So for the past 2 days I've been playing Ni No Kuni (Another World) a JRPG made by 2 companies who are currently on top of their games Studio Ghibli and Level 5. Before anything else; a trailer.
Ok, so for those who doesn't know. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese Animation company responsible for "My Neighbour Totoro", "Howl's Moving Castle" and my favorite movie of all time "Spirited Away".
They are known for their beautiful animations; captivating stories and breathtaking music by Joe Hisahi. I've always been inspired by Studio Ghibli's works especially with their fantasy-themed movies. They are able to take you to that different world where you basically believe it is true. They also mix old-school anime with new generation animation. Growing up with anime, I love those hand drawn characters; it feels like home. Every good movie has a good soundtrack, Joe Hisahi is a master. Every beat, rhythm and melody hits the spot which makes your heart teleport into the story; into your imagination.
Level 5, for me at least, has come up with very beautiful and enjoyable games; most specifically Dragon Quest. I am a Dragon Quest fan and love what they did with Dragon Quest 8. The cell-shading graphics was breathtaking, the game-play that doesn't get you all frustrated. They also did Dragon Quest IX and the upcoming Dragon Quest X. I've played Dragon Quest IX for the Nintendo DS and it having an inferior hardware; not the fancy processor or HD screen. Level 5 did a hell of a good job with Dragon Quest IX.
So. Ni No Kuni. Why did I titled this post as (Ni No Kuni) Another World of Dragon Quest? I felt that it was Dragon Quest on a different world and dimension. When you look at it, you know its Studio Ghibli but when you play the game, its Dragon Quest which a huge plus for me because it has combined 2 of my favorite things.
Playing the Game, I kinda have that feeling of watching a movie and playing a RPG game at the same time. The cut scenes are mixed of Theater Movie style and Cell-shading movie. The Game is obviously beautifully made; especially the landscapes.
The Gameplay is not totally Dragon Quest; its not completely turn based where enemies can attack you whilst you are choosing your next move but the controls over all is easy to remember. What I also like about it is that it has cursor that shows where your next target is. I'm not sure if its the difficulty setting because its japanese and I don't read japanese. But I like the cursor cos then I won't get frustrated when I get stuck or forget where I'm supposed to go. The game also features Magic Spells which are a hack itself because at some interactions you can go through each spell until the correct one activates and you don't lose MP points.
For HK$120 from about HKD500 from when it was released; its a good catch that I found. Its definitely an awesome game grab a copy too, its well worth it.
I guess that's it for now. Play safe, have breaks in between and keep it cute.
I guess that's it for now. Play safe, have breaks in between and keep it cute.
