First and foremost, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is going to get the attention of people who loved the original game in 2013. It was a critically acclaimed title at the time and is loved by many gamers, so having a remastered version with improved graphics is a gift to players that want to enjoy the game again on their updated console. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is also a great chance for fans of JRPGs to play a game they might have missed the first time it came out six years ago. For gamers who like strategy and turn-based combat, fantasy settings, and magic, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is the perfect fit.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered also caters to a unique group of fans - gamers that also love the art of Studio Ghibli, which made all the animated cutscenes. Many gamers, especially ones who enjoy JRPGs, are also a fan of Studio Ghibli films. The rare chance to see that beautiful animation in a video game isn’t one to pass up, and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered provides it! The game also has an emotional and well-written story with plenty of character development, twists and turns, and memorable moments. If gamers like a great narrative, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered caters to them.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is an RPG, so the first thing you should expect when beginning it is that you’re committing to a long game. It takes an average of around 50 hours to beat, and if you’re a completionist, you can nearly double that. The story unfolds slowly so it takes a bit of patience for everything to be revealed, especially to get to the twists and turns. For gamers that don’t mind a slow-burning tale, though, and are willing to wait, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered has a great pay-out in the form of a complete and well-done narrative. It’s just important to remember that it has a slow start and takes time to get into the really good stuff! Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is also sad, so don’t say you weren’t warned if it draws some tears.

Because combat occurs in a closed arena rather than on the normal gameplay map, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered might feel a bit aged at first as that style of RPG has been going out of fashion. However, combat itself still occurs in real-time (with wait bars) and you can move freely around the arena. It’s a good combination of old and new, but important to understand going into the game that the combat system is done reminiscent of a more traditional JRPG style. It also takes some time to unlock any extra party members that you can switch in and out of battle, so again, expect to be patient in that regard.

Finally, if you played Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch before, you can expect better graphics and a clearer picture in this Remastered edition. Especially if you have a nice TV, you can notice just how much better the game works on the PlayStation 4. If you thought it was beautiful before, expect to have your breath taken away one more time.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered begins in the unassuming town of Motorville. You play as a young boy named Oliver who nearly frowns while playing with a friend only to be saved by his mother. Unfortunately, his mother dies due to heart problems after saving him. Oliver’s tears bring his doll, a gift from his mother, to life, revealing the toy to be a fairy named Drippy who is from another world that is being controlled by a dark wizard. Drippy also tells Oliver that all people have “soulmates” between his world and Oliver’s and that his mother looks just like the sage Alicia in his world. If Oliver can save Alicia from the dark wizard who had captured her, he might be able to save his mother in his own world as well.

In Drippy’s world, Oliver is able to use magic. He encounters many people who are heart-broken due to the dark wizard’s terrible influence and works hard to help the people he encounters along his way. He also befriends a girl named Esther and a thief named Swaine, who joins his team to fight the evil wizard and find Alicia. Through the help of other sages, the group learns of a powerful wand that may be able to defeat the wizard, but due to it being destroyed, they don’t know how to retrieve it. Oliver and his friends must solve his mystery, find Alicia, defeat the wizard, and help as many people as they can to save both worlds.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is a single-player role-playing game with strategical combat and a heavy focus on narrative. The greater world map (called the Overworld) is very open, allowing players to explore it freely and encounter monsters and enemies across a lot of different terrains. The Overworld can be traversed from the start of the game, but only by running as vehicles are unlocked later in the story. Smaller areas like towns, cities, and dungeons can then be entered (think classic Final Fantasy games) to explore and interact with NPCs, pick up side quests (called Tasks), visit shops, and advance the story as well as encounter more fights. You control Oliver most of the time but can switch between other members of your party during combat. Each character can be levelled up and their equipment changed as well.

Combat itself happens in a closed arena away from the world map. This battlefield can be moved about freely as players attack enemies using magic and abilities. Each character in the party has unique abilities that can be used in combat. One main feature of fighting in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered is the ability to tame the monsters, making them a Familiar that can be used in combat. These familiars also level up alongside the human characters, and each has their own unique abilities as well. A powerful Miracle Move can also be activated, significantly changing the tide of battle. Playing the main story will also unlock more party members to choose to use in combat.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remaster fully supports trophies on the PlayStation 4 to keep track of your achievements in the game. As with any major RPG, you can save your game to return again later, which you will definitely need to do as this is a long game! You can save freely on the Overworld map and at select places inside cities and dungeons.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered set out with a pretty high goal - make a game that already looked great and had a huge following of loyal fans even better. Especially following the success of the game’s sequel in 2018, the pressure was on to produce something to rival the original game with the promise of a remaster. And they did it! Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remaster is the same great game that stole so many hearts in 2013, and this time it looks better than ever. Of course, no game is perfect, and it has a few drawbacks to keep in mind when playing as well. But overall, for both huge fans of the original that want to play again or those who didn’t get to play the first time, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remaster is worth a playthrough.

Whether you’re new to Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch or are a returning fan excited about a Remaster, this game delivers on all fronts. It’s beautifully animated, has engaging combat, difficult boss battles, an open world, and unforgettable characters. It’s the kind of game that people want to revisit and enjoy time and time again, which is how it earned a remastered edition in the first place. And with such a beautiful original game, the Remaster doesn’t disappoint, making a gorgeous game that much brighter, clearer, and better while making full use of the PlayStation 4’s improved engines. In summary, if you like JRPGs but haven’t played Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered - don’t miss being given a second chance to experience it!

Are you going to try out Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered? Is it going to be your first time playing, or did you play the original as well? If you already tried it, have you been enjoying the improved graphics on the new edition? Let us know how you feel in the comments!