'Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom' Review Roundup: Game Impresses With Heartwarming Characters

By Edward Leano, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, March 22, 2018

"Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom" is out, and it has big shoes to fill as it follows up on the original "Ni No Kuni" and its classic art and animation style that was crafted together with renowned animator Studio Ghibli. The animation studio is not involved with the sequel, and reviewers are keen to see if the new game can carry on the same charm as the first.

There's a lot to be gained from having the creators of "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro" backing up a game studio's art team, and this will be the first time that the "Ni no Kuni" series will be on its own without Studio Ghibli to provide support.

Even so, early impressions of the game agree that the sequel pulled it off with great success, as far as matching the first "Ni no Kuni" goes.

The Guardian's Steve Boxer even went as far as to say that it's on par with the "Zelda" series in terms of having that irresistible charm, which it combines with modern gameplay systems, with an open-world style that leads one to be reminded of the "Witcher 3."

It's the blend of real-time RPG mechanics and an art style faithful to the Ghibli-influenced first game that led Polygon's Cameron Kunzelman to give the game a 9 out of 10, as well.

The game is currently at an aggregate score of 85 over at Metacritic, a rating that indicates "Generally favorable reviews" and a shower of positive reviews from critics.

The video below is the PlayStation 4 launch trailer for "Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom," and it shows a good bit of the Ghibli-inspired character designs and artwork that has made the first game a hit with its fans. "Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom" will be coming out on March 23 for the PlayStation 4 and PC.