160°
7.0

Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Review - A Beautiful Frustration | GameInformer

GameInformer: "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a respectable experience, but it’s far from a Ghibli or Level-5 masterpiece."

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izumo_lee4104d ago

The reviewer is entitled to their opinions but this review is a total opposite of every other review i have read about this game.

First he is disappointed by the characters & story. This is a first cause sites like Destructoid & IGN rave about the story & characters saying they were charming & fit the story well.

Next he complains about the games 'old school' approach in terms of gameplay. Ummm maybe that is what a lot of gamers are looking for in a JRPG for the longest time. This guy probably does not remember the JRPGs of yester years where the games were tough like the original Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy. Go the wrong way & you will be killed by overpowered monsters. JRPGs are about grinding enough to tackle a harder area, it worked for past games so how come it is an issue now?

Not sure how long this reviewer has been playing JRPGs cause his negatives about the game are the basics of classic JRPGs which Ni no Kuni is trying to revive. A classic JRPG for the modern times, one we fans have been waiting for this entire gen.

Again he is entitled to his opinions but i strongly disagree with his thoughts about this game. In my opinion he is missing the point about this game & what makes it so special (in the words of Colin Moriarty of IGN).

LOGICWINS4104d ago

How is it the total opposite of other reviews? All of them have been positive, so is this one.

Nimblest-Assassin4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

Im guessing if its not 9 or higher... its a negative review

The content is what matters... if you like the JRPGS of yester year, then go for Ni No Kuni, its essentially what all the reviewers have said about this game

LOGICWINS4104d ago

"Im guessing if its not 9 or higher... its a negative review"

People that think that way are just...sad. A game doesn't have to be a 9 to be recommended. Thats silly.

Ezz20134104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

i'm not saying that's not positive review
but when you see most the reviews for this game are 9+ - 10
and then out of no where this 7/10 come out
you must wonder
what went wrong with this review

LOGICWINS4104d ago

^^Nothing went "wrong". This is simply yet another case of one human being having a different opinion than another human being. Is there a law that all reviewers must think alike?

Although all reviewers review the same product, that doesn't guarantee that they will all have the same experiences with that product.

izumo_lee4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

I know for the most part this review is positive but the points he makes feel to me like nitpicks that are way off from other reviewers views.

The 'lack of saves' in dungeons, the overpowered enemy encounters, the quick combat inputs, etc. are pretty norm for a lot of JRPGs especially classic titles which Ni no Kuni is akin to.

If the reviewer was not prepared for these 'issues' than he hasn't been playing JRPGs for very long.

Here we have a Japanese developer like Level-5 going back to the roots of JRPG development which i have read a lot of fans wanted to see this gen. However when a developer tries to harken back to the classics we have a reviewer question if it was the right choice.

quote "Unfortunately, the characters and old-school RPG mechanics don’t have the same charm"

Now where is the 'logic' here?

MmaFan-Qc4104d ago

after all, a review=a dude opinion

...wich isnt the ultimate virtue.

Outside_ofthe_Box4104d ago

Well 7/10 would be "positive" if the vast majority of reviewers had 5/10 as average which sadly isn't the case. Unfortunately most reviewers have 6 or 7 out of 10 as average, okay, mediocre, etc.

So those that are overachievers and only want to play top notch games will see 7/10 as negative. Those that like to settle for mediocrity or don't mind an okay game will see 7/10 as tolerable.

This is the sad reality we live in.

knifefight4104d ago

It's not the score, but the factual errors that kind of bother me. The review calls the battles "random" which they are not. Not only can you see the enemies, but after you reach their same level (happens somewhat quickly if you ask me), they run AWAY from you. Yet the review says they "constantly" rush toward the player. This is simply not true, and actually, the fact that monsters run away is brilliant design.

Furthermore, even if they are chasing you, within the first 8 or 10 hours of the game, you can get a special upgrade through sidequesting that makes Oliver run faster -- evasion therefore becomes even easier.

I get the impression that either A) The reviewer didn't play very far, or B) The reviewer had to rush rush rush through the game in order to pump out a review on time. Otherwise, these things would not have been mentioned. And yes, these things appear in this review, yet not others. Having played the game to completion, I can confirm that this review has some factual mistakes. Not everyone will love it, and that's fine. Varied opinions are welcome; but there are issues beyond that.

Hicken4104d ago

You read his comment, where he EXPLAINS how it's the total opposite of other reviews, then ask that very question AFTERWARD?

I honestly wish there were a way to take bubbles away for stupidity.

It's not about the score... though you could argue that point. Exceptional or even GOOD games don't get scored with a 7 these days. A game must be OKAY, AVERGAE, MEDIOCRE to get a 6 or 7 now.

With that in mind, note the scores given to this game by EVERY other publication out there. Literally EVERYONE ELSE agrees it's an above average game, but a reviewer who claims to be a big fan of the genre- and many old-school titles like Xenogears- docks points for the game being like the titles she's claims to love?

That makes as much sense as you do: NONE.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4104d ago
LordHiggens4104d ago

Well it's good to see a reviewer who shares my sentiment on the characters and story...thought I was the only one.

Kennytaur4104d ago

Please refrain from using IGN as an example of what's right. Even if they got this games review seemingly right, they can't be fully trusted.

Ezz20134104d ago

why the hate IGN get here ??!!

i really don't know ..can you tell me ?!

Godchild10204104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

The reviewer is actually a women and her favorite Genre is RPGs."The RPG genre remains my favorite; I love sinking 25+ hours into a well-written RPG, and it's usually the stories that make or break games for me." Thats from her Bio from the site.

I agree, her score came off a bit odd to me, because I was expect 8 and above, across the board. But that doesn't mean the 7 is bad, just not the score that I expected from them.

The part where she complains about the random battles has me questioning, if she was rushing to complete the game. I have well over XX hours in the game and the stronger I got, the less random battles I got into in certain areas. Which makes it harder to level up in that area. The enemies tend to run away from you, if they see that you are stronger than them. How do they know that, I don't know. But I like it.

The one time I was mildly frustrated was with the Trials that you have to go through at a certain part of the game, but the trails have you thinking. I enjoyed them and would gladly do them again.

Julie4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

For me the game was too hard for her or she didn't grasp the combat system, she didn't even know that if u press square all your party members defend at the same time and triangle is an all out attack.

Anyways is her opinion, and while english is not my main languaje obviously, her review struck me as very uninformed and amateurish.

joab7774103d ago

That says it all. She loves sinking 25+ hrs into jrpgs. If i play a jrpg for 25-30 hrs its because i quit early on. I dont doubt she played 15 hrs for the review, missing out on everything that makes a jrpg so great. How much of a mention of post game material? The title is correct but my frustration lies with this review and not the game. If u r a fan of jrpgs, it is almkst a fact that u will love this game. Now, will an avid cod fan love this? No. But, damn, there are only a handful of games in the past couple years with the originality, the look, gameplay, story, difficulty, time and polish of this game. I would bet that most gamers who dont like jrpgs coukd play this game and hate it but recognize its quality and give it a better score than she did. Wtf?

Number-Nine4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

It was actually a woman reviewer.

Don't know who let her out of the kitchen though

..................

DigitalAnalog4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

I think the real issue right here is that the score is docked for ATTEMPTING to do exactly what the reviewer hates. You can't use the "opinion" excuse because it would be like giving Street Fighter a 4 out of 10 because if a pre-defined move set to perform certain attacks instead of streamlining all moves into 1 button makes it "inconvenient" to the average reviewer. By this logic all games can truly get average scores if the reviewer is unwilling to see it from a fair point of view.

The game INTENDED to have traditional JRPG elements in it and to contest it out because of your "opinion" then you are holding the game hostage without any hope of reparation despite the fact that the game mechanic is the core DNA of the genre itself.

Docking points should only be reserved for unpolished, game-breaking features like bugs, gameplay and such. Graphics, aesthetics, story and pacing on the other hand can be subjected to "opinion" and it should be the only excuse to use it. Docking points for a TPS when it intends to play like a TPS is total non-sequitur and it makes it only gives the false impression that the reviewer is simply stroking his/her ego in self-righteous indignity and not being legitimately critical .

joab7774104d ago

Cmon? There is a huge difference between a 9 and a 7. It isnt even so much the number as much as the games that GI has given above a 7 in comparison. I feel like the reviewer is jaded because of the easiness and streamlining of recent games. Everything this game does right is exactly the problem i have with other rpgs today. Yeah, its difficult. Yeah, u have to grind for difficulty spikes. And the story is different than most.

U can say that a 7 is fine because most of the review is positive but go look back at 2012's best games from GI and tell me how many got a 7. They will regret this and wish for a redo. They wont do it, but it will be funny next yr when its the only game lower than an 8 to appear at the top of many of their top 10's. Or when it receives a bunch of rewards or goty consideration, they will look follish with their score. I expect many other sites to give absurd scores for shock value buy GI is usually spot on and quite generous to games with originality and charm. I love game informer, always have, but this is crazy. And it bothers me because the review doesnt match the score. If it were another site, i wouldnt care, but they hold sway and many ppl look at their reviews and scores when making decisions. Hopefully, in this one instance, the gaming community can drown out their mistake.

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Son_Lee4104d ago

Game Informer is a frustration. Sorry you guys can't handle JRPGs anymore and only want action, shooters, and WRPGs. What a bunch of losers.

And I don't care if this is someone's opinion, something is off when you're literally the only review to give it this low of a score (low in context to the rest of them).

ddurand14104d ago

different games for different people.

I appreciate that people love games like this so much, but you couldnt pay me to play this game. its just what i look for in a game. If I didnt like the gameplay, itd be hard to connect with characters, story and environment.

Ill probably get flamed for that, but its how the world works and its what makes gaming and other things so great.

Son_Lee4104d ago

Well it makes me question if the reviewer even likes JRPGs in the first place. You couldn't pay me to review certain genres of games like sports or something like that.

ddurand14104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

Right, thats exactly my point, thank you.

but if a reviewer was only into JRPGs wouldnt that be a biased review? Its a slippery slope.

Thast why I hate when people hold reviews in such high regard.

deep_fried_bum_cake4104d ago

ddurand1

Not to cause offence, but are you an idiot?

How would someone who was only into JRPGs make for a biased review?

They may love the genre but anyone that is only into JRPGs will have played enough of them to be able to tell whether something is a good or bad JRPG. They aren't going to say, "The combat system, story and characters are crap, but I love this game" and they would be able to spot where the game may be lacking in comparison to other JRPGs.

This would also be true for people who only other certain genres.

If someone doesn't like a genre, then they shouldn't be doing a review for it.

The best example in my mind would be anime games. Stuff like the Naruto Storm games (which are a solid 8 or 9/10 for fans of the series who play them) will get 5/10 from reviewers who while they can't fault the combat, will nitpick about the fact that they haven't watched the anime. And while they admit that the story is explained well, they come back to their lack of experience with the anime as a negative.

I mean, if someone doesn't like something, or has no interest in something then it should be given to someone else to review.

There will be more bias from someone who dislike a genre than there will be from someone who likes it.

(This may be a bit long)

ddurand14104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

"There will be more bias from someone who dislike a genre than there will be from someone who likes it"

So, it can happen both ways. Im a gamer, but not intersted in all game genres. But if I was PAID to do a review, I would because its my job.

Derp?

joab7774104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

I agree with you but thats why you have a jrpg fan review this. I am not telling my fps friends to go buy this. Though, it is quite ironic that most other reviews say that this game is so great and beautiful and charming that everyone should try it. They rarely say this about jrpgs because they are so different in gameplay etc. I am just amazed because this is just the kinda game the industry needs right now.

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Number-Nine4104d ago (Edited 4104d ago )

Her favorite Genre is RPG's so it isn't like she totally geared towards action shooters. In her Bio Secret of Mana, Xenosaga, Suikoden, etc are some of her favorite games.

And so what if her review is different from the crowed. Does it really bother you that someone's opinion differs from the majority? I don't think this is a case of somebody trying to stand out.

I don't think something is "off"...just a different opinion. I think GI is one of the few sites where I actually respect their reviews...unlike IGN.

despair4104d ago

Reads more like he's sucked at the game therefore didn't like it.

4104d ago
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130°

Where the Heck is Ni No Kuni 3, Mun?

Matt from We Game Daily writes: "Cross Worlds isn’t going away. It’s making a small fortune, particularly in Asian markets, so there’s no reason for Level-5 to pull the plug. That said, there’s no real reason why a full PC/console sequel can’t be developed alongside efforts to support Cross Worlds."

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Relientk7794d ago

While Ni no Kuni 3 would be cool, if it was like the first game, where is Dark Cloud 3 and Rogue Galaxy 2?

phoenixwing94d ago

I thought the dev recently went mobile and Japan only. They shut down their American offices. So don't expect anything for consoles

shinoff218393d ago (Edited 93d ago )

I swear they just announced a few new games.

https://www.nintendolife.co...

phoenixwing93d ago

I stand corrected then. Never heard about these games and also i just remember ni no kuni online being mobile only.

Michiel198993d ago

they said a loooooong time ago that Level 5 was working on a new installment but there has been no news since afaik. I just hope that they take more inspiration from 1 than 2, especially when it comes to the story.

thorstein92d ago

Ni No Kuni Cross Worlds is the mobile game you're thinking of.

It looks amazing but I don't like to play mobile games.

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-Foxtrot93d ago

Yeah the sequel was okay but had nothing on the first game, especially the battle system.

The story just didn't have that charm and even the twist at the end of the game wasn't really anything cool like Wrath of the White Witch.

Also the fact there was like ZERO mention of Oliver or his adventures in the game, no references, nothing was such weird. It's set a hundred or so years after but still, I'd have expected to seen some throw backs. I think we just got like a temple with his statue in it or something.

goldwyncq93d ago

If you want more Oliver, just watch the movie.

shinoff218393d ago

Fking word. I've been hoping for this for quite some time.

melons93d ago

The premium games didn't sell amazingly, right?

shinoff218393d ago

Not to sure. They should of though. They were pretty good. I like both.

Michiel198993d ago

yeah, especially outside of japan. They should have released on pc at the same time as the ps3 version or a short time after.

Inverno93d ago

They should've worked with Ghibli to put out a proper movie. Should've also made a Pokemon-esque spin-off rather than make Yokai Watch. If they do make a third game they gotta work with Ghibli!

200°

Remembering the Best JRPGs on the PS3

Get ready to embark on a journey filled with monsters, magic, and overpowered haircuts, because this list features the best JRPGs on the PS3.

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altarofgaming.com
shinoff2183256d ago (Edited 256d ago )

There wasn't that many. Thanks to the west's criticism. It was definitely lacking compared to every other ps system. Dont get me wrong there were a few good ones i know that.

jznrpg256d ago

Nier, Valkyrie Chronciles, Tales games , Ni No Kuni, Resonance of Fate, FF13’s, Ys8 just a few off the top of my head and there were a lot more.

CrimsonWing69256d ago (Edited 256d ago )

Not nearly to the degree of PS1 and PS2.

@shinoff2183 makes a good point that around the PS3/Xbox 360 gen is when the genre wasn’t as prevalent and began to shy away from turn-based. There’s some standouts for sure, but look at the PS1 and PS2 JRPG library and then compare that to the PS3 and PS4’s.

Theres definitely a decline in a selection of titles. Even worse was the quality seemed to take a massive hit as well. I think Lost Odyssey was a huge standout for that gen when you look at production values, then you look at something like Fairy Fencer on the PS3 and it’s kind of depressing.

But by that generation there was a shift from western developed games overtaking Japanese developed games. Back from the NES to PS2 Japanese games were the cream of the crop… I don’t know what happened but like midway into the PS3/360 life-time they became less so.

shinoff2183255d ago (Edited 255d ago )

Compared to the ps1 ps2 and he'll even ps4 ps3 doesn't hold a candle to either imo. It's also when turn based damn near disappeared. Again thanks to the west's criticism

Crimson I'd put money on the west being at fault, guys like Phil phish, and numerous others at that time were attacking jrpg and Japanese games in general pretty hard.

Ni no kuni was probably my fav jrpg back then , and the blue dragon

GameBoyColor255d ago

Tales got kinda lucky here. When they took a chance and finally brought tales of graces f over west it sold like 250k lmao a lot of jrpgs did 500k or below. Disgaea was worse i think. Bamco decided to keep bringing more games over though.

Tapani256d ago (Edited 256d ago )

Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II were the best RPGs on PS3 made by Japanese developers. Everything else just fell short always. Ni No Kuni was a full package, an okayish game as well. Nier and Drakengard III had superb writing, setting and voice acting, however, the performance was a real drag on the gameplay. Traditional RPG-wise I'd actually say 360 had better JRPGs, and think that Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon were the best traditional JRPGs of the era. PS3 Valkyria Chronicles was okay, but it is closer to an SRPG.

Ryu Ga Gotoku games were also solid, they were still finding their footing and breaking new ground with new cities and formats.

PS3 was the era that almost made me quit gaming and I started playing on PC because I could not find good performance nor games on the system. PS4 got me back into it, and now PS5 is a mix in and between, I just play my PS4 library on the PS5 and rest on PC, just like during the PS3 era. The only new exclusive Sony JRPG is pretty much FFXVI and it is so streamlined and simplified from the normal RPG experience that I can't fit it into the genre anymore. Dragon Quest XII hopefully remedies all of this, but it is just one game.

These new games will all be on PC (while it does take 2-3 years to wait, and 6-12 months from launch to have them patched + fixed by modders) and they perform better on it. The only point in owning a PS5 is to play games a couple of years earlier, but for a hard-working family man like me, the quality of the experience is more important than playing it as soon as possible. And I can't do modern games at 30fps 720p after playing 120fps at 4K. For older games, that's okay.

PSX and PS2 though, those were the days...Still have a massive collections of classic RPGs in CD and DVD format and a phat PS3 to play them!

FinalFantasyFanatic255d ago

It's kinda like that, the PS3 generation was a bad time for JRPGs, especially with the Japanese feeling the need to westernize their games, shooters dominating that gen, the racism from western game journalists (it was bad, between G4, Phill Fish, and a slew of others), and the higher development costs...

It really made me miss the PS1/PS2 days of JRPGs, even the quality of half of those games during the 7th gen weren't as good. The 360 tried, but Microsoft's consoles weren't popular in Japan and no body in the West bought a Xbox for JRPGs (despite Xbox having Vesperia, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey).

on_line_forever255d ago

" It's kinda like that, the PS3 generation was a bad time for JRPGs, especially with the Japanese feeling the need to westernize their games "

This is when everything fall down and games looks not fun to play anymore except for few games like demon and dark souls for example

-Foxtrot256d ago (Edited 256d ago )

Nah. It's a bad trilogy of games

The only reason XIII-2 stands out is because XIII was so bad

When the bar is so low, anything after feels better.

goldwyncq256d ago

The monster catching mechanic was nice.

Eonjay256d ago

Don't understand the hate for it at all. Seems forced.

shinoff2183255d ago

Watching the credits roll on ff16 now it is good but , I'd really like to re try ff13 least it's turn based and would fill that gap for me.

FinalFantasyFanatic255d ago

They got better after the first one in the trilogy, not outstanding game though.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 255d ago
CS7256d ago

Honestly, I played FFXIII a few years after release and maybe because it was after the hype cycle and I knew the flaws of the game, it actually became my favorite FF after VII.

I took off the mini map and never used auto battle and the stuff that mattered to me in an FF was just so well done.

The art and graphics were insane at the time
The music is still special
The story still lingers in memory more than a decade later
The RPG systems were decent

I never really got the hate for it, still have a soft spot for that game inside me.

goldwyncq256d ago

Still better than XV and XVI.

Yui_Suzumiya256d ago

Drakengard 3 goes for a small fortune nowadays

Knightofelemia256d ago (Edited 256d ago )

Only gripe I have with Ar Tonelico 3 is that Saki is annoying as hell whether English or in Japanese. Then Saki's English voice actor became Ionasal on Ar Nosurge she was a little annoying but not as bad. Johnny Young Bosch voicing Tatsumi I thought he did a great job. And Akiko Shikata with her vocals and the music from the games just went hand and hand.

DarkZane256d ago

I wish Ar No Surge and Ar Tonelico 3 would be remastered on PS4/PS5.

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280°

Top 10 Rarest PS3 Games That Are Worth a Fortune

Twinfinite: "During the PS3’s tenure, plenty of huge games launched, but the interesting thing is, many of the system’s rarer titles are largely not amazing games. Sure, there are one or two exceptions to that rule (I’m looking at you Ni No Kuni!), but many of the more desirable and valuable games in the PS3’s library are usually rare for a reason."

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twinfinite.net
ModsDoBetter278d ago

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Sold my Painkiller for around £3 years ago and my Asuras Wrath for even less. Managed to pick up Lollipop Chainsaw and Splatterhouse again but they cost me a fair bit more than I initially paid on release when I first bought them.

Wish I bought Godzilla, the number of times I saw it in the game store for the price of a coffee and didn't bother.

Knushwood Butt278d ago

Never knew Last Guy had a physical release.

gold_drake278d ago (Edited 278d ago )

i own nba, lolipop and nino kuni. never heard of the rest tbf xD surprised they are worth that much, for what they actually are.

roadkillers278d ago

Getting a valuable game is all luck.. I had three of these. Africa is one that people might have seen coming, but otherslike Ni No Kuni wouldn't have been.

My most valuable game I remember owning was Conkers Bad Fur Day. When the game was being re-released on Xbox (remake/ upgrade if you will), the price dropped dramatically. Once the game released and the changes were seen, the value went back up. Then it was released on Rare Replay and value dropped again. 2020 hit and all collectables shot up along with Conker. Before stopping around $110 which it currently is.

Games change all the time because their digital media that can be reproduced even in weird contract bindings (GoldenEye as an example). One day it can be worth $300 and the next $150. The shrink wrapped items in mint condition cannot be reproduced.. but that takes strength to spend, not open, and hope its worth something.

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