Ni No Kuni II: “Huge Improvement” On The First Game, Says Akihiro Hino
Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level-5 and General Director of upcoming JRPG title Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, has described the game as a “huge improvement” on the original in a developer discussion with PlayStation.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom was announced during PlayStation Experience 2015 to rapturous applause from the audience. A detail that went unspoken however, was that famed animation house Studio Ghibli who fully designed the original Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch will not be returning to animate the second instalment in the series. Despite this, Hino said in his interview with PlayStation that the studio were pushing themselves to “integrate and enhance Studio Ghibli’s artistic styles into the game”.
“With the first Ni no Kuni, we created a fantasy story by incorporating the renowned charm of Studio Ghibli,” Hino said. “In order to craft a unique and enchanting experience, we wanted to use video games and animation as a story-telling medium. By doing so, we can create a truly immersive fantasy RPG that embraces the visual facets of Japanese animation.”
On the plot of Ni No Kuni II, Hino said: “We’re taking on a lot more challenges than before, so we can bring new features to fruition. The sequel fulfills the ambitions we had after the first game’s completion. You can expect deeper stories, rich in dramatic sequences you wouldn’t have expected from the first game. The story is about a young boy’s journey to become King, through which he experiences many hardships, making both friends and enemies along the way. He’ll receive help and provide even more, all contributing to his growth as a person and as a King. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished in this story.”
“Of course, there are exciting game systems, compelling stories, and beautiful visuals in the game, but we also want to unify them in a way that enhances these characters and breathes life into the world. I hope players will genuinely fall in love with our characters and this world.”
You can watch the whole interview with Akihiro Hino above.
