Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Cover art for the English release of the game.
Developer(s) Level-5
Publisher(s)

Namco Bandai Games

  • JP Level-5
Director(s) Ken Motomura
Producer(s) Hiroyuki Watanabe
Artist(s) Toshihiro Kuriaki
Writer(s) Akihiro Hino
Composer(s) Joe Hisaishi
Rei Kondoh
Series Ni no Kuni
Engine Havok
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release date(s)
  • JP November 17, 2011
  • NA January 22, 2013
  • AUS January 31, 2013
  • EU February 1, 2013
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch[lower-alpha 1] is a role-playing video game, developed by Level-5. It was released for the PlayStation 3 in Japan on November 17, 2011, and published in Western regions by Namco Bandai Games in January 2013. The game is a significantly enhanced version of Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, released for the Nintendo DS in Japan in December 2010, featuring similar gameplay and story elements.

Players control Oliver, a young boy who sets out on a journey to save his mother. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot, by boat, or on a dragon. While players navigate Oliver throughout the game's world, other characters can be controlled during battles against enemies; during these battles, players use magic abilities and creatures known as "familiars", which can be captured and tamed.

Development began in 2008, simultaneous to Dominion of the Dark Djinn. The game's animated sequences were produced by Studio Ghibli, while the original score was co-composed by Joe Hisaishi. The art style was also inspired by Studio Ghibli's other productions. The character development of Oliver was a large focus of the game, intending to make children empathize with the character and for adults to relive their adolescence. The developers used the power of the PlayStation 3 to its full potential to render the world with great detail not possible in Dominion of the Dark Djinn.

Following its announcement, Ni no Kuni was widely anticipated. It was acclaimed by many reviewers, with praise particularly directed at its story, graphic design and gameplay. Wrath of the White Witch became one of the best-selling PlayStation 3 games, selling over 170,000 units within a week of its Japanese release, and over one million units within fourteen months of its Western release. The game won year-end accolades, including Best RPG awards from several gaming publications. A sequel, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, was announced in December 2015.[1]

Gameplay

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a role-playing game that uses a third-person perspective. Players complete quests—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Outside of quests, players can freely roam the overworld. Players explore towns, villages, dungeons and dangerous places scattered throughout the world, and possess the ability to travel between the world and Oliver's hometown of Motorville. Upon leaving a location, players enter the World Map, which can be used to select a destination.[2] The world may be fully explored from the beginning of the game without restrictions, although story progress unlocks more gameplay content and forms of transport to navigate the world:[2] players initially run to navigate the world, though later gain the ability to travel by boat, or on the back of a dragon.[3]

Players control Oliver, Esther and Swaine during battles, with the ability to access their familiars.

When players encounter enemies, they enter a battle system. Battles take place on an open battlefield, allowing players to freely roam around the area.[4] During battles, players command a single human ally, or one of the familiars accompanying them; all characters and familiars are manually moved around the battlefield. To fight enemies, players use magical abilities[lower-alpha 2] and "familiars".[6] Familiars are creatures that can be tamed, in order to be suitable to send out in battle to fight for players. Familiars level up and evolve alongside the human characters; each familiar has unique statistics and capabilities, and can be upgraded through the use of treats, and equipped with items.[7] When all enemies in a battle are defeated, players may receive experience points, currency and items. When a specific amount of experience is earned, characters' levels will increase, and their abilities will improve. Health is lost when players are attacked by enemies, while mana points are depleted through the use of magic. Should a party member lose health or mana points, they can be restored by using provisions. Health and mana can also be restored by picking up orbs, known as "glims"; a golden glim restores all health, and enables the powerful "Miracle Move", which may deal significant damage to enemies or provide assistance to allies.[8]

The errands that can be undertaken at the request of townspeople and the bounty hunts available from the Taskmaster are collectively known as "tasks". When tasks are completed, players will earn a number of stamps for their current merit stamp card, which can be exchanged for upgrades.[9] The in-game Wizard's Companion book includes pages featuring Oliver's spells, as well as a bestiary, short stories, alchemy recipes and maps.[10]

Plot

Ni no Kuni follows the journey of Oliver, a resident of Motorville. While trying out a new vehicle designed by his friend Philip, Oliver almost drowns, but is saved by his mother Allie; however, she immediately dies from heart problems after saving him. As Oliver cries, his tears cause his doll, a gift from his mother, to come to life and reveal itself as a fairy named Drippy, who tells Oliver that he is from another world where an evil wizard named Shadar took control. He also tells Oliver that each person from his world has a "soulmate", a person that shares a link with someone in Oliver's world, and that his mother looks very much like a great sage, Alicia, who was captured by Shadar. Realizing that Alicia must have been Allie's soulmate, Oliver sets out with Drippy to travel to the other world and rescue Alicia in the hope that doing so will bring Allie back in his world.

In the other world, Oliver finds a multitude of broken-hearted people affected by Shadar, and uses his new-found magic abilities to restore those pieces of heart which they lack, and travels the world to seek out the four great sages who may be able to help. Along the way, he meets Esther, daughter of one of the great sages, and Swaine, a thief who initially steals a crucial item from them, but who ultimately decides to help. As they enlist the sages' help, they learn of a wand known as Mornstar that could be used to defeat Shadar, but are at a loss as to how to retrieve it, as it was recently destroyed by Shadar. Soon after, they find themselves many years in the past by the actions of a stranger, and are able to retrieve the wand there.

After returning to the present and retrieving three magical stones to complete the wand, Oliver learns that his mother Allie was in fact the great sage, Alicia. Realizing she could not defeat Shadar, and that he had destroyed his soulmate in the other world to avoid the possibility of being defeated through them, she chose to travel into both the future and into Oliver's world in the hopes of finding his next soulmate; after settling in to this new world, she eventually gave birth to her son, Oliver, who unknowingly became Shadar's soulmate. After he is defeated, Shadar's past is shown. He was once a soldier who helped a young girl against orders, and whose hometown was destroyed to set an example; a being known as the White Witch called to him to embrace his despair and become the Dark Djinn, Shadar. The spirit of Alicia talks to the dying Shadar, who realises that the girl he saved was the young Alicia herself. Shadar then uses his power to sever the link between himself and Oliver, in order to save Oliver from dying as well.

With Shadar defeated, Oliver prepares to return home, but the White Witch appears and casts a spell known as "manna", an ash-like substance that turns all living beings in the three major cities into undead-like creatures. A girl named Pea, who has been appearing to Oliver on occasion, travels with the group and uses her magic to clear the cities of manna and restore the people to normal; the group then travel to defeat the White Witch herself. They discover that she was a young queen called Cassiopeia from thousands of years ago who had noble intentions, but was manipulated by her "council of twelve", calling themselves the Zodiarchs, who desired to run the country. Feeling powerless, she found and used the manna spell, believing it would bring peace and prosperity to her people. When the horrific effects of manna were revealed, she gradually witnessed the death of all of her subjects, including the council, and found herself on her own; she was gradually driven to despair and became the White Witch, believing that all life must be destroyed in an attempt to "start over". Her power created an illusory version of the council to oversee the destruction of the world, but the remains of her kind intentions also created the council member that helped the group by sending them back in time, as well as Pea, the incarnation of her as a child. Having been defeated, Cassiopeia fuses together with Pea and is restored to her former, kind self. After assisting the group in destroying the Zodiarchy, the last manifestations of the council, Cassiopeia declares that she will dedicate her life to making amends for her actions and Oliver bids farewell to his friends before returning to his old life in Motorville.

Development

Conceived as a project for Level-5's tenth anniversary in 2008,[11] Ni no Kuni: The Another World was announced in the September 2008 issue of Famitsu, as a title for the Nintendo DS.[12] In June 2010, Level-5 announced that the game would also be released for the PlayStation 3, with significant differences;[13] the DS version was renamed Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, while the PlayStation 3 version was given the title Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.[14] Both versions were revealed to be in development separately, only retaining the same "story axle", while features such as artwork, graphics and specifications all received significant changes.[15] Journalists noted that the game's announcement ignited widespread anticipation within the gaming industry.[16][17][18][19]

To spur pre-order game sales, Namco Bandai collaborated with several retail outlets to provide a special edition version of the game, with extra features and content. The "Wizard's Edition" includes a unique case packaging, the Wizard's Companion book, a Drippy plush doll, as well as exclusive downloadable content.[20] The game was originally released in Japan on November 17, 2011,[21] and in Western regions in early 2013: on January 22 in North America,[22] January 31 in Australia,[23] and February 1 in Europe.[24]

Story and setting

The team wanted the theme of the game to resonate with children; they initially considered the idea of expressing adventure and dreams. They later explored the concept of a child's greatest influence, their mother, and the possibility of losing them.[25] Although the framework of the story was completed prior to Studio Ghibli's involvement with the game, they still took part in many discussions regarding some ideas, including the game's final scenes.[26]

The majority of the game takes place in a magical world, referred to as the "other world".[2] To avoid making the world map feel outdated, the team modernized the design by arranging the terrain in "fun and fascinating ways".[27] The game's open world was designed to remind players of a "miniature diorama", intending to invoke reminiscence to an older time, as well as the feeling of freshness.[25] Other segments of the game are set in Oliver's fictional hometown of Motorville. The town is modelled after an American town in the peak of the automotive industry during the 1950s and 1960s; this decision was made due to Oliver's interest in cars and machines.[11] Motorville is geographically based near the city of Detroit, Michigan; the Japanese version of the town was named "Hotroit".[28]

Art design

Level-5 collaborated with Studio Ghibli to produce the game's animated sequences, and the game features graphics and visuals replicating the traditional animation style of Studio Ghibli films.[29] The collaboration began when musician Naoya Fujimaki, who had previously worked with both companies, introduced Level-5 president Akihiro Hino to Studio Ghibli president Toshio Suzuki. At the time, Studio Ghibli had completed work on Ponyo (2008), and the animation team had no ongoing projects, which influenced Suzuki's decision to collaborate with Level-5.[30] Another influencing factor of the collaboration was witnessing Hino's passion for the project. Studio Ghibli approached the production process in the same way that they would create an animated film.[31] Work on the animation began in July 2008,[32] and took much longer than the predicted three months.[30]

A comparison of the drawn storyboard and final animated version of a sequence in the game. The player character is driving a vehicle, and one of the wheels falls off, causing him to swerve.
Studio Ghibli's Yoshiyuki Momose designed storyboards for the game's animated sequences, incorporating a "Ghibli-like" style to the game.[30]

Studio Ghibli's Yoshiyuki Momose served as the game's director of animation, staging the scenes and directing actors during the motion capture sessions. He was also assigned to drawing character designs and storyboards.[30] Hino wished the game to have a heartwarming feel;[31] the artwork and character movements was greatly inspired by Studio Ghibli's work,[33] particularly due to their attention to detail, as well as their talent in creating storyboards and utilizing camera control.[34] The development team constantly watched Studio Ghibli's films during development.[11] Game director Ken Motomura regularly worked with Studio Ghibli, swapping and reviewing assets, while Hino worked with the studio in regards to the game's dialogue and animated sequences.[35] To make Studio Ghibli's hand-drawn cutscenes and the game engine's real-time cutscenes transition seamlessly, Level-5 adjusted the latter's color tones, shadows and character movements.[36] For the backgrounds, the team used deep colors, unifying them so they would not look like "a mass of polygons".[31] The team found particular difficulty in animating the game's cel shaded appearance, and spent time researching Studio Ghibli animation to recreate their traditional animation.[33]

When designing the familiars, Level-5 accounted for the characteristics of their surrounding area, which inspired the later design.[36] Some of the initial familiar designs were deemed either creepy or "overly-cute", and adapted accordingly to match the style of Studio Ghibli's artwork.[37]

Character development

For the game's characters, the team wished to explore the concept of opposites, mainly represented by the White Witch's goal to destroy the world, and Oliver's attempts to save it.[38] The character performances were mostly recorded using motion capture technology, followed by manual adjustment by the team to make a "more anime-like movement".[33] The game's characters were particularly inspired by Level-5's previous work on the Professor Layton series (2007–present).[34] During development, Momose suggested that the team design the clothes in a modern fashion, in order for players to gain a "stronger sense that you have stepped out of the familiar and into a different world".[11]

The game's main playable character, Oliver, is a 13-year-old boy.[39] The team decided to make him a child as they wished to showcase a coming of age story. They wanted children to empathize with Oliver's development, and adults to relive the excitement of their adolescence.[11] A major part of the story is Oliver's personal development, which Hino describes as "the process of how a child grows into an adult".[37] In regards to Oliver's physical appearance, Momose made his outfit represent a young boy in 1950s America, which was the inspiration for his hometown.[40]

For the localization of the game, the team decided to give the character of Drippy a Welsh accent, citing comedian Rhod Gilbert as a reference point.[41] Steffan Rhodri was ultimately cast as Drippy; the team immediately felt that he fit the role, during his first audition.[42] The Fairy Godmother character was initially conceived as an "older lady with a perm", which evolved into the concept of a "mountain-like woman".[43] The method that she uses to give birth, in which the offspring burst forth, was inspired by the process that sea anemones lay eggs.[43] The character of Cassiopeia was conceived in a quick meeting, after which the background information and story documents were handed to Momose, who drew the character based on the information. Cassiopeia underwent various changes throughout development. In particular, Momose suggested possible alterations to her physical appearance, such as the size of her head, and changing colors to reflect her emotions. The character Pea was named as a reference to the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, while her Japanese name of Kokoru is a reference to the word "kokoro" (心 heart).[44]

Technical and gameplay development

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch was developed for the PlayStation 3. The team planned to bring the game to the console from the beginning of development, but opted to work on the DS version of the game beforehand due to the larger number of DS users in Japan at the time.[27] The team found the PlayStation 3 allowed them to render the game world with great detail, using the hardware to its full potential to present the animation, world and music.[33] Hino felt that the PlayStation 3 version allowed the game's music to accompany the imagery, which was not possible on the DS version.[27] The team found particular technical difficulty in animating Oliver's cape, which was overcome by a combination of mathematical calculations and hand-drawn motions by the programmers and graphic artists, respectively.[45]

The team considered utilizing the PlayStation Move controller for casting spells in the game, in a similar fashion to the use of the touchscreen in the DS version, though ultimately decided against it as it would limit the potential sales.[38] The battle system was revised over ten times, in order to achieve something new and unique. For about a year of development, the battle system used a turn-based system, though this was ultimately changed when the team felt that it was not fun for players.[46] The team eventually merged turn-based combat and action elements, popular in Japanese and Western regions, respectively, in order to appeal to both regions.[36]

Level-5 worked with localization company Shloc to translate the game; the two studios collaborated for many weeks.[42] The team found great difficulty when localizing the game for Western regions, particularly due to the large amounts of text and audio that required translation. Other minor changes to the artwork and animation also occurred, such as making Oliver bow in a Western manner.[36] By December 12, 2012, development on the localized version of Wrath of the White Witch was completed and the game was submitted for manufacturing.[47]

Reception

Critical response

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings86%[48]
Metacritic85/100[49]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CVG9.3/10[50]
Destructoid9/10[51]
Eurogamer9/10[18]
Famitsu36/40[52][lower-alpha 3]
Game Informer7/10[53]
GameSpot9/10[3]
GamesRadar[7]
IGN9.4/10[54]
Polygon6.5/10[55]
VideoGamer.com9/10[56]

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch received critical acclaim.[57] Metacritic calculated an average score of 85 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 89 reviews.[49] GameRankings assigned it an average review score of 86% based on 64 reviews.[48] Reviewers praised the visual design, characters and story, soundtrack, and combat system. Colin Moriarty of IGN named Ni no Kuni "one of the best RPGs", and among the best PlayStation 3 exclusives,[54] and Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot wrote that it joins the "hallmark of the greatest RPGs".[3]

The game's artistic design received acclaim, being favorably compared to Studio Ghibli's previous work.[56][58][59] Eurogamer's Oli Welsh wrote that the artists of Level-5 and Studio Ghibli have collaborated to make a game that belongs to both studios.[18] Moriarty of IGN called the game "unquestionably gorgeous", surpassing the visuals of most other games.[54] Destructoid's Jim Sterling echoed these remarks, stating that "few titles can hope to come as close".[51] GameSpot's VanOrd felt that the "cartoonish visuals are heightened by extraordinary visual details", contributing to the "sense of wonder" created by the game.[3] Stephanie Bendixsen of Good Game called the art "vibrant and exciting", noting that it "brings the game to life in the most beautiful way".[60]

Brittany Vincent of GamesRadar found the story poignant,[7] and IGN's Moriarty named it one of the game's standout features.[54] GameSpot's VanOrd felt that the game's themes and dialogue positively contributed to the story, appreciating the use of humor,[3] and GameTrailers called the writing "top notch".[59] Conversely, Joystiq's Sinan Kubba wrote that the story lacked the charm that the art style possessed,[61] while Polygon's Philip Kollar felt that the game's art style was the only motive to complete the story, which he felt was predictable.[55] Some reviewers commented on the pacing of the story;[62] Eurogamer's Welsh found that it was "too slow to surprise or to develop its mysteries",[18] while GamesRadar's Vincent found the pace believable.[7] The game's side quests also received praise; GameTrailers felt that they provide insight into the world[59] and Eurogamer's Welsh commended their variety,[18] while Polygon's Kollar conversely found them uninteresting and "single-minded".[55]

The player character and his companion with their backs to the camera, and the vast world consisting of trees and mountains in front of them.
An artistic design of the game's main world. Reviewers praised the art within the game, particularly commending the work by Studio Ghibli. The layout and humor of the world was also well received.

The world and environments of the game drew acclaim from many reviewers. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Andrew Fitch named the world one of the game's standout features, praising the diversity of the locales.[58] Jason Schreier of Kotaku praised the "care and precision" with which the world was crafted.[63] Kimberley Wallace of Game Informer called the world "breathtaking",[53] and Destructoid's Sterling felt that the world was "adorable", praising the design and use of the familiars.[51]

The game's characters polarized reviewers. Some felt that the characters were inventive and interesting,[3][59] while others noted that they lacked personality.[53][61] Bendixsen of Good Game called the characters "imaginative and wacky",[60] while IGN's Moriarty felt that Oliver's uniqueness was one of the standout points of the game, and found that it made him care about the character.[54] Destructoid's Sterling disliked Oliver, but found that the supporting characters compensate.[51] Wallace of Game Informer felt that the characters lack personality, and only exist to assist Oliver's journey.[53] Joystiq's Kubba echoed similar remarks, stating that the characters have "the depth of a toothbrush".[61] Similarly, the voice acting received mixed reactions; IGN's Moriarty felt that the English voice for Oliver was the most disappointing, but praised the other voice acting,[54] and Ian Dransfield of VideoGamer.com wrote that the English dub is "worth hearing".[56]

Many reviewers found the battle system a refreshing mix from other role-playing games. Fitch of Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that "it keeps getting better the longer you play".[58] Joystiq's Kubba called the game's combat a "triumph", praising its ability to blend different styles,[61] and GameTrailers found it "immensely satisfying".[59] Kotaku's Schreier felt that the combat never feels unfair, although criticized the use of the artificial intelligence during the battle.[63] Phil Iwaniuk of Official PlayStation Magazine found the game's consistent battle encounters irritating, but that combat is "otherwise a pleasure".[64] Polygon's Kollar felt that the game's artificial intelligence resulted in a "sloppy" and "frustrating" combat system.[55]

Reviewers praised the use of music in the game. IGN's Moriarty felt that it was appropriate in every situation, praising its ability to create emotion and involve players in the experience.[54] GameTrailers found the soundtrack "powerful", commenting on its appropriate use during gameplay,[59] and GamesRadar's Vincent named it "breathtaking".[7] Sterling of Destructoid favorably compared the soundtrack to Dragon Quest VIII, praising the orchestral qualities and "sense of fun".[51] Chris Scullion of Computer and Video Games wrote that the music ensures the game "sounds as good as it looks".[50] Eurogamer's Welsh called the music "a lush and romantic treat", though criticized the repetitiveness of the battle music.[18]

Sales

Within seven days of its original release in Japan, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch sold over 170,000 units.[30] Following its release in the United Kingdom, the game topped the charts, and sold out in many stores across the region.[65] By March 2014, the game had shipped over 1.1 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling PlayStation 3 games.[66] Many pre-orders of the game's special edition, the "Wizard's Edition", were cancelled due to overselling as a result of a glitch in the order system. All canceled orders were compensated with a voucher and the game's strategy guide.[67]

Awards

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch received multiple nominations and awards from gaming publications. Prior to its release, it won Best RPG Game from Computer and Video Games. The game appeared on several year-end lists of the best role-playing games of 2013, receiving wins from Destructoid,[68] Game Revolution,[69] GameTrailers,[70] IGN,[71][72] the 18th Satellite Awards[73] and the Spike VGX 2013 Awards.[74] It also received Best Game from The Huffington Post.[75] The game also won Best Sound from Cheat Code Central,[76] and Excellence in Animation at the SXSW Gaming Awards.[77] At the 13th National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards, it received multiple wins, including awards for Animation, Art Direction, Original Light Mix Score, Original Family Game, as well as Original/Adapted Song for "Kokoro no Kakera".[78]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (二ノ国 白き聖灰の女王 Ni no Kuni: Shiroki Seihai no Joō, lit. Second Country: The Queen of White Sacred Ash)
  2. ↑ The four playable characters possess differing abilities to use in battle: Oliver and Marcassin use wands to cast spells, Esther plays songs with a harp, and Swaine uses trick shots.[5]
  3. ↑ Famitsu's total score out of 40 is composed of four individual scores; Ni no Kuni received scores of 8, 9, 10, 9, totaling 36/40.[52]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom announced for PS4". PlayStation Blog. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Level-5 2013, p. 7
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 VanOrd, Kevin (January 22, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ Tucker, John (April 9, 2013). "Review – Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch". RPGFan. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ Stuart, Keith (May 17, 2012). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – preview". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  6. ↑ Level-5 2013, p. 17
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Vincent, Brittany (January 22, 2013). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch review". GamesRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  8. ↑ Level-5 2013, p. 21
  9. ↑ Level-5 2013, p. 9
  10. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (June 29, 2012). "Namco Reveals the Wizard's Edition of Ni No Kuni". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch – Behind The Scenes Interview". NowGamer. Imagine Publishing. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  12. ↑ Grant, Christopher (September 24, 2008). "Famitsu: Level-5 and Studio Ghibli teaming up on DS game". Joystiq. Engadget. AOL Tech. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  13. ↑ Yip, Spencer (June 22, 2010). "Ni No Kuni Is Also A PlayStation 3 Game". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (June 24, 2010). "Level-5 Puts Ni no Kuni on Demo". Andriasang. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (June 24, 2010). "Ni no Kuni PS3: Artwork Versus Realtime". Andriasang. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  16. ↑ Shea, Cam (September 27, 2010). "Our Top 10 Most Anticipated Japanese Console Games". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  17. ↑ Plunkett, Luke (April 12, 2012). "My Most Anticipated PS3 Game Slides Out of 2012 (But Here's an English Trailer)". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Welsh, Oli (January 17, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch review". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  19. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (April 17, 2012). "Ni No Kuni Could Get A Sequel". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  20. ↑ Estrada, Marcus (December 31, 2015). "Collector's Cabinet: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Wizard's Edition". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  21. ↑ Romano, Sal (August 23, 2011). "Ni no Kuni PS3 dated for Japan". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  22. ↑ Groen, Andrew (June 1, 2012). "Ni No Kuni release date revealed in new trailer". GamesRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  23. ↑ Te, Zorine (January 28, 2013). "AU Shippin' Out January 28 – February 1: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  24. ↑ Reynolds, Matthew (February 3, 2013). "Games out this month: 10 biggest releases for February". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  25. 1 2 Wallace, Kimberley (October 19, 2012). "Level-5 President Talks Ni No Kuni And Studio Ghibli". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  26. ↑ Bennett, Hollie (February 15, 2013). "Ni No Kuni: Akihiro Hino answers your questions". PlayStation Blog. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  27. 1 2 3 Grossman 2013, p. 358
  28. ↑ Grossman 2013, p. 380
  29. ↑ Winterhalter, Ryan (June 24, 2010). "A Japanese Kid's Come True: Level-5 Shows off Ni no Kuni at Tokyo Press Conferences". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 Webster, Andrew (January 23, 2013). "The ridiculously charming world of 'Ni No Kuni', Studio Ghibli's gaming masterpiece". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  31. 1 2 3 Level-5 and Studio Ghibli (2012). The Art of Studio Ghibli. Bandai Namco Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  32. ↑ Tanaka, John (May 20, 2009). "Ni no Kuni: The Another World Update". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Reynolds, Matthew (February 1, 2013). "'Ni No Kuni' interview: Level-5 on its Studio Ghibli collaboration". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on July 28, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  34. 1 2 Roxx, Nancy (June 10, 2012). "Ni no Kuni – Studio Ghibli are masters of anime – Interview with Dennis Lee". Zoomin Games. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  35. ↑ Pinsof, Allistair (September 20, 2012). "TGS: Level-5 discuss its partnership with Studio Ghibli". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 4 Campbell, Colin (January 8, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: The Interview". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  37. 1 2 Grossman 2013, p. 361
  38. 1 2 Grossman 2013, p. 359
  39. ↑ "Oliver – Ni No Kuni". Level-5. Bandai Namco Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  40. ↑ Grossman 2013, p. 366
  41. ↑ Dellepiane, Alain (September 2, 2013). "One minute interview: Oli Chance (Ni No Kuni's translator)". Team GLOC. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  42. 1 2 Amoros, Laetitia (January 29, 2013). "Re-imagining Ni no Kuni for the West". Develop. Intent Media. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  43. 1 2 Grossman 2013, p. 365
  44. ↑ Grossman 2013, p. 364
  45. ↑ Grossman 2013, p. 362
  46. ↑ Grossman 2013, p. 363
  47. ↑ Nunneley, Stephany (December 12, 2012). "Ni No Kuni screenshots celebrate localization going gold". VG247. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  48. 1 2 "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for PlayStation 3". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  49. 1 2 "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  50. 1 2 Scullion, Chris (January 24, 2013). "PS3 Review: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch review: Ghibli's godsend to gamers". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 Sterling, Jim (January 21, 2013). "Review: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch". Destructoid. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  52. 1 2 Gantayat, Anoop (November 9, 2011). "Ni no Kuni PS3 and Call of Duty Score 10s in Famitsu". Andriasang. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  53. 1 2 3 4 Wallace, Kimberley (January 22, 2013). "A Beautiful Frustration – Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Moriarty, Colin (January 15, 2013). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  55. 1 2 3 4 Kollar, Philip (January 24, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch review: make believe". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  56. 1 2 3 Dransfield, Ian (January 17, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Review". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  57. ↑ Nunneley, Stephany (January 17, 2013). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch reviews round-up". VG247. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  58. 1 2 3 Fitch, Andrew (January 22, 2013). "EGM Review: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch". Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  59. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Review". GameTrailers. Defy Media. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  60. 1 2 Bendixsen, Stephanie; O'Donnell, Steven (February 16, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch". Good Game: Spawn Point. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  61. 1 2 3 4 Kubba, Sinan (January 23, 2013). "Ni Ni Kuni review: Fairy tale wedding". Joystiq. Engadget. AOL Tech. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  62. ↑ Martin, Tim (January 24, 2013). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch review". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  63. 1 2 Schreier, Jason (February 1, 2013). "Ni no Kuni: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  64. ↑ Iwaniuk, Phil (January 18, 2013). "Ni no Kuni PS3 review – Out of the niche, into your PS3". Official PlayStation Magazine. Future plc. p. 2. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  65. ↑ Phillips, Tom (February 4, 2013). "UK chart: Ni No Kuni conjures up first place victory". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  66. ↑ Cook, Dave (March 7, 2014). "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch passes 1.1 million shipped, new edition revealed". VG247. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  67. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (January 26, 2013). "The Ni No Kuni Pre-Order Fiasco: Namco Speaks". Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  68. 1 2 Hansen, Steven (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's 2013 Best Role-Playing Game". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  69. 1 2 Tan, Nicholas (December 16, 2013). "Best Role-Playing Game 2013". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  70. 1 2 "Best RPG". GameTrailers. Defy Media. December 23, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  71. 1 2 "Best Overall Role-Playing Game". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  72. 1 2 "Best PS3 Role-Playing Game – IGN's Best of 2013". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  73. 1 2 Kilday, Gregg (February 23, 2014). "Satellite Awards: '12 Years a Slave' Wins Best Motion Picture". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  74. 1 2 3 Dane, Patrick (December 16, 2013). "'Grand Theft Auto V' Tops Spike VGX 2013 Award Winners List". Game Rant. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  75. 1 2 Ostroff, Joshua (December 31, 2013). "10 Best Video Games Of 2013". The Huffington Post. AOL. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  76. 1 2 "The Best Sound Nominees!". December 6, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  77. 1 2 Blanchard, Bobby (March 9, 2014). "2014 SXSW Gaming Awards: So Many Amazing Winners!". South by Southwest. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  78. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Allen, Thomas J. (February 17, 2014). "2013 NAVGTR Winners" (Press release). Las Vegas, Nevada: National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  79. ↑ Broxton, Jon (February 23, 2012). "IFMCA Winners 2011". Film Music Critics. International Film Music Critics Association. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  80. ↑ Aziz, Hamza (June 12, 2012). "Destructoid's Best of E3 2012 winners revealed!". Destructoid. Archived from the original on March 7, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  81. ↑ "Feature: CVG's E3 2012 Awards in full". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. June 17, 2012. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  82. ↑ "CheatCC's The Best of E3 2012 – Best Role-Playing Game of the Year Nominee!". Cheat Code Central. June 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  83. 1 2 3 Reynolds, Matthew (August 29, 2013). "Golden Joystick Awards 2013 public voting now open". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  84. ↑ Smith, Rob (November 21, 2013). "Inside Gaming Awards 2013 Nominees Announced". Machinima.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  85. ↑ "The Game of the Year Nominees!". December 6, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  86. ↑ "The Best RPG Game Nominees!". December 6, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  87. ↑ "The 25 Best Video Games of 2013". Slant Magazine. December 9, 2013. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  88. ↑ "PS3 Game of the Year 2013 Winner". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. December 13, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  89. ↑ Lee, Ben (December 17, 2013). "Digital Spy's best games of 2013: 20–16". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  90. ↑ "Best PS3 Graphics – IGN's Best of 2013". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  91. ↑ "Best PS3 Story – IGN's Best of 2013". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  92. ↑ "Best PS3 Game – IGN's Best of 2013". IGN. Ziff Davis. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  93. ↑ Bischoff, Daniel (December 19, 2013). "Best PS3 Exclusive 2013". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  94. ↑ "2013 Best PS3 Game". Hardcore Gamer. December 21, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  95. ↑ "2013 Best Artistic Design". Hardcore Gamer. December 21, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  96. ↑ "Best Soundtrack". GameTrailers. Defy Media. December 23, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  97. ↑ Hansen, Steven (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's 2013 Game of the Year". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  98. ↑ Hansen, Steven (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's best of 2013 story". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  99. ↑ Hansen, Steven (December 24, 2015). "The winner of Destructoid's best of 2013 visuals". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015.
  100. ↑ Nakamura, Darren (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's best of 2013 soundtrack". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  101. ↑ Zimmerman, Conrad (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's best 2013 character". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  102. ↑ Dixon, Andy (December 24, 2013). "The winner of Destructoid's best of 2013 community choice". Destructoid. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  103. ↑ "Giant Bomb's 2013 Game of the Year Awards: Day Two". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. December 24, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  104. ↑ "EGM's Best of 2013: Part Three: #15 ~ #11". Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM Media. December 27, 2013. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  105. ↑ "Best PlayStation Game". GameTrailers. Defy Media. December 27, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  106. ↑ "Best Graphics". GameTrailers. Defy Media. December 31, 2013. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  107. ↑ "Game of the Year". GameTrailers. Defy Media. January 3, 2014. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  108. ↑ Dietz, Jason (January 7, 2014). "Metacritic User Poll Results – Best of 2013". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  109. ↑ Pitcher, Jenny (March 20, 2014). "The Last of Us cleans up at the 2014 Game Developer Choice Awards". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  110. ↑ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. February 7, 2014. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  111. 1 2 North, Dale (February 13, 2014). "SXSW Gaming Awards finalists announced, fan vote open". Destructoid. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  112. 1 2 Karmali, Luke (March 13, 2014). "BAFTA Games Awards 2014 Winners Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.

Bibliography

  • Grossman, Howard (January 2013), Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Official Game Guide, United States of America: Prima Games 
  • Level-5, ed. (2013), Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Game Manual, United States of America: Namco Bandai Games 

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, March 13, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.