I’ve been looking forward to the PS3 dream-team mash-up of LEVEL-5 and Studio Ghibli ever since my heart got ripped out upon hearing the DS version wasn’t going to see US release. Luckily, the Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch demo was the last hope I needed to allow myself to get excited.
Studio Ghibli is known for it’s gorgeous art and fantastical dialogue, but LEVEL-5 is certainly no slouch in that department. The first thing that the demo does is show it’s best part; it’s trump card. It’s simple, but quite effective. All you need is to see what the game seems to be animating with brilliant brush strokes to realize your time spent in this game is going to be magical. Not only is the narrative based on magic, but the artists have somehow crafted magical art. I never needed to know that I started the demo in a magical forest. I could see it. I could feel it. As you traverse the demo you’re met with bright bursts of contrasting colors that look as though they were delicately hand painted minutes before. None of the world is realistic. Instead, they trade texture for heightened fantasy that screams The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Studio Ghibli is often compared to the golden days of Disney, and after 5 minutes in the world, I got the same feeling I received when first seeing any number of Disney classics as a child.
The music and voice over in the demo adds to the whimsical setting the art cascades. During the demo, the music stays light and pretty in the background while occasionally taking the forefront for a second or two. It made my soul bounce to it’s beautiful cadence as if I was singing along using the controller as my voice. The voiced dialogue makes the world jump out of the story book setting by further informing you as to who these characters really are. The protagonist, Oliver, looks and feels as if he doesn’t quite understand what is going on, but all the same is pushing forward to save his mother. This was confirmed by his voice. The actor spoke with naivety and wonderment, but also with purpose. I was happy I could read him. His confidante, Drippy, with his childlike nickname, looks harmless and innocent. This proved to be opposite as his dialogue was blunt and comical while the actor’s voice had a pirate-like quality. I was pleasantly surprised that I read this character completely wrong.
Sadly, as soon as they win you over, they simultaneously push you away. After picking between two different points in the game, they drop you in, and then launch a timer. A dreadful timer that’s thirty minutes for the first part, and three minutes for the second. Granted the second part of the demo was timed thematically, but the first was arbitrarily thrown in there to make you speed through. I have never played a demo where a timer is fun, and this one proved not only stressful, but also unnecessary. Once you get to a certain point in the demo it leads you back to the title screen anyway, and it just so happened that by then, I still had 2 minutes left. This part of the demo let you roam the world map, so I understand what they were thinking when implementing the timer, but it’s so counter to what the strengths of this demo were. I wanted to stop and look at the wonderful imagery they’ve afforded me, but I simply couldn’t because I felt rushed.
It didn’t help that there was no tutorial in the game. Well, let me correct myself. There was a large book that was filled with tips and tricks for the game, but since I was on a countdown, I didn’t feel as though I had time to read them. This led me to dying horribly against the first boss, which also happened to be the first monster you fight. I was greeted by a game over screen that left me feeling inadequate within the first five minutes. On attempt number two I managed to withstand the monster until my character retrieved a “one-shot” orb. This left me wondering how in-depth the battles in Ni no Kuni would be.
 |
| Battles happen in real-time, only pausing to switch characters. |
Later on, during the second part of the demo, I got a better sense of how battles played out. I saw many more delightful creatures and noticed that there is a weakness/resistance mechanic in the game. I never understood it well enough to really take advantage, but it seemed fun and simple. The controls of the Ni no Kuni Demo were quite bizarre though, as I couldn’t figure out how to call out attacks most effectively. It always felt like I was one step behind, and I found myself accidentally switching to the wrong characters.
Throughout both parts of the demo you’re given hints at the overarching plot. The Ni no Kuni Demo does introduce you to the driving force of the game by telling you that Oliver’s mother died and now he’s trying to save her. You’re also introduced to the main baddie, but other than that, the demo leaves you feeling that the full game may deal with a heavier plot than the visuals would portray.
The Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch demo started off strong, offering it’s beautiful painting for you to jump into. But just as quickly, it proves too good to be true. When the timer magically appears in the corner, you realize there is dark magic in this game. I’d rather have my eyes solely on the life of the world, then split time with a clock that’s counting down. But just as everyone would undoubtedly agree, it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
One thing that deserves mentioning is that this game is still more than a month out. It doesn’t release until January 22. This concerns me because by that time, the demo won’t be as relevant. Normally, I like to play a demo two weeks or less before release. Definitely no more than a month before release. By the time January 22, 2013 rolls around, I’ll have forgotten about this demo and I fear many people who played and liked the demo will forget about this game. Timing isn’t everything, but the way this demo implements it certainly isn’t helping.
The Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Demo receives a 7/10. It’s a beautiful mix of great and good parts, but very much tainted by the stress the clock lays on. It is still worth your time, and I suggest you download it.
I will buy this game for the full $60. I think it’s worth it as a sum of it’s parts, but for me it would also be worth it for just the way it makes me feel; like a kid again.
-lvl 99
No comments:
Post a Comment