Due to its aesthetics and main character, there will inevitably be discussions of how “kiddy” the game is, and already we’ve seen the word “childish” pop up, which is an inappropriate description of the game. One thing to note is the difference in the connotations of childish versus childlike. Beavis and Butthead is childish, whereas Spirited Away is childlike. There’s also a huge difference in something being made for children and being enjoyable by children. Care Bears and iCarly are made for children; Spirited Away and Nausicaa can be enjoyed by children. The latter two, however, are far more than just “kids’ movies.” Ni no Kuni is a game you can play with your kids in the room, yes, but that doesn’t take away from the quality of the script and there high level of challenge here. This game — its features and systems — are everything JRPG fans have been wanting.
