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MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Anyone played the demo yet. ?



I'm sad to say I really didn't like the demo.

Was going to be my highlights of the year, but has left me somewhat disappointed.

Graphically the game is a bit muddy and lacking definition, which is not what I was expecting at all. Both areas in the demo appear very washed out with very poor texture detail even for a cel shaded game.

I could overlook that however but the constant 'near random' attacks as you are ferried down glorified corridors / paths. Even the very outdated 'whoosh' as the screen distorts and loads the battle area feels cumbersome in 2012.

The Last Story & Xenoblade Chronicles have really moved on the JPRG genre, but Ni No Kuni seems to be a monumental step back.

My love of Totoro and everything else Myazki related can't cover up what is essentially a mediocre game with outdated gameplay mechanics. Basically it's Blue Dragon all over again.

How do you feel ? Did you enjoy it ? We're you as disappointed by the gameplay as myself ?
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
I liked what I played at E3, even though it wasn't the best place to play such a game. I liked it but I'm a sucker for old school RPGs. I've got the collectors edition one preordered because I'm also a sucker for a plushie :).

I've always expected it to flop in reviews, but there's so much marrying of my favourite things with this game that I'll be keeping my preorder down.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Yeah I pre-ordered the white collectors edition with the art book etc. myself too.

Though I'll be honest after playing the demo I'm not sure i could handle 40 hours of random battles. It destroyed my enjoyment of blue-dragon.
 

peskaa

macrumors 68020
Mar 13, 2008
2,104
5
London, UK
I'm going to stick my fingers in my ears and stick with my CE purchase. That said, I really should play the demo...
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
I'm going to stick my fingers in my ears and stick with my CE purchase. That said, I really should play the demo...

I'd avoid playing the demo, just let your love for Ghibli win out and stick with it. I'm still going to buy it simly because I want the art book anyway :)
 

peskaa

macrumors 68020
Mar 13, 2008
2,104
5
London, UK
Played the demo, both parts, and I actually really enjoyed it. Yes, it was a bit old-school, but I've missed that after the likes of FF XIII-2...

Graphics? Could do with some AA, but I loved the map.
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
I played the demo over the weekend and sent my order to Amazon today. I looked at the release schedule for the next month or two and didn't see anything else enticing and this seemed like it'd be fun. I was going to even get the Prima guide but Amazon says that'll be a month or two to ship. Normally I don't get the Prima guide but JRPGs usually have a load of information that is represented well in them as opposed to online sources.
 

e²Studios

macrumors 68020
Apr 12, 2005
2,104
5
I own the JPN version, I ordered it from Amazon and the US version arrives today.. I like it enough to play through it again and that says a lot considering I usually never play a game more than once through.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
My copy has shipped, despite hesitations I'm still looking forward to it.

I replayed the demo a few times and it grew on me, and I just have to get a ghibli fix ASAP
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
Mine just arrived... if this isn't good... I'm gonna blame one of you. Not sure which one... but one of you.

10 minute install time... :( But I am impatient!
 
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MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Mine just arrived... if this isn't good... I'm gonna blame one of you. Not sure which one... but one of you.

10 minute install time... :( But I am impatient!

10 minutes.. what can you do in 10 minutes to distract yourself.. mmmm i wonder.

First impression please you kinky little panda ;) :p
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
Well I'm only 5 hours or so in at this point. I'm currently heading out from Ding Dong Dell after having completed everything aside from one errand. I'm playing it on easy. So far I'm enjoying it. I won't dwell on the visuals or music... they're great of course. I've played a few JRPG's but I've never completed one.

The combat is interesting and I love collecting/completion stuff so I'll likely enjoy the Pokemon aspect of the game. My only complaint really is the whole post battle sequence which just takes too long in any JRPG I've ever played. I don't care about all that stuff... go back to the main world and show me stats as I'm on my way. For boss fights it's okay but it get's old quick for every fight.

Oh... and I want a real wizard book... :( I think those come with collector's edition though.
 

boy-better-know

macrumors 65816
Jun 30, 2010
1,350
137
England
Can someone help, I am at a loss.
I have only just jumped on the Ni No Kuni bandwagon, and have decided I want to buy it today. But cannot locate a copy, Game are saying 1st of Feb, Argos say today but have non for reservation in local stores. What is going on?
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
Can someone help, I am at a loss.
I have only just jumped on the Ni No Kuni bandwagon, and have decided I want to buy it today. But cannot locate a copy, Game are saying 1st of Feb, Argos say today but have non for reservation in local stores. What is going on?

It's not out in the EU until Feb 1st. I don't live in the EU which is why I have it already.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Yep, in UK, MacRumor User is Irish and his has shipped, hence the confusion.

Sometimes pre-orders ship early. You're likely to not find any in store until the 1st though.

Yep mine has shipped from Hong Kong ie.wowhd.com but probably won't arrive till near the release day. I'm still waiting for Anarchy Reigns and that shipped a week before and still hasn't arrived. Can take up to 21 days with that site but they are the cheapest for games here, and given the amount I buy every saving works out at 3 games for price of two in retail shops here.

Though I'm wishing I had ordered the collectors edition now though :(
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Yep, in UK, MacRumor User is Irish and his has shipped, hence the confusion.

Sometimes pre-orders ship early. You're likely to not find any in store until the 1st though.


I know phew....

I solved it, I just bought the Wizard companion from Japan off ebay for €30 :) doesn't matter its in Japanese seeing as though they aren't localising the books anyway.

I also ordered a Ni No Kuni mug :)

Now do I want to order one of those stuffed dolls too? :)
 

sikkinixx

macrumors 68020
Jul 10, 2005
2,062
0
Rocketing through the sky!
Oh... and I want a real wizard book... :( I think those come with collector's edition though.

I'm really hoping someone gets a PDF of the thing online at some point and I can print it all out. Has lots of info that would be kinda nice to have close by.

Have you checked out the stats in the game yet? (that talking book) Amazingly detailed. It even tells you the % of each 'dungeon' you explored, all the enemy types you encountered, the chests you found/are left.
 

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
I'm past this part but there is a save game bug apparently early on in the game. Not really a spoiler so worth reading so you don't encounter it. I've personally been rotating through 3 saves since I've been bitten too often with save game bugs.

The bug will show itself after you accept the wand quest: if you save and restore at the start of the quest, you’ll loose your save file and all your progress in the game. It’s not an isolated issue since many players have reported the problem: you can easily avoid it by not saving in this spot. Best to continue and risking to loose rather than heading towards certain defeat as a gamer, loosing what little of the game you have played.
 
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