Ni No Kuni , is it worth buying a PS3 for?

[Godmachine]

I've heard nothing but great things about this game and I'm a huge fan of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki anime so my question is for any of you that have played this is it worth buying a PS3 for ? ( I can get one used off Ebay for less than retail for about $139)

I'm rarely ever willing to spend so much for one game but from what I've seen its truly a love letter to 1990's JRPG's of SNES and Playstation.

Thoughts?

 

[JohnleMVP]

It's $20 at best buy and you can also get some other great PS3 games like Last of Us. $140 for a PS3 isn't bad even if this generation is coming to an end.

 

[next-Jin]

Only if you REALLY love jPRGs and Anime, otherwise if you had a PS3 already then yes absolutely especially with it at 20 bucks new at Amazon.

It is probably the best RPG I have played this generation (way better than XIII-2) it's just real damn kiddie but that doesn't matter after a few hours imo.

 

[m33pm33p]

It's def a well done game. Im having a hard time though because of the extremely kid "likeness" of the game. Its worth a play though.

Last of Us is worth buying the PS3 as well.

 

[Godmachine]

It's def a well done game. Im having a hard time though because of the extremely kid "likeness" of the game. Its worth a play though.

Last of Us is worth buying the PS3 as well.

What do you mean by "kid likeness" ? Do you mean the generally light hearted nature of Ghibli type stuff as of late? Or do you mean the Japanese style of past JRPG's?

 

[Godmachine]

Only if you REALLY love jPRGs and Anime, otherwise if you had a PS3 already then yes absolutely especially with it at 20 bucks new at Amazon.

It is probably the best RPG I have played this generation (way better than XIII-2) it's just real damn kiddie but that doesn't matter after a few hours imo.

I'm not a huge anime fan (except for Studio Ghibli , in which case I'm a screaming fanboy of) but I love JRPG's and I know Level 5 is well known for some amazing ones.

I've actually just signed up for Gamefly and rented both Ni No Kuni and Last of Us so I suppose now would be the time to buy the PS3 and take the plunge

 

[next-Jin]

I'm not a huge anime fan (except for Studio Ghibli , in which case I'm a screaming fanboy of) but I love JRPG's and I know Level 5 is well known for some amazing ones.

I've actually just signed up for Gamefly and rented both Ni No Kuni and Last of Us so I suppose now would be the time to buy the PS3 and take the plunge

Then you should buy it, it is basically a JRPG/Studio Ghibli love child. The amount of love they put into it shows throughout what I have played so are (9 hrs). It excels as both an anime, JRPG and is imo one of the top 10 games of the PS3s lifespan.

 

[Godmachine]

Then you should buy it, it is basically a JRPG/Studio Ghibli love child. The amount of love they put into it shows throughout what I have played so are (9 hrs). It excels as both an anime, JRPG and is imo one of the top 10 games of the PS3s lifespan.

High praise indeed. Alright I'm doing it. Thanks for the opinions all.

 

[XenIneX]

What do you mean by "kid likeness" ? Do you mean the generally light hearted nature of Ghibli type stuff as of late? Or do you mean the Japanese style of past JRPG's?

I think he's referring to the fact that the first hour is a really tough slog because because it is very, very kiddy. I'd say it makes Totoro and possibly Pom Poko look downright mature by comparison, and it doesn't help that the English dub isn't exactly Disney-caliber voice acting.

Eventually it stops trying way too hard and gets much better, but it took some took some doing to wade through that first bit.

 

[Godmachine]

I think he's referring to the fact that the first hour is a really tough slog because because it is very, very kiddy. I'd say it makes Totoro and possibly Pom Poko look downright mature by comparison, and it doesn't help that the English dub isn't exactly Disney-caliber voice acting.

Eventually it stops trying way too hard and gets much better, but it took some took some doing to wade through that first bit.

Ahh ok. Well I'm use to that kind of "hand holding" from old style JRPG's of the past. 1 hour of slogging from a 100+ hour journey sounds like a fair trade imo.

 

[Verge]

Seems very childish for me. I'm not entirely happy with my 40 dollar purchase.

 

[ashmelev75]

I know it is all right for hand-drawn anime to be like 3fps because of amount of work required for 30fps, but it seriously breaks the gaming experience. Other than that, the game is childish, silly at some points and extremely repeatable. Expect a lot of grinding.

 

[m33pm33p]

I think he's referring to the fact that the first hour is a really tough slog because because it is very, very kiddy. I'd say it makes Totoro and possibly Pom Poko look downright mature by comparison, and it doesn't help that the English dub isn't exactly Disney-caliber voice acting.

Eventually it stops trying way too hard and gets much better, but it took some took some doing to wade through that first bit.

Thats exactly what I meant. Im not too far in yet though so Ill keep on pushing. As far as the gameplay/graphics/music it seems REALLY well put together, this is the main reason I hadnt just thrown it to the side.

 

[Verge]

I know it is all right for hand-drawn anime to be like 3fps because of amount of work required for 30fps, but it seriously breaks the gaming experience. Other than that, the game is childish, silly at some points and extremely repeatable. Expect a lot of grinding.

Exactly, how am I supposed to get involved in a story written for a 10 year old. I'm not entirely sure how it got such massive reviews.

 

[Godmachine]

You two are basically describing JRPG's of the 90's which I happen to love. I don't mind the kiddie nature of those games and nothing to me is more kiddie than early Pokemon and even that I didn't mind.

I got a used PS3 for a sick deal and got Ni No Kuni for $20 bucks. Looking mega forward to playing it now.

 

[bloodypulp]

there's not that much grinding, although the combat dynamics suck. the music is annoyingly repetitive.
Still, it's more enjoyable than the last couple Final Fantasy games.

 

[Rizen]

Exactly, how am I supposed to get involved in a story written for a 10 year old. I'm not entirely sure how it got such massive reviews.

Because the game play is really fun. I'm 28, and Ni No Kuni is definitely more "kid-friendly" at the start, but the game play, combat, crafting, graphics and environments, etc are all very well done and there is a lot to do. The whole Familiar system is akin to Pokemon and there are hundreds to catch and train. I didn't find the story too obnoxious, but if it's bothering you try to stick it out for a few hours and the game is a lot of fun.

 

[ballistic90]

Only if you REALLY love jPRGs and Anime, otherwise if you had a PS3 already then yes absolutely especially with it at 20 bucks new at Amazon.

It is probably the best RPG I have played this generation (way better than XIII-2) it's just real damn kiddie but that doesn't matter after a few hours imo.

Aren't most RPGs way better than XIII-2? That's kind of a low bar to set, isn't it?

 

[Youn]

I'm also interested in this. I've only seen 4 Studio Ghibli films. Really enjoyed Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke was good., Spirited Away not so much. I also saw Grave of the Fireflies but really hated the english overdub (that kid actor's voice is just nails on a chalk board to my ears, I've heard him in other things too, wth...)

As for other JPRG games, I REALLY hated the kiddy-ness of Tales of Symphonia and Kingdom Hearts, but like Paper Mario and Dragon Quest series. I just started playing the first Pokemon game (because a friend is in love with them but I'm clueless) and it's ok so far, nothing too annoying, charmander is cute...

Seems it's hit-and-miss with me, but I'm in the same boat as the OP because I've yet to buy a PS3 and am looking into exclusives to try and figure if it's worth it. Is there maybe a Ghibli movie this most closely resembles so that I might watch it to get a better sense of the "kiddy-ness"... I'd love to watch more of their films at least...

 

[MavericK]

Worth buying a PS3 for just Ni No Kuni? IMO, no. Then again, I am not a massive fan of JRPGs, so I guess maybe if you are it's probably the best one to come out for a long time. Personally I got about 10 hours or so in and got a little bored. I'm sure I'll pick it up again someday, but the combat was pretty uninteresting to me.

However, it is a very well-polished game and it looks and plays great, if that's the type of game you are looking for.

There are also a ton of other PS3 exclusives that are awesome, so overall I think it's worth owning a PS3, even with the PS4 right around the corner.

 

[Verge]

Because the game play is really fun. I'm 28, and Ni No Kuni is definitely more "kid-friendly" at the start, but the game play, combat, crafting, graphics and environments, etc are all very well done and there is a lot to do. The whole Familiar system is akin to Pokemon and there are hundreds to catch and train. I didn't find the story too obnoxious, but if it's bothering you try to stick it out for a few hours and the game is a lot of fun.

So I should keep playing, I'm only in like the second city. Thus far it's been strait grimding through pointless levels and childish themes.

Not seen much crafting or familiars yet.

 

[BladeVenom]

I'd just wait for the PS4. If that game doesn't make it to the PS4, their next one will.

 

[zaxour]

So I should keep playing, I'm only in like the second city. Thus far it's been strait grimding through pointless levels and childish themes.

Not seen much crafting or familiars yet.

You'll get a quest in Al-Mamoon where you go to the Temple of Trials. After you complete that, you will be able to capture familiars you encounter on the field. Item crafting comes after you complete the quest events related to Al-Mamoon.

 

[Rizen]

So I should keep playing, I'm only in like the second city. Thus far it's been strait grimding through pointless levels and childish themes.

Not seen much crafting or familiars yet.

Yes. My only complaint with the game is that it takes a long time to get all of your abilities and mechanics which can make the first 5-10 hours kind of a bore. Once you get the ability to tame familiars and the ability to craft items (after the second city which should be Al-Mamoon) there is a lot more to do besides just run around killing monsters.

 

[Ocellaris]

Yes. My only complaint with the game is that it takes a long time to get all of your abilities and mechanics which can make the first 5-10 hours kind of a bore. Once you get the ability to tame familiars and the ability to craft items (after the second city which should be Al-Mamoon) there is a lot more to do besides just run around killing monsters.

Is the core story still kiddie though? I was playing with a friend, got like 3 hours in, then just gave up on the whole thing. I have a pretty high tolerance for the kiddie stuff too, this just pressed all my buttons at the same time.

 

[Rizen]

Is the core story still kiddie though? I was playing with a friend, got like 3 hours in, then just gave up on the whole thing. I have a pretty high tolerance for the kiddie stuff too, this just pressed all my buttons at the same time.

Yes, it's a very light-hearted game. If that's a complete turn off it might not be the game for you. I don't mind it, it's a fun experience. Not everything needs to be dark imo.

 

[Godmachine]

Full disclosure , I'm a huge Studio Ghibli fan (although I hate most other Anime , I know weird) and have lots of love for the JRPG genre.

So here are my impressions so far :

For the lazy TL;DR types : Great game , kiddie nature is there but its a JRPG ..what do you expect? Highly recommended. Don't miss out because there are not many great JRPG's coming for the next few years probably and nothing this polished and fun for probably even more than that

For the non-lazy :

1. This game is a "kiddie" game or however you wish to phrase it. But in all honesty MANY JRPG's are "kiddie" to some degree. Some are outrageously so (Pokemon) some are less so (Persona) however I believe the developers and Studio Ghibli assumed that the audience for this game is primarily young kid's (say 10+) and older adults who grew up on JRPG's (before Western RPG's became more popular). If you did not grow up during the golden age of the JRPG era (SNES-PS2) then you probably will get bored by this game because of the major hand holding in the first 3-4 hours of the game. However you would in reality be missing out on a real treat if JRPG's are something you like.

2. Easily the most beautifully executed JRPG on the PS3. The amount of polish this game has far exceeds general JRPG standards. Many JRPG's for the PS3 are often cut in places to obviously make deadlines or budget limitations but Ni No Kuni is obviously not affected by such project limitations. Its pretty easy to see the amount of assets that went into Ni No Kuni are easily double if not triple what goes into a standard JRPG these days. I would hazard to estimate that there hasn't been a JRPG (ugh I've said that fucking word so much but no other way to classify it) this well produced and created since probably Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King that came out in 2005 here in the states. Seriously , Ni No Kuni oozes production value and obvious touches that are a very large nod to the genre in the form of a love letter to itself.

3. You have to work past the first 3-4 hours of the game to start getting into the meat of it. I'm surprised more Pokemon type fans aren't raving about this game considering the pet evolution options and the fact that there are 400 of them to capture and level. Keep in mind this is just one part of the game , you still have to manage your own team of humans and it can get pretty challenging later on in the game. But I don't think this game is as hard as some people make it out to be , there are far harder and more recent JRPG's (that abbreviation!@!!!#@) that provide more of an old school challenge than Ni No Kuni.


This must be stated clearly so you its fully understood .. IF you weren't at least a fan of JRPG's back in the day then you will NOT like Ni No Kuni. However , with that said , IF you are a fan and especially if you are still an active JRPG gamer (UGGGH!HH!!H!H!) than passing on Ni No Kuni because of the "kiddie" nature of it and because how it eases you into the game the first bit of it (consider you can easily clock over 100 hours , 3-4 hours is nothing) then you are missing out on some great gameplay and true nostalgia of the of the genre. I think what really sells it for me is Studio Ghibli and the overall look and animation of the game. Its just beyond top notch , its the quality I've come to expect from Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. People are not kidding when they say its like playing a Studio Ghibli movie in game form but with true attention to detail.

Its not a perfect game but as someone who's been playing JRPG's on and off for decades now I can say without hesitation that Ni No Kuni is probably going to be one of the last great JRPG's (AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!) of this console generation and perhaps one of the last truly faithful to the genre. Its no secret that this genre has taken a back seat in recent times , yes they still sell well enough to justify continuing to develop them but .. that won't last. Japanese gamers are evolving before our very eyes and breaking with the tradition of exclusively being loyal to the Japanese market when it comes to video games. Western games are gaining ground in a big way in Japan. My brother recently came back from his 7th trip to Japan and when he did his pilgrimage to the Akihabara distrct of Toyko he was shocked at how many Western games he was seeing getting prime real estate in the major shops.

I think if you are on fence or perhaps didn't give this game a real effort when you played it , it might be time to give it another shot or a first try.

For me , personally , this game was worth finding a used PS3 on Ebay and buying it ( Ni No Kuni) for $19.95 during the online sale recently. Its worth triple that price for what I'm getting out of it , which is a lot of fond memories of great games and a platform for a new world for Studio Ghibli to play around in.

 

[Goride]

I would say yes that this game is worth buying a PS3 for.


I went to the store to buy The Last of Us, and Ni No Kuni was on sale, so I grabbed it to.

When the weekend came (when I actually have time to play games), I decided to put in Ni No Kuni instead. I happened to be in the mood for a more light hearted game, rather than a darker more mature game.

I could not be happier with Ni No Kuni. It is true that the story is definitely geared towards a younger audience. But that does not mean you cannot enjoy the game. You just have to acknowledge that the game is meant for a younger audience, and simply recognize the charm it has.

The story is very good. It even seems to go beyond the confines of straight entertainment, and tries to teach life lessons, morals, and how to cope with bad things or sadness in general. It really is quality.

Going beyond that, the gameplay is quite fun. It can be challenging at times on normal difficulty (especially if you do not have a proper group, or level up your familiars enough).

It may be designed for middle schoolers, but the game is just a joy to play; from the story to the gameplay.

I have no regrets of this purchase, and highly recommend it to any JRPG/pokemon fans. Heck, I was really too old to get into pokemon when the whole crazy started. But this game is just a joy to play.

 

[Godmachine]

Couldn't agree more with you Goride , I also was far to old to get into Pokemon when it came out.

I'm about 76 hours in and there is still so much left to do. I'm loving catching and leveling familiars and just exploring the world Level-5 and Studio Ghibli have created.

 

[westrock2000]

I'm also interested in this. I've only seen 4 Studio Ghibli films. Really enjoyed Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke was good., Spirited Away not so much. I also saw Grave of the Fireflies but really hated the english overdub (that kid actor's voice is just nails on a chalk board to my ears, I've heard him in other things too, wth...)

Spirited Away is considered one of Miyazaki's best, and a lot of it has to do with the awesome Joe Hisaishi soundtrack. Those two really got in sync on that movie. Joe has done the soundtracks to all the Miyazaki directed films (except maybe the very early ones). But still, check out Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Howl's Moving Castle (and the other's too like Porco Rosso and Ponyo).

Grave of the Fireflies is one of the "outliers" of Studio Ghibili. It's not directed by Miyazaki, and like the few others in the same category don't get as much attention. I watched it the first time as a single adult and it actually annoyed me. I watched it several years later as a parent of small children and the movie hit a very strong nerve in me. I thought about how my kids would react in that situation. Alot of the things that annoyed me before suddenly made sense having first hand experience with how children see the world. The movie was very emotional to me, and possibly the most depressing movie I have ever watched.

Moving back to Ni No Kuni, I got it because I am a big fan of both Miyazaki as well as Joe Hisaishi. The soundtrack was kind of a disappointment to me. Hisaishi made such a big upward climb with the Miyazaki sountracks culminating with Spirited Away, that nothing since then has really gotten my attention.

Now if you get the PS3 and you haven't played it yet, check out Eternal Sonata. It's an jRPG game that has a very non-offensive story line. It's also co-op and it is a mix of turn-based and real time. Me and my wife had a blast playing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bunnv8Av_5g

 

[Godmachine]

Honestly I feel the soundtrack is one of his better efforts in recent times concerning Studio Ghibli. Its very memorable and remarks highly of the nature of the game.

I played Eternal Sonata as well and I actually found it to be pretty boring within about a few hours of gameplay. It doesn't really come close to the polish and depth that Ni No Kuni does. Perhaps I personally didn't enjoy it simply because it wasn't to my taste. I would rate Eternal Sonata as a lesser JRPG experience among the collection available for the PS3.

Also what do you mean by "non-offensive" story line? Do you mean that in the sense that the story is more "adult" and appeals to its audience in a greater way or that Ni No Kuni was "offensive" and Eternal Sonata is the opposite?

 

[westrock2000]

Also what do you mean by "non-offensive" story line? Do you mean that in the sense that the story is more "adult" and appeals to its audience in a greater way or that Ni No Kuni was "offensive" and Eternal Sonata is the opposite?

No I mean it was very pleasant and positive. But most people would interpret it as childish.

 

[Verge]

My copy is for sale if anybody wants it. The graphics are great, the sound is good, the music was better than i've heard in a while.


But the story is just awful. It makes my manhood shrink, I literally just can't bear it.

 

[ballistic90]

My copy is for sale if anybody wants it. The graphics are great, the sound is good, the music was better than i've heard in a while.


But the story is just awful. It makes my manhood shrink, I literally just can't bear it.

So I would infer that for stories, you're looking for the really groin-grabbingly intense plots.

 

[Verge]

So I would infer that for stories, you're looking for the really groin-grabbingly intense plots.

The story is on par with watching something from Nick Jr.


IMO, you can find a direct correlation between testosterone levels, and adult males who enjoy this storyline. I would get tested. There's a giant stuffed cartoon cat as one of the characters. I'm a man. Quite frankly i could care less about this pansy kid and his pansy problems, and i feel absolutely no motivation to help him in his journey. None, nadda, zilch! That is the real problem i guess, this character isn't believable, and i cannot, no matter how hard i try, relate to a child.

 

[ballistic90]

The story is on par with watching something from Nick Jr.


IMO, you can find a direct correlation between testosterone levels, and adult males who enjoy this storyline. I would get tested. There's a giant stuffed cartoon cat as one of the characters. I'm a man. Quite frankly i could care less about this pansy kid and his pansy problems, and i feel absolutely no motivation to help him in his journey. None, nadda, zilch! That is the real problem i guess, this character isn't believable, and i cannot, no matter how hard i try, relate to a child.

Your previous post just reminded me of a joke from the Simpsons and I couldn't resist, that's all. I've never played this game or have I ever owned a PS3. I wouldn't even have anything to add to the conversation beyond previous joke.

 

[Youn]

i cannot, no matter how hard i try, relate to a child.

were you ever a child? I agree it can be difficult though, it's like some games are almost mocking this idea that children are stupid/gullible/etc... then again, gears of war isn't exactly realistic either :/

 

[Verge]

were you ever a child? I agree it can be difficult though, it's like some games are almost mocking this idea that children are stupid/gullible/etc... then again, gears of war isn't exactly realistic either :/

Many games aren't really realistic, it isn't the non-realism. It's the childlike themes, literally this could be a cartoon on nick jr, it even looks like one with the cell shading.

I think the graphics are awesome regardless, just wish it dealt with a little more adult themes.

 

[Godmachine]

The story is on par with watching something from Nick Jr.


IMO, you can find a direct correlation between testosterone levels, and adult males who enjoy this storyline. I would get tested. There's a giant stuffed cartoon cat as one of the characters. I'm a man. Quite frankly i could care less about this pansy kid and his pansy problems, and i feel absolutely no motivation to help him in his journey. None, nadda, zilch! That is the real problem i guess, this character isn't believable, and i cannot, no matter how hard i try, relate to a child.

The game is actually meant to be played by children you know. In Japan , unlike the states , they actually market to children without trying to induce heavy violence and/or sexual overtones. Studio Ghibli is the Disney of Japan as well so it should be expected that the story was going to be very much NOT targeted at the pulse pumping action gamer types. People who love western RPG's likely need not apply when it comes to old fashioned JRPG's.

Your personal opinion though is understandable its just that consider where its coming from and who .. you should have know better and expected it as such.

Many games aren't really realistic, it isn't the non-realism. It's the childlike themes, literally this could be a cartoon on nick jr, it even looks like one with the cell shading.

I think the graphics are awesome regardless, just wish it dealt with a little more adult themes.

Also the gameplay in this game is not "kiddie" at all , if you played into it more than 5 hours you would begin to see that while it has a very childish tone , it requires a good amount of strategy and patience to actually beat the game. Its much like Pokemon which has an incredibly childish appearance but in fact has quite a significant amount of depth to its games. Until I learned what kind of party make up I needed to survive some of the bigger boss battles I actually had to go out , level , equip the right kind of gear , feed my familiars the right kind of treats (which you have to use alchemy to do so) evolve them intelligently so I never didn't have the team make up I needed , equip all my regular characters with the right kind of gear and spells/abilities and figure out my basic team strategy and plan my battles carefully. Even on normal difficulty I find the game very challenging.

JRPG's have historically been very child oriented , I mean in nearly every Zelda game you are a literal child saving a child princess yet that is viewed as perfectly acceptable story telling.

I think its the dialog that turns off people in Ni No Kuni , its very Japanese even in its English translation. Its also very similar to how Studio Ghibli does its film translations.

You either like it or you do not. I can't really blame people for not liking that , but if you are a purist then you are either use to it or enjoy the more light hearted nature of the series and tend to focus on the fantastic game play and incredible art style/music. Even though the whole "save the world" gimmick is incredibly over done , Ni No Kuni manages to tug at your heart strings (at least mine) during the beginning of the game , something that games rarely do. I think any game that manages to touch a raw emotional nerve its a cut above the empty and typically vapid nature of the medium. So many games are devoid of story and feeling that it doesn't give you any good reason for emotional investment which makes it hard to stay interested.

Overall this game is still one of my favorites in recently memory , I just clocked over 100 hours and don't regret one minute of it. I really hope Level-5 and Studio Ghibli do another collaboration on the PS4 , if they can pull of the level of detail and polish of Ni No Kuni , they will have all the money I can throw at them.

 

[Rizen]

I have 53 hours in and I'm on the quest to build the harp to part the miasma for Shadar's tower. My characters are all level 79 and most of my familiars are 55-70+ on their final metamorphosis. I think I am a bit overleveled :O