[PS3] Ni no Kuni: Shiroki Seihai no Joou

[El Chaos]

http://www.ninokuni.jp/ps3/index.html

Apparently, the subtitle's meaning is "The Queen of the White Holy Grail". Dated for 2011.

The second link shows a movie sequence with one of Studio Ghibli's traditionally animated cutscenes being turned into a real-time generated one. For the game's actual graphics it's rather good, I think.

It seems like the player's character is able to command a Pokémon-like creature named something like "Lucchy" and also cast magic spells upon his enemies.

EDIT: I'll correct myself, the subtitle's translation is "The Queen of White Sacred Ash".

[mothmanspirit]

This looks amazingly like hand-drawn animation in still screens, but it looks like, well, a videogame in motion. The big problem I have is the animation is too smooth. If you watch the video where they compare the hand-drawn cutscenes to the real-time graphics, you can see this. They could have, say, have the game run at few frames per second, then put the extra power towards clothing physics and the like. I think that would make it look a lot more like anime.

[movie]

The game has an English site for its North American and European release.

http://ninokunigame.com/

A GRAND ADVENTURE BEGINS AS NI NO KUNI: WRATH OF THE WHITE WITCH™ LAUNCHES IN NORTH AMERICA TODAY
January 22, 2013

Level-5’s Role-Playing Game Masterpiece Combines Great Storytelling and Gameplay with the Artistry of Studio Ghibli and Musical talents of Joe Hisaishi to Create an Unparalleled Gaming Experience

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 22, 2013) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch™ has shipped to retailers in North America and Latin America, exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. This epic tale of a boy named Oliver crossing two realities on a quest to save his mother combines the talents of three of Japan’s most respected entertainment entities, LEVEL-5, Studio Ghibli, and Joe Hisaishi, to create what will be one of 2013’s most enchanting and unique video gaming experiences.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is developed by LEVEL-5, the studio behind the smash hits Dragon Quest VIII, Dragon Quest IX, and the Professor Layton series. LEVEL-5 collaborated with the legendary Studio Ghibli to create the cinematic cut-scenes in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Studio Ghibli is world renowned for creating memorable anime masterpieces including My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away. The in-game music was composed by Joe Hisaishi, famed composer of musical scores for over 100 films including many of Studio Ghibli’s greatest productions, and was performed by the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is the culmination of work from three of the most prolific and talented parties in Japanese entertainment today. Level-5, Studio Ghibli, and Joe Hisaishi have all contributed their key talents to create a truly enthralling and fantastic game,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “The visual magic, storytelling prowess, and memorable score in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch will surely capture the hearts of PlayStation 3 gamers and leave them with lasting gameplay memories for years to come.”

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a heart-warming tale of a young boy named Oliver who embarks on a journey into a parallel world to become a wizard in an attempt to bring his mother back from the dead. Along the way, Oliver makes new friends and adopts many of the wonderful creatures that inhabit this new world, raising them to battle other creatures on his behalf as he takes on formidable enemies. Little does Oliver know but he was predestined to save this parallel world from the grasps of an evil power that will stop at nothing to thwart his quest to save his mother.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is available now; exclusively for the PlayStation 3 system inNorth America and Latin America with both English and Japanese voiceovers included. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is available for purchase at video game retailers nationwide for a MSRP of $59.99 for the packaged version or $54.99 for the digital version available via download on the PlayStation Network. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch carries an ESRB rating of ”E10+” for Everyone 10+.

Note that the game launches in Europe on February 1st.

Trailers:
Gamer's Day 2012 Trailer
E3 2012 Trailer
Temple of Trials Footage

Screenshots:

[icycalm]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511620

Anyone else sticking with Ni no Kuni because of its great production value?

I’m curious: Is anyone else sticking with Ni no Kuni because of its great production values/localization or because it’s one of the few big, traditional console JRPGs released this generation?


Yesterday, after passing the 30-hour mark, I realized that it was probably was the longest amount of time I’ve ever spent with a game that I wasn’t totally in love with. I am not one of those people who give games many hours before putting them back on the shelf. I’m usually out by around hour three or four if I’m not genuinely interested in what’s going on, but with NnK, I’ve already sunk in all this time and I can’t really think of a great reason why - other than of course – the fact that it looks and sounds beautiful and is a big new traditional JRPG.

Everything about the design of NnK is executed very well, lovingly so in fact, but I’m finding that the most important things that I typically look for (and value) in a JRPG are just not jumping out at me at all in with this game. I’m talking about things like story, characters, and battle/skill systems.

From the beginning, I expected NnK to channel more of Ponyo/Spirited Away than Nausicaa/Mononoke, but actually witnessing that suspicion confirmed almost instantly, and then continuously as I spent more time with the game, was more than a little disappointing. I say that because that influence directly correlates to the story and its cast, which are both as basic as basic can get. And even now, 30 hours in, nothing and no one is any more interesting than they were 10, 15, or 20 hours ago…. I understand that it was a deliberate decision to go that route, and despite the fact that it doesn’t sit well with me, I’m still playing the game for some reason…..

When it comes to fighting, I level up just enough to get past whatever dungeon I’m in so that I can see the next beautiful area/city/dungeon/etc. I don’t really enjoy battling at all, which should be an enormous problem considering how much of it is necessary to get through a lot of the dungeons. I’m mystified at why it hasn’t stopped me from playing. I feed my familiars enough so that I can have more skills available, to help me get past wherever I am, but not because I’m interested in seeing new moves or new evolutions. I feel like I’m supposed to care about seeing new moves and new evolutions....Again, the interest in the system begins and ends with my ability to move the game forward.


Does anyone else feel this way? Does the fact that you want to live in that overworld cloud any problems you have with key elements of the game?