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[Ghost_Protocol]

I’m curious: Is anyone else sticking with Ni no Kuni because of its great production values/localization or because it’s one of the few big, traditional console JRPGs released this generation?


Yesterday, after passing the 30-hour mark, I realized that it was probably was the longest amount of time I’ve ever spent with a game that I wasn’t totally in love with. I am not one of those people who give games many hours before putting them back on the shelf. I’m usually out by around hour three or four if I’m not genuinely interested in what’s going on, but with NnK, I’ve already sunk in all this time and I can’t really think of a great reason why - other than of course – the fact that it looks and sounds beautiful and is a big new traditional JRPG.

Everything about the design of NnK is executed very well, lovingly so in fact, but I’m finding that the most important things that I typically look for (and value) in a JRPG are just not jumping out at me at all in with this game. I’m talking about things like story, characters, and battle/skill systems.

From the beginning, I expected NnK to channel more of Ponyo/Spirited Away than Nausicaa/Mononoke, but actually witnessing that suspicion confirmed almost instantly, and then continuously as I spent more time with the game, was more than a little disappointing. I say that because that influence directly correlates to the story and its cast, which are both as basic as basic can get. And even now, 30 hours in, nothing and no one is any more interesting than they were 10, 15, or 20 hours ago…. I understand that it was a deliberate decision to go that route, and despite the fact that it doesn’t sit well with me, I’m still playing the game for some reason…..

When it comes to fighting, I level up just enough to get past whatever dungeon I’m in so that I can see the next beautiful area/city/dungeon/etc. I don’t really enjoy battling at all, which should be an enormous problem considering how much of it is necessary to get through a lot of the dungeons. I’m mystified at why it hasn’t stopped me from playing. I feed my familiars enough so that I can have more skills available, to help me get past wherever I am, but not because I’m interested in seeing new moves or new evolutions. I feel like I’m supposed to care about seeing new moves and new evolutions....Again, the interest in the system begins and ends with my ability to move the game forward.


Does anyone else feel this way? Does the fact that you want to live in that overworld cloud any problems you have with key elements of the game?

 

[fvng]

There are plenty of reasons to stick with Ni No Kuni. Production values are definitely a big reason, but also welcomed is the story that is refreshingly simple (a nice change of pace from jrpgs like FF13 that are NEEDLESSY complicated).

There's something charming about a game that gives you power up items like ice cream and iced tea. Little things like that. I can't remember the last RPG I played where I enjoyed talking to townspeople because they all have interesting or humorous things to say.

Phillip in Ni No Kuni reminds me of Tombo from Kiki's Delivery Service. Maybe that was an intentional.

Ni No Kuni, thank you for not making me learn useless vocab like 'falci, le'ci"

 

[eXistor]

I agree, the game is gorgeous and the music even moreso, but the game, solid as it is, really isn't anything special. In fact, I've played the exact same games 15-20 years ago on snes and then they were considered fresh. In 2013 the game seems positively stale. I'm kind of enjoying my time with it, but it's really nothing special as far as jrpg's go. It's obvious the game was meant to be this way, but I've seen this song and dance one too many times to be impressed anymore.

 

[Derrick01]

The trophies are the only reason I'm still playing 32 hours later. Otherwise I would have stopped around the 10 hour mark and returned it. It's way too simple of a game for my tastes.

 

[fvng]

I agree, the game is gorgeous and the music even moreso, but the game, solid as it is, really isn't anything special. In fact, I've played the exact same games 15-20 years ago on snes and then they were considered fresh. In 2013 the game seems positively stale. I'm kind of enjoying my time with it, but it's really nothing special as far as jrpg's go. It's obvious the game was meant to be this way, but I've seen this song and dance one too many times to be impressed anymore.

Part of the appeal of this game is that it is a back to basics jrpg that taps into the right elements of what made those 90s snes games so special. This is the first time I've felt like an snes jrpg has been fully realized in the modern era, but with all the trimmings we expect from a modern game.

There are plenty of game mechanics in Ni No Kuni to make them distinct from SNES jrpgs, not sure how this could be considered stale many of these battle mechanics didn't exist in the 90s jrpgs.

 

[Enron]

This is pretty much how I feel about the game.

 

[Aeana]

I stuck with it because it's a really fun and interesting game. It has a fair bit of flaws, especially companion AI, but despite that, I still loved it.

It's one of the few Japanese RPGs that feels like a complete package released in the last several years. Its company pretty much amounts to Blue Dragon, Vesperia, Xenoblade and Bravely Default. Everything else has felt lacking in one area or another.

 

[reson8or]

I love it and after completing the main story continue to play. I've said it before but the game took me back to when I was a kid playing old school RPG's. No other game in recent memory has managed to win me over in such and innocent and endearing way. My only hope is that one day, because of its success i the west, L5 and Studio Ghibli collaborate again.

 

[see5harp]

I'm sticking with it for the music and graphics. I really don't care for the story, the battle system, the side quests, or much at all besides the presentation to be honest. That's more than I could say about Tales of Graces f though. I really don't even love the Ghibli stuff, to me it's just inconsistent how the game goes from fully animated, to in game no voice, to in game fully voiced, to in game intermediate with better animation. I'd like more consistancy. It feels a little like The Witcher 2 in that I appreciate the stuff they are trying to do but recognize how poorly they are doing it.

 

[reson8or]

I stuck with it because it's a really fun and interesting game. It has a fair bit of flaws, especially companion AI, but despite that, I still loved it.

It's one of the few Japanese RPGs that feels like a complete package released in the last several years. Its company pretty much amounts to Blue Dragon, Vesperia, Xenoblade and Bravely Default. Everything else has felt lacking in one area or another.

My main gripe with the AI is when a teammate or familiar fire off a Trick an instant before mine and cancel my trick, making me have to do it again.

 

[Leunam]

I'm sticking with it because the gameplay and visuals/style more than makes up for the pretty basic story. Loving the locations and creature design and combat is a lot of fun, even if it's not as deep as I initially thought (the Nice chirp is very satisfying).

Gave up on FFXIII because the story was crap and the gameplay wasn't enough to keep me interested. At least it was pretty.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

I stuck with it because it's a really fun and interesting game. It has a fair bit of flaws, especially companion AI, but despite that, I still loved it.

It's one of the few Japanese RPGs that feels like a complete package released in the last several years. Its company pretty much amounts to Blue Dragon, Vesperia, Xenoblade and Bravely Default. Everything else has felt lacking in one area or another.

I knew I could count on the Princess!

I'm only several hours in but can tell that it'll be a very special experience. I honestly can't wait to sit down with it some more.

 

[Gully State]

I'm sticking to it so far because it's a traditional JRPG which is something that's been lacking this gen. This is coming from someone that's traditionally not a JRPG fan. I really miss the SNES era of JRPG's and it's sad that the evolution of the genre has strayed so far from that formula.

 

[base shagohod]

I'm sticking with it for the music and graphics. I really don't care for the story, the battle system, the side quests, or much at all besides the presentation to be honest. That's more than I could say about Tales of Graces f though. I really don't even love the Ghibli stuff, to me it's just inconsistent how the game goes from fully animated, to in game no voice, to in game fully voiced, to in game intermediate with better animation. I'd like more consistancy. It feels a little like The Witcher 2 in that I appreciate the stuff they are trying to do but recognize how poorly they are doing it.

I agree with you about the inconsistency there; the amount of non-voiced dialog 40-something hours in is bumming me out. But I love the game aside from that.

 

[dummydecoy]

I've never played a JPRG in my life, but the game looks so beautiful. (and I don't even like anime) Do you guys think my wife (who only played Heavy Rain and enjoyed it and loves Spirited Away) might like this?

 

[Jarmel]

I stuck with it because it's a really fun and interesting game. It has a fair bit of flaws, especially companion AI, but despite that, I still loved it.

It's one of the few Japanese RPGs that feels like a complete package released in the last several years. Its company pretty much amounts to Blue Dragon, Vesperia, Xenoblade and Bravely Default. Everything else has felt lacking in one area or another.

I'm only an hour in but the characters and story in Xenoblade and Vesperia made the game more than anything else. These impressions seem that both the characters and story are boring, one of the main things I look forward to in a RPG.

 

[Twilight Princess]

i wouldn't be interested if it weren't for studio ghibli.
i love immersive field exploration in my rpgs, games like ffxii, gran pulse in xiii, xenoblade, skyrim, etc. the "tales of..."/dqviii type of 3D world placement and over world exploration really turns me off because they feel so fake. and i don't like pokemon games.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

I've never played a JPRG in my life, but the game looks so beautiful. (and I don't even like anime) Do you guys think my wife (who only played Heavy Rain and enjoyed it and loves Spirited Away) might like this?

Sure, but I'd recommend playing it together.

i wouldn't be interested if it weren't for studio ghibli.
i love immersive field exploration in my rpgs, games like ffxii, gran pulse in xiii, xenoblade, skyrim, etc. the "Tales of...."/dqviii type of 3D world placement and over world exploration really turns me off because they feel so fake. and i don't like pokemon games.

This is definitely not for you then it's exactly what you're not into.

 

[zoukka]

The trophies are the only reason I'm still playing 32 hours later. Otherwise I would have stopped around the 10 hour mark and returned it. It's way too simple of a game for my tastes.

Dat complex taste.

 

[Bladenic]

I agree with sentiments that it's a complete package. Is the story amazing? No, but it's decently charming and engrossing without being too obtrusive or needlessly complicated with endless cutscenes. I do kind of wish Ghibli did the story as well as the animation, but this is a pretty good offering especially by Level-5 standards.

As for the battle system, it definitely has issues and feels underdeveloped at times but I still find it really fun and the challenge is welcome.

The overall production and music are huge parts of why the game is great, but I don't think the rest is bad by any means.

 

[see5harp]

I agree with you about the inconsistency there; the amount of non-voiced dialog 40-something hours in is bumming me out. But I love the game aside from that.

It's not even just 40 hours in. They'll have like a 3 second clip fully voiced using the "good quality" in game engine and then immediately cut to text, and then switch to Ghibli animation for the next scene. The story is predictable and cliched, and I'm finding the battle system to be way too busy for it's own good. I do give them props for music, however. This is by far the best JRPG soundtrack I've heard in a long time.

 

[Aeana]

I'm only an hour in but the characters and story in Xenoblade and Vesperia made the game more than anything else. These impressions seem that both the characters and story are boring, one of the main things I look forward to in a RPG.

All of the games I listed are weak in one area or another, but I was talking about the complete package. That includes feeling like a fully-developed RPG all around. It doesn't feel like it's missing anything. It has a bunch of different features, different transportation methods, dungeons, a world map, sidequests, side events like a casino, and things of that nature. Many of the games I didn't list feel pared down in one or more of those aspects, a trend that was pretty common in this last generation.

 

[base shagohod]

It's not even just 40 hours in. They'll have like a 3 second clip fully voiced using the "good quality" in game engine and then immediately cut to text, and then switch to Ghibli animation for the next scene. The story is predictable and cliched, and I'm finding the battle system to be way too busy for it's own good. I do give them props for music, however. This is by far the best JRPG soundtrack I've heard in a long time.

Yeah, I'm sure it's a problem throughout the game. I just meant in my current 40-hr play through.

I hear the WE came with a soundtrack of only 2 songs? I'm probably gonna order the full OST soon.

 

[Twilight Princess]

This is definitely not for you then it's exactly what you're not into.

the beautiful art style more than makes up for any of its short comings though, i dream about playing a ghibli game! and i suffered through ffxiii, this will be paradise in comparison.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

I can't believe I forgot to mention the Wizard's Companion. That is a HUGE part of why I'm still motivated to play. Seeing blank pages in that thing just feels wrong.

 

[Derrick01]

Dat complex taste.

I don't like leaving games with like 5% on my trophy list. It bothers me.

 

[Electivirus]

The demo didn't exactly make me want to get it Day 1 (the battle system felt rather poorly explained/implemented), but the universal praise certainly has me more interested in trying it out.

I loved FFXIII/XIII-2, but so far those have been the only big console JRPGs I've played for a long while. I am definitely looking for another big one to sink my teeth into, so I might end up getting this once it drops in price or otherwise go for a used copy.

 

[BY2K]

I don't like leaving games with like 5% on my trophy list. It bothers me.

Remind me never to let you see my Trophy list, you'd get a heart-attack.

 

[one_kill]

I don't play many JRPGs, but the charming visuals and Pokemon catching drew me to the game. I'm having a blast with the game.

 

[Mileena]

I don't like leaving games with like 5% on my trophy list. It bothers me.

I used to have this, then I "played" Flower. No amount of trophies will ever get me to play that "game" again.

 

[Neuromancer]

My only complaints are the difficulty spikes and the grinding you have to do to beat certain bosses. I'm playing on easy too. Other than that I love this game, the combat is a lot of fun in general, and the story and characters are delightful.

 

[zoukka]

I don't like leaving games with like 5% on my trophy list. It bothers me.

Well that's something :b Trapped by non-platinum'd games. I guess someone could make a documentary about achievements and find all sorts of interesting obsessions.

 

[Derrick01]

I used to have this, then I "played" Flower. No amount of trophies will ever get me to play that "game" again.

Yeah a lot of the PSN games on my list are like that. For some reason it's only the full games that bother me. I guess it's an extension of my "don't really give a shit about indie/arcade games" attitude.

 

[HermitArcader]

Ended up doing this with Dragon Quest 8 which is why I've yet to buy Ni No Kuni even though I found the combat in the demo more engaging.

Doesn't mean I won't try it at some point, been following the OT and impressions elsewhere and it sounds interesting, but past experience with Level 5 just means other games come first.

 

[papercamm]

The demo didn't exactly make me want to get it Day 1 (the battle system felt rather poorly explained/implemented), but the universal praise certainly has me more interested in trying it out.

I loved FFXIII/XIII-2, but so far those have been the only big console JRPGs I've played for a long while. I am definitely looking for another big one to sink my teeth into, so I might end up getting this once it drops in price or otherwise go for a used copy.

There are extensive tutorials in the game that aren't in the demo. It gets more complex as more characters join your party.

 

[Kinitari]

I think the game is a great game, very traditional but not in a boring way. They do it right, everything from the casino to the arena has been 'done to death' by the JRPG's of yesteryear but it's nice seeing it done right in today's gaming scene.

Basically... it's just a good game, it's not a mind bending amazing game that changes the landscape completely, but hopefully it reminds developers that some of these old elements worked well and there is nothing wrong with reintroducing them again.

 

[The Lamp]

I've never played such a beautiful RPG and the simplicity of its story and approach is enchanting. I love it. It's a warm welcome after, as said, FF13s ridiculous attempt at interesting lore and storyline.

 

[Zierath]

Presentation is about the only thing I thought it did well. I had no fun with the combat and the dungeon design is really boring outside of the looks of some of them. I greatly dislike the style of monster catching used in this game. It really disappointed me, could have been legitimately great if everything were executed as well as the visuals and sound

Still I liked it enough to finish it I suppose.

 

[Kinitari]

I think what I really appreciated was the pace it introduced new complexity to the game - it felt like it was paced perfectly, enough to keep you interested. Not so far apart that it felt like nothing was happening for long stretches, not so close together that the new feature introductions became rote. Basically, I liked it a lot.

 

[jorgeton]

I'm addicted to the sidequests -- collecting merit badges. Also catching new pokemo.. i mean "familiars" and training them. The story is nothing to write home about, but it's charming and I love the animated cut scenes that frequently pop up.

It's the kind of game you can get fully absorbed in, like Skyrim or Xenoblade, where there's always something to do besides push the story forward.

It's also fairly challenging in spots, which is nice.

 

[YuriLowell]

I do not like the battle system or the characters at all.
I'm sending it back to gamefly tomorrow.

 

[toddhunter]

Doesn't mean I won't try it at some point, been following the OT and impressions elsewhere and it sounds interesting, but past experience with Level 5 just means other games come first.

This is pretty much where I'm at. I would like to buy it at some stage to support these types of games getting made.

But after Rogue Galaxy I'm really having a hard time wanting to commit to play this.

 

[Bladenic]

This is pretty much where I'm at. I would like to buy it at some stage to support these types of games getting made.

But after Rogue Galaxy I'm really having a hard time wanting to commit to play this.

Trust me when I say NNK is like GOTF compared to that shit Rogue Galaxy.

 

[Rentahamster]

Watching my friend play it, I agree that the battles don't look terribly interesting.

But the visuals and audio are great. I also love how they kept the Japanese voices in the game, too.

 

[Aeana]

Ni no Kuni is the first game actually designed by Level-5 that I've really liked. I don't like Rogue Galaxy even a little bit.

 

[Dark Octave]

Most of everything the OP said actually made me more interested in the game. I don't need a complicated story.

Ni no Kuni is the first game actually designed by Level-5 that I've really liked. I don't like Rogue Galaxy even a little bit.

Why didn't you like RG?

 

[canedaddy]

I'm not finished yet but so far it nails every area in my book... best JRPG this gen by far. Level 5 really hits the spot with me. Dark Cloud 2 and Dragon Quest 8 were my favorite RPGs last gen, and RG wasn't far behind.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

I'm sticking with it because it's a fantastic game and the first semi-traditional JRPG on consoles I played in a long time (unless Tales of Graces F counts).

 

[Bladenic]

I'm sticking with it because it's a fantastic game and the first semi-traditional JRPG on consoles I played in a long time (unless Tales of Graces F counts).

Why wouldn't ToGf count? Good thing NNK is way better than ToGf though

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Why wouldn't ToGf count? Good thing NNK is way better than ToGf though

For some reason, ARPGs don't count in my mind. Though NNK doesn't really have a traditional battle system either, so it's semantics I guess. Honestly, I'd probably like it more if it had something closer to ATB or traditional turn-based, or at least something to make the AI not retarded, but hey, that's a minor complaint compared to everything else the game does well.

And yes, this is leagues ahead of TOGf imo.