Ni no Kuni™ II: Revenant Kingdom

I'm not that into JRPGs. This is one of the few I actually like. Beautiful graphics, plenty of side content and I think the combat is actually pretty good. Could be better, but it's still fun for me.

incroyable

I liked the gameplay and is a good visual experience; but I'm so glad I spoiled myself the ending because what a "meh" writing and story. The kingdom building is just wating time for money, and then you upgrade stuff... and getting citizens is just a bunch of fetch quests. I enjoyed the rpg nostalgy it gave me but sadly I give a bad review because they could have done it better.

норм

В сравнении с многочисленными и почти одинаковыми сериями JRPG, которые между собой стилистически не различаются (дженерик-фэнтези, японская версия), в Ni No Kuni 2 прекрасный и запоминающийся визуал, имитирующий мультфильмы Ghibli. Персонажи — тоже как будто из работ Миядзаки. В остальном игра более-менее средняя, на фоне JRPG, а местные дополнительные бои а-ля Total War, именуемые skirmish, явно лишние (не прокачаешь армии в этом режиме боёв — не пройдёшь последнюю главу). Ну а то, что почти все имена и географические названия НЕ ИМЕЮТ НИЧЕГО ОБЩЕГО в английской и японской версиях игры — разрывает сознание. Русский текстовый перевод сделан с японского оригинала, и играть с английской озвучкой и русскими титрами — это ломать себе мозг.

Personally, I felt that Ni No Kuni 2 was leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. The game being a fantasy action RPG excelled in every aspect. While I felt that the story doesn’t quite reach the level of NNK1, it was still enjoyable, with the characters taking the spotlight and being thoroughly likable. The combat in the game shares some similarities with the Souls series, with the key difference being that most bosses don’t one-shot the entire party, making the experience more forgiving through the use of revival items. NNK2 actively encouraged grinding through a well-thought out system in the form of a end-game quest that spanned across the entire game's timeline. Furthermore, the city-building feature in NNK2 added a sense of natural progression and depth to the world-building. The only gripe I had was the skirmish feature, it felt out of place and was ultimately repetitive and unengaging. All in all, NNK2 was clearly designed as a stress-free experience for children, however, I believe adults can also enjoy it as a way to relive the carefree spirit of childhood. It offered a good and simple story fit for passing time.

It´s a solid sequel of the first Ni No Kuni game despite taking the story in a different direction and barely acknowledging the first game. Although it doesn´t have the same emotional impact as the first, Evan's journey is memorable.

When I first played this game a few years ago, I wasn’t entirely sure it was for me. However, revisiting it in 2025 turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The game holds up remarkably well, both technically and creatively in my opinion. One of the standout features for me is its visual presentation. The Ghibli-inspired art direction, whimsical character designs, and environments are stunning. Even compared to some more recent JRPGs, the visuals feel both timeless and detailed. The world is full of charm and personality, making exploration a pleasure. Gameplay-wise, the experience remains solid. The real-time combat is responsive and fluid for an action JRPG, at least that's how it felt to me. I encountered no technical issues, even when running the game at over 100 FPS (though I capped it to 144 using NVIDIA’s app for consistency). In addition to combat, the game introduces several side systems — such as kingdom building, community development, and simplified army skirmishes. While not entirely essential to progression, these elements add welcome variety and some level of depth. This was actually my first time playing a Level-5 title, and it left a strong impression. It led me to explore their recently released game, FANTASY LIFE I: The Girl Who Steals Time. One thing that I personally appreciate in their design philosophy is how they reward exploration without excessive hand-holding. The game evokes the spirit of classic SNES-era RPGs — not just through nostalgia, but by encouraging curiosity and discovery over checklist-driven objectives. That approach feels particularly refreshing in contrast to many modern open-world games, which can sometimes feel bloated or hollow despite their scale. While this game does have some minor pacing issues and content repetition in places, it largely avoids feeling overwhelming or unfocused. It strikes a nice balance between scope and structure. The soundtrack is another highlight. While I’ve seen mixed opinions with some players finding the background music repetitive over time, I personally found it reminiscent of Dragon Quest, and consistently fitting for the tone and setting. Overall, this game has aged well and still offers a rich, charming, and rewarding experience. Whether you're approaching it for the first time or returning after a break, it’s a journey worth taking — one that manages to feel both classic and fresh in all the right ways.

Le jeu reprend de vieilles recettes et ajoute quelques bonnes idées qui sont malheureusement mal réalisées. Le jeu se résume à des quêtes fed-ex en pagailles, le game-play est satisfaisant au début mais se révèle parfaitement creux dès le mid-game, les musiques sont sympas au début puis assez rapidement insupportables, j'ai quasiment fait tout le jeu sans le son, le scénar et dialogues OSEF tiers, j'ai passé mon temps à skip ces derniers. Bref un jeu avec des idées intéressantes (construction du royaume, batailles) mais finalement mal conçues. Le jeu laisse un sentiment d'inachevé, voire de baclé qui prend le joueur pour un débile en l'envoyant perdre son temps à droite à gauche à récupérer des fleurs ou des cailloux. J'ai fait le jeu en mode expert et je suis presque surpris de l'avoir fini tellement c'était pénible, peut-être l'obsession de venir à bout de cet objet de torture... Bref votre temps de jeu vaut mieux que ça

I love this game and replayed the game 3 times now, so no complaints for me