Ni No Kuni - Reception

Reception

The DS version of Ni no Kuni was given 38 out of 40 by Weekly Famitsu magazine. The review stated, "The animation, music, and story all combine together at a high level to keep the player constantly excited. The way the game links up with the book is innovative, and there's a lot of backdrop that allows you to understand the story on a deep level." However, the publication felt that although the Japanese advertisements feature young children playing it, the game may be too complex for such audiences. RPG Land's import review was very positive, saying "Ni no Kuni is what happens when ordinary and simple pieces are put together by skilled people in wonderful ways. It sticks to simplicity, and does that better than almost any other game on the market right now."

The PlayStation 3 version of Ni no Kuni was critically acclaimed as well. The game scored a 36 out of 40 from Famitsu. The magazines PSM3 and Computer and Video Games gave the Japanese version of the game a 91% score, as well as the Best RPG award of E3 2012. RPGLand's review awarded Ni no Kuni's PS3 version the site's highest rating of "Legendary" and concluded, "Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch feels like the second coming of 16-bit RPG classics... It touches a deep vein of nostalgia and childlike wonder." PlayStation LifeStyle awarded the game 10/10 and said, "Virtually every aspect of Ni no Kuni is a hit. If you have ever liked a Japanese RPG at all, you owe Ni no Kuni a shot." IGN's Colin Moriarty rated the game 9.4/10 describing it as "a beautiful mixture of the traditional makings of a JRPG combined with gorgeous graphics, a wonderful story, a great cast of characters and thoughtful gameplay."