It’s been a strong few months for all things JRPG. A greater number of dense and engaging time sinks hit store fronts than we could really count. From hot new takes on the genre to classics given a second bite at the cherry. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom – The Prince’s Edition is the latest deep treat to hit Microsoft machines following the release of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch a few months ago.
While the game has been on the PlayStation and Nintendo systems as well as PC for a while now, this shouldn’t put you off the Xbox release. Especially since the whole lot is there for Xbox owners to play via Game Pass.
Direct and Spiritual Successor
It’s worth noting that although the first game was a collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. This sequel did not have any Studio Ghibli involvement but the game did have input from former-Ghibli staff.
Former Ghibli character designer Yoshiyuki Momose and long-time music composer Joe Hisaishi have both reprised their roles for the sequel.
Standalone JRPG Lore
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is interestingly a completely standalone story to Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Revenant Kingdom centres around a boy called King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, or just Evan to his mates.
A young grimalkin – a human spliced with a cat – whose father has recently and suddenly passed away. As he prepares to ascend to the throne, a coup occurs and the mouse-like Mausinger assumes control of Ding Dong Dell, declaring himself king and ordering the execution of Evan.
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Roland, a human who turns up on the scene, is the president of a powerful nation but he is mysteriously transported into the land of Ding Dong Dell after what seems to be a nuclear blast in his world, landing him right into Evan’s bedroom.
With Evan’s execution on the cards, the pair decide to do a runner and once safe, they both decide to create an entirely new kingdom for Evan to lead – with the ultimate goal to claim back Ding Dong Dell.
All-In JRPG Style
This is a very strong set up for an epic adventure to unfold. One that fully embraces the standard JRPG tropes as you explore Ding Dong Dell. You’ll meet ever more interesting characters on the way, each with their own drives and goals. However, it’s also fair to say some of the cast, especially Evan and Roland, are not that relatable.
Gameplay is more of an action-RPG. You can pick and choose when and who you want to do battle with in the over world, which then throws you into a combat instance where you’ll do battle with your party.
An Easy Ride to the Kingdom
One of the issues the game faced with the initial release of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom was that combat was a bit too easy. In this version, normal also does not present any challenge. You can dial things up a little bit if you really want a challenge. Though, the low skill bar isn’t a killer issue.
Combat opens up a bit more when you find the Higgledies – small creatures which come in a number of different versions and are hidden around the world, each represents one of six elements.
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You can have up to four in a party at one time and depending on the type you have, you’ll get health buffs or they will deal extra damage in fights.
With this being The Prince Edition, it comes with all the DLC previously released for the game. These enhancements come into play quite early on as well, instead of being held back for the endgame. There are also new collectibles to find right from the off. New dungeons and even some story content that ties into Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.
Epic Presentation
Visually, the game looks like an anime movie come to life, with some extremely high production values. There is a lack of animated sections this time around, due to Studio Ghibli not being directly involved, but the unique and timeless look remains everywhere else.
The soundtrack is a grand affair and well scored. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom – The Prince’s Edition features some epic tracks. However, the choice of when to use voice acting is jarring. One moment you’ll be reading text only and then voice acting the next.
You’ll notice the lack of spoken dialogue at times with lengthy written passages becoming a bit of a chore.
Untainted Ni No Kuni II
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom – The Prince’s Edition is the ultimate edition of the game and the best version to play. The game is an JRPG but remains kind with your time – taking about 35 to 40 hours to complete.
If you’re looking to get lost in a charming world with an epic tale, this is worth your time. Although the first game Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch just pips it to being the best in the series.