Game Reviews by Quietly

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch [Short]

Played on: PC
Platform: Steam
Year Played: 2023

Hours Played: 75.2 Hrs (Completed story)

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch had been on my to play list for some time before I finally pulled the trigger and clicked play. I had originally picked it up due to being a very big fan of Studio Ghibli, though overall I was a bit hesitant going into the game because - Studio Ghibli being what it is- my expectations were naturally pretty high in terms of the story that I expected. With a bit over 2.5k steam reviews putting the game at "Very Positive", I knew that there was a high chance I'd enjoy the game but wasn't very sure if the story would leave the same overall impact that most of the Studio Ghibli movies I love had left on me throughout my childhood and adult life.

Diving into the game I ended up clocking around 65 total hours in the game between streaming the story and doing errands or bounties privately in my free time. Which is a pretty high timeframe compared to the average on How Long To Beat, which says that the story is about 44 hours with another 13 or so added on for side quests. Coming from a background of MMOs this doesn't seem like much however, playing it bits at a time Live on stream did stretch my playthrough longer than I had expected.

Since this review is meant to be spoiler free, I can't go into my full thoughts on the story here. However, I will say that the story was adorable with a few twists I didn't quite see coming and characters that all have their own personalities and motivations. I can't say that the overall story had the same impact as some of my favorite Ghibli movies, but it was enough to see the Ghibli influence in terms of a story that has some darker themes with a bittersweet ending that leaves you feeling fulfilled. Not to mention some of the absolutely beautiful cutscenes done in the Ghibli style art - I'm talking about you Hamelin. Following Oliver and Crew on their journey to save Ouer World was a very wonderful experience for me overall.

Those who enjoy a hero-overcomes-all story that doesn't mind themes of depression, heartbreak, and loss would like this game. Though I will warn folks getting into it that the combat style does have a slow ramp up. It feels very awkward at the start until you get a boss or two in and the combat takes off with the ability to tame or capture different familiars. Kind of like pokemon, where specific familiar types boost well with certain handlers. From there the boss fights become more and more creative as the difficulty increases. Don't worry though, the game features two modes. A normal mode and one meant for those simply looking to experience the story. As a side note, several of my friends and viewers commented that the overall style of the combat wasn't quite something they were interested in when looking at games, though they enjoyed watching me play through it. So keep that in mind if you're looking to pick it up.

Overall, would I recommend this game though?

Yes, I would for the story alone because of the journey it takes you through. With the beautiful world, gorgeous music, and dazzling boss fights added in its a truly loveable game. If you do decide to pick it up, please leave your thoughts and comments below.