NOW PLAYING - Ni No Kuni - Wrath of the White Witch

NOW PLAYING – Ni No Kuni – Wrath of the White Witch

First of all… SPOILER ALERT!

Ni No Kuni thus far has been an extraordinary experience.  Everything has been magical.  I’m currently on my way to the desert through the Golden Grove (Forest of Plenty), and I just wanted to talk about my journey up until this point.

It’s hard to decide where to start.  I picked up my second and third familiars, thumbelemur and seed sprite, and am now beginning to appreciate the depth of the battle system.  I’m having to decide which of their moves I want active, and what kinds of food to feed them to boost their attributes.  I’ve noticed that, especially in the more difficult battles in Ding Dong Well, it really made a difference what familiar I sent into battle.

Let's go, mighty Mite!

The “stamp card” system has really captured my heart.  While it’s essentially a reimagined way to give you more to do (i.e. “sidequests”), it’s pretty satisfying collecting those little red stamps!  Oliver’s locket adds another dimension to these tasks, allowing you to take a piece of someone’s heart (not as evil as it sounds) to help someone in need.  The first major target is the Cat King (“your meowjesty” – how adorable is that), who bestows Oliver’s magic wand as a reward, but there are several other people in Ding Dong Dell that could use a bit of extra “Enthusiasm”.  Looking at the menu for Oliver’s locket, I know there will be more pieces of heart (sorry Link) to collect.

Lot's of people need Oliver's help in the world of Ni No Kuni.

Oliver has also been learning more and more magic spells, and the ability to use them outside of battle to solve puzzles has been satisfying.  I’ve had to use Healing Touch to patch up little lost children, and Fireball to light torches (another nod to Legend of Zelda).  The bit where Oliver had to use Gate to go back to Motorville to check on King Tom’s alter ego, Miss Leila’s fat tabby cat, piqued my interested.  What other secrets lie in between the two worlds?  Who else in Motorville is someone important in the other world?  I’m excited to find out!

Fireball's not just for setting foes ablaze.  You can use it practically, too.

I’m really enjoying the game so far, and I can’t wait until I get the ability to capture my own familiars.  Stay tuned for more!   Share your experiences with Ni No Kuni in the comments below.