prove part of the side quest. Completing a quest usually grants the player XP points, items, and even the occasional new familiar to aid in battle.
Combat System
The combat system of “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” incorporates real-time action and traditional turn-based rules. Players control Oliver and his party, which can summon familiars to fight on their behalf. Familiars are magical creatures that can be captured, trained, and evolved, similar to Pokémon.
Battles allow switching between the use of the characters and familiars with a combination of physical attacks, magic attacks, and special abilities. Since combat is strategic, this requires players to manage resources, effectively maneuver their characters, and take advantage of enemy weaknesses. There is a guard and evasion mechanic in place, adding another timing-and-reflexes-based layer to the combat system.
The familiar system is one of the largest selling points in terms of gameplay and offers a huge variety of creatures to collect and customize. Each familiar comes with its strengths, weaknesses, and abilities, thereby allowing the player to customize the team according to their own play style. Training and evolving familiars are a rewarding endeavor as these familiars become increasingly powerful and acquire new abilities.
Puzzle Solving
In addition to fighting, the game is packed with clever puzzles and mini-games so that the gameplay remains varied. These puzzles are intertwined with the narrative or side quests and, hence, require some outsmarting and observation skills from the players. The puzzles can range from the simplest riddle to puzzles that require a more elaborate interaction with the environment, using magic spells.
Graphics and Art Design
Visual Style
A definite winner in “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” is the breathtaking visual style. The beautiful hand-drawn animation and artwork from Studio Ghibli, responsible for animated classics like “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” establish that absolutely no effort was spared. The result is a game that feels like a playable Studio Ghibli movie, with tons of color, vivid backgrounds, and wonderfully expressive character designs.
With the remastered version came higher resolution textures, improved lighting effects, and enhanced smoothness in animation. It looks glorious on modern hardware, capturing the wonder and beauty of the original while delivering a far fresher experience for new players.
Animation
Animation in “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” is extremely good; it is noted for its smooth movement, with very expressive character animation. Especially in the cutscenes, these animations bring the storytelling to life in the most cinematic way. The game animation from battles to simple character interactions plays its part in immersing the player into the world.
Sound Design
Music
The score of “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” is by Joe Hisaishi, who has written the scores for many Studio Ghibli films. The music has a dreamlike quality that fits the whimsical nature of the game and its more touching moments equally well. Each piece is easy to remember, from grand orchestral themes of exploration to heightened tension with battle music when combat gets underway.
Sound Effects
Well, the sound effects for this game, they really come off well through immersion that contributes to the whole experience. The sound effects for magic spells, combat, and the environment are clear and sound very much on impact. The detail in the sounds makes it a believable and more enjoyable world.
Voice Acting
Acts in a grand way and to such levels that their interpretations bring to life the characters. It puts in a voice that is filled with emotion and personality to ensure that whatever is said makes it more relatable and endearing. The localization is done well in both cases; English or Japanese, take your pick.
Replayability
Main story and side quests
Now we shall deliver the main story of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. The main narrative will give you around 40 to 60 hours to complete, and that’s more than enough to keep you busy. And if you have completed the main story, don’t forget about the side quests and optional items; they will add many more for hours and hours.
Collecting and Training Familiars
For some, the replayability may be attributed to the familiar system, in which one spends countless hours collecting, training, and evolving their familiars. The diversity of familiars and customization keeps each playthrough as different as possible: a different set of teammates and strategies to explore.
Post-Game Content
Post-game content in the game includes dungeons, added extremely tough enemies, and nice finds in the form of items. This would further add a great, testing experience in providing what would challenge but reward players looking to continue their adventures well after the story is completed.
Critics and Areas of Improvement
Balance Difficulties
The game is also critiqued for its balancing of difficulty. Some players can find the game to be too easy, especially during the early game, while others can find it too difficult due to certain boss fights. Adding more settings for the different levels of difficulty would make it far more enjoyable.
AI Companions
Perhaps the more essential shortcomings in the game are that AI companions could sometimes be preferred to fight with questionable decisions or not using their ability well. Although friends can give commands to their companions in battle, it often gives frustrating results on the AI behavior, where improvement would make combat more enjoyable and not too excessive for micromanagement.
Pacing
It sometimes feels slow in the pace of the story, with long cutscenes and dialogues. While the engaging narrative is something most players would appreciate, the slow pacing may be an alienating aspect of the game. The game might work if some areas of the story are streamlined and offered with an option to skip cutscenes.
Final Verdict
“Ni the Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered” is a spry and dynamic RPG that catches attention through its spectacular graphics, infectious storyline, and pretty advanced gameplay mechanics. It is a piece of magic from the joint effort of Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, making this game like playing an animated film as it has an intensely available world that can be explored.