Honestly, the discourse around Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom has always been a little weird. When it launched back in 2018, people couldn't stop talking about what was missing. Where was the Studio Ghibli logo on the box? Where were the Pokémon-style familiars that defined the first game’s combat? Everyone seemed so hung up on the aesthetic shifts that they almost missed the fact that Level-5 actually built one of the most ambitious, genre-mashing JRPGs of the last decade. It’s a game about a boy king named Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum who loses his entire kingdom to a coup and decides, with the help of a literal president from another world, to just... build a new one.
It’s bold. It’s bright.
But it’s also a chaotic mix of kingdom management, real-time strategy, and high-speed action combat that probably shouldn't work as well as it does. If you’ve been sitting on the fence or haven't touched it since the "Prince's Edition" hit the Switch, you're missing out on a game that handles the "power of friendship" trope with surprisingly crunchy mechanics.
The Ghibli Connection (And Why It Doesn't Actually Matter)
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Studio Ghibli didn't officially collaborate on Ni no Kuni 2. While the first game, Wrath of the White Witch, was a direct partnership, this sequel was handled internally by Level-5. However, they kept the two most important ingredients. Character designer Yoshiyuki Momose and legendary composer Joe Hisaishi both returned. This is why the game still looks and sounds like a moving painting. You’ve got these sweeping orchestral swells and character designs that feel instantly iconic, even if the "official" branding is gone.
Some critics argued the soul was missing. They're wrong. The soul just moved. Instead of a tragic story about a boy dealing with grief, we got a political fantasy about nation-building. It's less Spirited Away and more Princess Mononoke lite, focusing on how different cultures—from the gambling-obsessed Goldpaw to the aquatic bureaucracy of Hydropolis—clash and eventually coexist.
Why the Combat Swap Was Actually a Genius Move
The original game’s combat was, frankly, a bit of a mess. Trying to manage stamina, positioning, and familiar switching in semi-real-time felt clunky to many players. Ni no Kuni 2 threw that out for a system that feels closer to Tales of or Kingdom Hearts. It’s fast. You’re dodging, parrying, and swapping between three different melee weapons on the fly to keep your "Zing" gauge high.
Then there are the Higgledies.
Instead of capturing monsters to fight for you, you collect these tiny elemental spirits. They run around the battlefield autonomously until they huddle up and wait for you to trigger a special move. It keeps the screen busy and colorful without the micromanagement headache of the first game. Is it easier? Yeah, probably. Especially at launch, the game was criticized for being too simple. But Level-5 patched in "Hard" and "Expert" difficulties later, and if you play on Expert, the tactical depth of the Higgledy system actually becomes mandatory. You can't just mash light attack and hope for the best when a tainted monster can one-shot your party.
The Kingdom Building Loop Is the Real Star
Most JRPGs give you a base of operations. Usually, it's just a place to sleep and buy potions. Ni no Kuni 2 turns your kingdom, Evermore, into a full-blown management sim. This is where the game hooks you.
You don't just "get" a better sword; you research the technology to forge it. You don't just find better spells; you build a magic lab and assign a specific citizen with a high IQ stat to study them. Recruiting these citizens is the best part of the game. There are about 100 of them scattered across the world, each with their own little side quest and backstory. Some are master chefs, others are grumpy guards or talented seamstresses.
- Recruitment feels purposeful. Every person you bring back to Evermore unlocks a new branch on a research tree.
- The wait times are real-time. It’s a bit like a mobile game, but without the microtransactions. You go out, finish a dungeon, and come back to find your gardens have grown and your coffers are full of Kingsguilders.
- The visual progression. Watching your tiny campsite grow into a sprawling stone fortress is immensely satisfying.
It creates this "just five more minutes" loop. You want to finish that one quest so you can recruit the guy who lets you upgrade your airship so you can finally reach that island in the corner of the map. It’s a virtuous cycle of progression that makes the world feel lived-in.
Skirmishes: The Controversial Mini-Game
Not everything is a slam dunk. The Skirmish mode—a simplified RTS where Evan leads small units of soldiers in Chibi-style battles—is divisive. Some people love the break from traditional combat; others find it tedious. Personally, I think it adds to the "King" fantasy. You aren't just a wandering swordsman; you’re a general. These battles happen on the overworld map and involve weapon triangles (swords beat hammers, etc.) and special tactical maneuvers. While they aren't the deepest part of the game, they are essential for certain story beats and for unlocking specific high-tier recruits. If you hate RTS games, you might find these a slog, but they’re rarely long enough to ruin the pacing.
Addressing the "Too Easy" Allegations
If you read reviews from 2018, you’ll see a common complaint: the game is a cakewalk. That was true at version 1.0. You could basically fall asleep on the controller and win. However, the current versions on PC, PS4, and Switch include the difficulty patch. If you play on "Hard," the bosses actually require you to learn their telegraphs. The DLC—The Labyrinth of the Ghost King and The Tale of a Timeless Tome—adds some serious end-game challenges that will test even veteran JRPG players. The "Martial Method" system introduced in the DLC gives Evan and his friends different fighting styles, adding another layer of customization that the base game arguably lacked at start.
The Roland Factor: A Different Kind of Protagonist
We need to talk about Roland. He starts the game as the President of a modern-day nation (implied to be the US or a similar power) who gets transported to Evan’s world after a nuclear explosion. Seeing a guy in a suit pull out a 9mm pistol in a high-fantasy world is one of the coolest opening sequences in gaming.
Roland serves as the pragmatist to Evan’s idealist. While Evan wants everyone to live "happily ever after," Roland understands the logistics of war, the necessity of hard choices, and the burden of leadership. Their dynamic is the heart of the story. It prevents the game from becoming too sugary-sweet. It’s a story about building a utopia, but it acknowledges that utopias are built on sweat, taxes, and diplomacy, not just magic.
Essential Tips for New Players
If you're jumping into Ni no Kuni 2 for the first time, don't play it like a standard linear RPG. You'll burn out.
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- Beeline for Kingdom Level 2. The game really opens up once you can start researching more than the basics. Don't spend too much time grinding levels early on; spend that time recruiting.
- Check the Leafbook. It’s the in-game social media feed. It’s cute, sure, but it also gives hints about where to find rare items and hidden NPCs.
- Don't ignore the Tainted Monsters. These are the purple-aura enemies on the map. They're basically world bosses. Beating them gives you the best gear and "Great Balls of Wisdom" which are vital for upgrading your Higgledies.
- Change your party leader. Playing as Evan is fine, but Tani’s ranged attacks and Bracken’s heavy-hitting gadgets offer a completely different feel. Swapping characters keeps the 60-hour runtime from feeling repetitive.
What People Get Wrong About the Ending
Without spoiling anything, some players felt the ending was a bit rushed or too "deus ex machina." But if you pay attention to the lore found in the library books and the late-game side quests, the foreshadowing is all there. It ties back to the concept of the "Soul Mate"—the idea that every person in Evan’s world has a counterpart in our world. It’s a theme that started in the first game, and the way it's resolved here is actually quite poignant if you’ve invested in Roland’s journey.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Yes. Absolutely. Ni no Kuni 2 is a rare "comfort food" game that also respects your time by constantly giving you new toys to play with. It might not have the punishing difficulty of Elden Ring or the cinematic weight of Final Fantasy, but it has a charm that is entirely its own. It’s a game about trying to be a good person in a world that isn't always kind, and honestly, that’s a message that feels more relevant now than it did back in 2018.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
- Check your platform: If you have a choice, the PC version offers the most stable 60fps, but the Switch "Prince's Edition" is fantastic for kingdom management on the go.
- Set the difficulty to Hard immediately: Don't start on Normal. The game's mechanics—like the tactics tweaker and weapon swapping—only feel meaningful when the enemies actually fight back.
- Focus on the "Swift Solutions" NPC: He’s the guy who gives you tokens for completing tasks. These tokens are the easiest way to buy rare materials for your kingdom upgrades instead of farming monsters for hours.
- Don't skip the DLC: Unlike many games where DLC feels like an afterthought, the extra chapters in the Prince's Edition provide much-needed context for the main villain and Roland's past.
Stop comparing it to the first game. Let it be its own thing: a colorful, mechanical marvel about a kid with big ears and a dream to end all wars. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely one of the most heartwarming experiences you can have with a controller in your hand.