We've spent around 15 hours with Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, and in that time, we've been weighing up the game's completely overhauled combat system. Indeed, the sequel scraps the system that was introduced in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, but should it have stuck to its guns?
Okay, so what's changed in Ni no Kuni II? Well, first of all, the sequel opts for a combat system that's totally real-time and action based. What this means is that there's no waiting around for bars to fill or energy to replenish -- you're free to move, attack, defend, or evade whenever you want.
Aside from an item menu that pauses the fight, there are no action menus or move lists to worry about, either. Attacks are assigned to face buttons on the DualShock 4, and holding down R2 brings up a simple special move wheel, with X, circle, square, and triangle each mapped to a different technique, skill, or magic spell. It's all very intuitive.
Of course, those of you who played the first game may not like the sounds of this new system, but give it a chance and it'll more than likely grow on you. As noted in our Hands On article, the game controls like a dream. There's a fluidity to movement that translates especially well into battle, and that's a huge plus when fights often have you dashing around the environment to better position yourself against the enemy.
There's some nice enemy variety, too, and various types of foes usually band together during one battle. For example, you can come across a group of rat bandits who are accompanied by a couple of flying bird wizards, and this combination forces you to think a little more about your approach.
This is where long range attacks come into the equation. Alongside their melee weapons -- like swords, axes, and spears -- each party member also has access to projectiles. You can whack a rat bandit with a quick combo, dive to one side, fire off a quick blast with your pistol to bring down a flying opponent, and then finish things off with a flashy special attack. Admittedly it's all quite standard action game fare, but again, responsive controls and lovely visual effects make the system stand out.
Extra depth is added when you consider character switching and higgledies. You can have up to three party members in combat at once, and you can swap between them by hitting either up or down on the directional pad. Although all of the heroes share the same controls and basic actions, they each come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Stern swordsman Roland, for instance, strikes a wide angle with his slashes, making him a good option when it comes to fighting enemies that are jumbled together. Protagonist Evan, meanwhile, has access to long range spells as well as quick sword attacks up close, making him a solid all-rounder.
Much like the party members that you're not controlling, higgledies are managed by the artificial intelligence, and it does a good job. These little elemental creatures roam the battlefield, their main purpose being to boost the abilities of you and your allies while also dishing out big damage when you need it most. When they're ready to pull off a super attack, all you need to do is run over to them, hit X, and watch the fireworks. They're cute but definitely deadly.
Ni no Kuni II's combat system is relatively simplistic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The core gameplay is strong enough to support it as you roll away from danger and retaliate when the time is right, and the spectacle certainly doesn't disappoint, but is it better or worse than the first game's hybrid system?
It's a tough question to answer. On one hand, this is definitely easier to wrap your head around. The basic rules of an action title apply here, and whacking your way through hordes of monsters is undeniably satisfying. As far as we're concerned, it's one of the better overall combat systems we've experienced in quite a while.
On the other hand, the difference in depth may turn returning Ni no Kuni players off -- at least initially. Couple that with the lack of Pokémon-esque monster wrangling from the first game, and some players might find themselves yearning for more complexity and challenge.
With all that in mind, there's an argument to be made that developer Level-5 should have simply built upon the original Ni no Kuni's system, but in our opinion, this new combat's still a clean cut above what you find in most action role-playing titles, and we can see a lot of players preferring its more streamlined approach. Ultimately, it's just fantastic fun.
What did you think of the original Ni no Kuni's combat system? Are you a fan of more action based combat? Let us know how you like to play in the comments section below.
Comments 25
Oh no. I didn't know they'd gone completely real time. This sounds pretty dull compared to the original.
@johncalmc Come on now, things don't get much duller than the original's combat (in my opinion, anyway).
I'm glad they're mixing up combat with something new. One of the great things about Final Fantasy is how they alter things with each title, it keeps things fresh. I wasn't a huge fan of the combat in the original; it was the characters, writing, story, and environments that made it special to me. If they keep that same level of charm and mix up the combat, I'm a very happy bunny.
@ShogunRok
Total agree that biggest probelm for the first for a lot of people was the dull and boring combat , mind it does seem that real time combat is a dirty word to some people, but if done right what this appears to have it can be amazing.
For me it gets me more involved in the game and think it's a waste in game that looks like this just have a dull static combat , don't get me wrong no problem with turn based but it depends on the game/ engine etc and what I've seen of this suits real time more.
I liked the capture aspect of the first game. Let see if collecting higgledies (awful name) is as addicting!
@suikoden As a big fan of fighting games I tend to gravitate towards RPGs with action combat these days — I like the sense of accomplishment that comes with learning them and getting better.
That said, turn based systems can definitely still work — they just need to be executed well. Persona 5's system, for example, is absolutely brilliant. Games like Pokemon and Dragon Quest have never changed their combat systems, and for good reason because they're both timeless.
My main problem with the first Ni no Kuni was that it felt convoluted. There was a lot of stuff to keep track of and at times combat felt needlessly drawn out. I personally prefer the combat in Ni no Kuni II, although I can see why some people might prefer the original's.
@ShogunRok
Once again total agree and as you say the type of combat all depends on the game.
@ShogunRok I liked the combat in the original. Well, it was fine. I tend to actively dislike combat like this though. Or certainly the way it sounds. It just sounds a bit... button mashy.
@johncalmc Hmmm, maybe I could have described it a bit better. It's definitely not button mashy — it's quite considered and you have to evade/block as much as you attack.
@ShogunRok Well, I'll be playing it regardless. I'm just funny with my RPGs. I just like menus and the least amount of frantic movements required as possible. I pretty much like being able to fight with one finger while I'm eating Wotsits with my other hand. Like, old school Final Fantasy and Persona games.
Sounds great! I’m actually not sure whether I prefer turn-based or action combat, it depends how well-made they are. For example, I hope Shin Megami Tensei never goes real-time cause its turn-based battle system is pure bliss, personally my favorite one.
But the thing that bugs me about this is not going from turn-based to action-based, but the fact you have to have A.I.-controlled companions, which personally I hate. I like my action RPG’s, I just want to be the one playing it and beating the crap outta those monsters 😛
I did not like the way the original game handled the captured monster combat. There was something about it that I really didn't like, but the combat in this games looks leagues ahead of the first game.
@ShogunRok Really didn't like the combat in the first game, the whole "Pokemon play for you" aspect just isn't my thing. This sounds more like a Level 5 JRPG like Rogue Galaxy. I think the Dark Cloud games were like that as well. Level 5 made some great JRPG before they went hard on mobile.
So you haven't mentioned any "other world" yet, does that mean we're spared? Ollie's home town in the first game were by far the worst parts of that game.
Also, seems to be a thing these days were "hard mode" and "game+" are added in later with DLC. Since this game has a whole lot of season pass DLC coming out do you think they'll add a harder mode later on? Not that I'll ever play it, but I've seen people moaning about the difficulty, and adding that aspect in later on i starting to trend.
Great reading all your comments about the game. Looking forward to playing it when it's done. I wonder which DLC will finish first, this or FFXV?
Gotta be honest, since buying a Switch my PS4 Pro hasn't had a look in. But I think this might be the game to bring me back! Fluid, responsive gameplay? Vibrant, feel-good visuals? Yes please!
I haven't played the first one yet despite buying it at launch, currently debating whether to play it first or dive in to the sequel first instead ? really can't decide, all i know is the art style of II is one of the most beautiful i've ever seen in a game, it's utterly gorgeous
@rjejr It's actually a lot like Rogue Galaxy, especially since each character has a melee weapon and a long range weapon. Even some of the HUD is like Rogue Galaxy's.
There are no "other world" gameplay portions as far as I'm aware, unless they crop up later.
And FFXV's DLC will almost certainly finish last. God knows how many years that'll be going for.
@ShogunRok
Like rouge galaxy that's great news I loved that game one of my favourites of the PS2 era, will have to play it again once I finished this.
The Higgledies look a bit like the Kodamas from Princess Mononoke.
The combat is one of the things putting me off this game, I'm a huge JRPG fan and the first game gave everything I could possibly want from such a game and felt like a modern version of those 16 bit classics in a way no other game has come close. Everything was there from the world map to some kind of flying transport, the excellent story and of course turn based combat, now with the combat and familiars removed I'm on the fence about what was once a definite purchase
I am actually very glad when the combat system changes. Don't want to play the same game with a different skin...
As long as it's not turn based I may consider it. I can't bare turn based combat. It totally brings you out of the 'realism' of a game if that makes sense. On what planet do people wait for their opponent to hit them with a sword before trying to hit them back?!!
@ShogunRok Thanks for all the answers. Rogue Galaxy was great, well except for the seemingly rushed ending, and Ollie's city was so boring, so this game looks even better now. Man I still have to play XC2. Makes waiting for DQ11 and KH3 much easier though.
@shogunrok hey is this only single player as well? Or can a friend jump in and play another character? Sorry of this was previously covered in a past article though.
@jonny_aces Nah, no co-op sadly, just single player. It'd be a cool addition, though!
I'm all over this, love real time combat like Kingdom Hearts. But I feel for the fans of the original's turn based battles, it sucks when a game you loved gets a sequel & changes so much about it you enjoyed.
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