Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, the critically acclaimed JRPG with animation from Studio Ghibli and a soundtrack by the brilliant composer Joe Hisaishi, celebrates the 10th anniversary of its release outside of Japan. Wrath of the White Witch ropes players in with solid gameplay complemented perfectly with a wonderful story told by characters you invest in and care deeply about. Once you start playing – you’re hooked.
A Familiar Adventure
When his mother becomes mysteriously ill, the young Oliver finds himself transported from the 1950s Americana town of Motorville to a fantastical world that is suffering from broken hearts, prompting the protagonist to go on a journey to save his mother – and the world too. Along the way, he makes a couple of friends and captures monsters known as Familiars that can be used in battle. The action-oriented combat system tends to be divisive among players, but most fans feel everything else in the game is top-notch.
One of the most charming aspects of the game is Oliver himself. Unlike most noble protagonists, Oliver doesn’t seek glory, nor does he have an axe to grind. He finds himself on this adventure and with the companions that join him because he wants to do good. Oliver cares about the people around him, and when he sees something wrong he tries to help without thinking twice. Oliver uses his magical prowess to help save people with ‘broken hearts’, helping characters lacking courage, ambition, or even love to feel whole again. Helping others is incentivised through Merit Cards that are stamped after completing an errand and can be exchanged for special rewards. Throughout the story and numerous side quests, Wrath of the White Witch is designed with helping people in mind: constantly hammering home Oliver’s nature and ability to do endless amounts of good for the world (or worlds?) no matter the odds.
During battles, players command a single human ally or one of the familiars they have recruited; all characters and familiars manually move around the battlefield. Oliver’s companions join him in battle, and up to three members can be active in combat from the party. Each playable character has unique abilities: Oliver and Marcassin use wands to cast powerful spells and magical abilities, Esther plays songs on her harp that can provide buffs and recruit new familiars, and Swaine uses trick shots from his nifty sidearm. Much like Pokémon, defeated creatures in the wild have a chance to be tamed using Esther’s harp and used to fight in battle.
A Fresh Audience
The game is a significantly enhanced version of Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, released in Japan for the Nintendo DS in December 2010. Having originally released only in Japan in November 2011 on the PS3 to render the world at its full potential, Wrath of the White Witch made its way to Western audiences when published by Bandai Namco Games on 22 January 2013. Wrath of the White Witch earned itself a remaster in 2019, exposing the title to a wider audience. This version primarily boosts the resolution and FPS, otherwise leaving the base game untouched.
A sequel, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on 23 March 2018. Set hundreds of years after Wrath of the White Witch, the game featured a new cast of characters, locations and more stunning animation and soundtracks. A film titled NiNoKuni was released in Japan in August 2019 and premiered worldwide on Netflix on 16 January 2020. The story of the film takes place centuries after Revenant Kingdom with a completely fresh cast of characters. Mobile fans also have Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds to enjoy, a free-to-play MMORPG set in the fantasy world of Ni No Kuni where players aim to protect their nameless kingdom. Newcomers don’t need to have played Wrath of the White to enjoy any of these titles as aside from minor references each instalment is a standalone experience.
Although not without its flaws, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a stunning JRPG that features stunningly gorgeous animation from Studio Ghibli along with a charming storyline that is not afraid to indulge in some darker themes. What’s not to like? Ni no Kuni is an incredibly special gem, every RPG fan owes it to themselves to pick it up and see why.
Words by Kieran Webb