THE NAME Studio Ghibli will ring bells with film fans having created some of the most visually stunning animated cinema of recent times. Now the company is making its video game debut by doing the artwork for Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Level-5, the studio behind the
popular Professor Laytonseries, has teamed up with Studio Ghibli to bring consumers an adventure about a boy who travels to a parallel world in a bid to bring his mother back from the dead. “Ni No Kuniis one of those rare titles that comes along every few years and grabs everyone’s attention. It’s a showcase title for the PS3 and it has the same wow factor as a typical well developed PS3 game like Heavy Rain,” says Lee Kirton, head of UK marketing at Namco Bandai. “We have strong expectations for the game due to its obvious quality, beauty and exclusivity. “It’s a wonderful adventure available on the perfect format for the right audience and it’s epic storytelling at its best.”
SPIRITED AWAY
Players step into the shoes of Oliver, a young boy who finds that a toy given to him by his mother comes alive when it comes into contact with his tears. The toy reveals itself to be a fairy named Drippy and the duo venture into Ni No Kuni to bring Oliver’s mother back to life.
When in the parallel world, players can make friends out of the wide array of creatures inhabiting the space and even use them in the heat of battle. “Everyone at Namco Bandai is excited about Ni No Kuni because it’s a work of art,” says Kirton. “The work that Level 5 and Studio Ghibli have invested into this title and the localisation, game play, music and story-telling really deliver something truly magical and different to other game experiences in the market today.” Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witchlands in January but for consumers eager to check out the game, a playable demo launched on the PSN store earlier this week.
30 December 7th 2012
Ni No Kuni is a work of art.
“ Lee Kirton, Namco Bandai
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Animation titan Studio Ghibli dips its toe in video games with this title from the developers of Professor Layton. Billy Langsworthy takes a look