Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"All it's cracked up to be"

This game is outstanding. I was skeptical about playing it for a couple reasons. First, the only JRPG I played from Level 5 was White Knight Chronicles II and I didn't like that game at all. Secondly, I've never seen a JRPG receive so much praise from critics. Most JRPG's that fans would consider to be great games are usually quite underrated. So, I believed that because of all these great reviews that I was being built up to be knocked down. Fortunately, I was wrong. Ni No Kuni is an outstanding adventure and I can't say enough good things about it. The artwork is beautiful. Cel-shaded characters blend with the beautiful scenery to create something visually striking. Most JRPG's suffer from poor music, but not this one. In fact, this game features one of the most exceptional soundtracks I've ever heard in a game. The way the game is laid out is pretty standard JRPG fare (questing, alchemy, combat), but it's bigger and more epic than any RPG you'll ever play. There are countless quests to pursue besides those related to the story, all of them varied and interesting. The items that you receive from completing these quests really make a substantial difference. The combat system is kind of like Pokemon/White Knight Chronicles/Tales of Graces all rolled in to one. Aside from fighting as your own character, you can choose 3 familiars (monsters) that you have caught to fight instead. This mechanic really gives you freedom of choice and allows you to approach each battle in a different way. The attack system is similar to White Knight but much better and fast paced. The combat is somewhat tough to explain, so I won't even try. Bottom line is, once you wrap your head around the fighting mechanics it becomes really addicting and fun. This is definitely a legnthy adventure that'll take roughly 40 hours to get through, but none of it feels like a chore like other RPG's (ie Reckoning). Oh yeah, and you get to fly around on a dragons back which is awesome. This is one of those rare titles that got everything right, and it definitely deserves all the praise that it has received.