Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Did You Know?

• A sequel, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, was released in March 2018.
• The game sold over 170,000 units within a week of its Japanese release.

Gameplay

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an action role-playing game presented from a third-person perspective. Players complete quests with set objectives to advance the story, and can freely roam the overworld between quests. The world includes towns, villages, dungeons, and dangerous locations, and players can travel between this world and Oliver's hometown of Motorville. Leaving a location brings up the World Map, which allows destination selection. The world is fully explorable from the start, though story progress unlocks additional content and transport methods: initially players run, later gaining a boat and a dragon for travel. When enemies are encountered, the game shifts to a battle system on an open battlefield where players move freely. During battles, players command one human ally or a familiar; all characters and familiars are manually moved. The combat system blends turn-based and real-time mechanics, similar to an active time battle system, with each combatant having a timer rather than a full turn. Players use magic abilities and familiars to fight. Familiars are creatures that can be tamed and sent into battle. They level up and evolve alongside human characters, each with unique statistics and capabilities, and can be upgraded with treats and equipped items. Defeating all enemies grants experience points, currency, and items. Earning enough experience increases character levels and improves abilities. Health is lost when attacked, and mana points are depleted by magic use. Health and mana can be restored with provisions or by picking up glims; a golden glim restores all health and enables the Miracle Move, which can deal heavy damage or aid allies.

Plot

Oliver, a resident of Motorville, nearly drowns while testing a vehicle built by his friend Philip. His mother Allie saves him but dies from heart problems. Oliver's tears bring his doll to life as a fairy named Drippy, who reveals he is from another world where an evil wizard named Shadar has taken control. Drippy explains that each person in Oliver's world has a soulmate in the other world, and that Allie resembles a great sage named Alicia, who was captured by Shadar. Believing Alicia to be Allie's soulmate, Oliver travels with Drippy to the other world to rescue Alicia, hoping this will bring Allie back. In the other world, Oliver finds many broken-hearted people affected by Shadar and uses his magic to restore missing pieces of their hearts. He seeks the four great sages for help, meeting Esther, daughter of one sage, and Swaine, a thief who initially steals a crucial item but later joins them. The group learns of a wand called Mornstar that could defeat Shadar, but it was recently destroyed. They are sent many years into the past by a stranger and retrieve the wand there.

Development

Conceived as a project for Level-5's tenth anniversary in 2008, Ni no Kuni was announced in the September 2008 issue of Famitsu as a Nintendo DS title. In June 2010, Level-5 announced a PlayStation 3 version with significant differences; the DS version became Ni no Kuni: Shikkoku no Madoushi, and the PlayStation 3 version became Ni no Kuni: Shiroki Seihai no Joō, known in English as Dominion of the Dark Djinn and Wrath of the White Witch respectively. Both versions were developed separately, retaining only the same story axle while artwork, graphics, and specifications changed considerably. The game's announcement generated widespread anticipation. Namco Bandai collaborated with retail outlets to offer a special Wizard's Edition with unique packaging, the Wizard's Companion book, a Drippy plush doll, and exclusive downloadable content. The game released in Japan on November 17, 2011, and in Western regions in early 2013: North America on January 22, Australia on January 31, and Europe on February 1. At E3 2019, Bandai Namco announced a Nintendo Switch release for September 20, 2019. A remastered version with graphical improvements, developed by QLOC, released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on the same day. At Tokyo Game Show on September 15, 2022, Bandai Namco announced the remastered version was available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S that day. The team wanted the theme to resonate with children, initially considering adventure and dreams, then exploring the concept of losing one's mother. The story framework was completed before Studio Ghibli's involvement, but they participated in discussions including the final scenes.

Reception

Critics generally gave Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch favorable scores, according to Metacritic. Reviewers highlighted its visual design, characters, story, soundtrack, and combat system. Colin Moriarty of IGN ranked it among the best RPGs and top PlayStation 3 exclusives, while Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot placed it alongside the genre's greatest titles. The art style drew widespread praise, often compared to Studio Ghibli's films. Oli Welsh of Eurogamer noted that Level-5 and Ghibli created a game that feels like it belongs to both studios. Moriarty described the visuals as "unquestionably gorgeous," exceeding most other games. James Stephanie Sterling of Destructoid agreed, saying few games come close. VanOrd appreciated how cartoonish visuals gain depth from extraordinary details, building a sense of wonder. Stephanie Bendixsen of Good Game called the art vibrant and exciting. Brittany Vincent of GamesRadar found the story poignant, and Moriarty considered it a standout element. VanOrd liked the themes, dialogue, and humor, while GameTrailers praised the writing as top notch. However, Sinan Kubba of Joystiq felt the story lacked the charm of the art, and Philip Kollar of Polygon thought the art alone motivated finishing a predictable plot. Pacing divided opinion: Welsh found it too slow to develop surprises, but Vincent deemed it believable. Side quests earned praise from GameTrailers for revealing the world and from Welsh for variety, though Kollar found them uninteresting and single-minded. The world and environments also impressed. Andrew Fitch of Electronic Gaming Monthly highlighted diverse locales, Jason Schreier of Kotaku commended the careful world-building, Kimberley Wallace of Game Informer called it breathtaking, and Sterling of Destructoid found it adorable, praising the design and use of familiars.