All-star collaborations aren’t always a sure thing. Case in point: Check out the unpalatable, sub-500 sausage being churned out by the “all-star” cast of my beloved Los Angeles Lakers. Yuck.
Once in a while, though, the meeting of talented forces produces something that does justice to the sum of its parts. This certainly holds true for “Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” -- the wonderful, lovable offspring sired by Japanese RPG heavyweight Level 5 with Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli. Featuring a tale centered on young wizard Oliver, Ni No Kuni takes all the wonderful flavors from both its creators and melds them into a perfectly blended seasoning. There’s the same charming and inspired art and story style seen in memorable Studio Ghibli works such as “Spirited Away.” Then there’s Level 5’s well-designed RPG mechanics and solid game design. This game essentially melds real-time action with JRPG menus while also throwing in a Pokemon-style mechanic that allows players to capture and use monsters in the field.
Add a presentation that feels like you’re playing a Studio Ghibli cartoon -- as well as the option to use the original Japanese dialogue -- and the result is easily one of the best JRPGs released to date. The fact that lead hero Oliver isn’t an “emo” JRPG jerk is an added plus. If you loved Dragon Quest VIII, the Tales series or just JRPGs in general, you owe it to yourself to check this gem out.
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