Most any ‘top PS3 games’ list would probably include a JRPG gem from Level-5 and Bandai Namco, with animation by the heralded Studio Ghilbi. That gem would have the name Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (NNK), which told a heartfelt tale of a young boy trying to save his mother and a fantasy world at the same time. A sequel came out on PS4 about a year ago that was well received, but most (myself included) would consider it not as great as the original. I’m not going to re-write what’s been written numerous times over the years: this game is one of the better JRPGs in the last decade, and its worth playing if you are a fan of the genre, heartwarming stories, or of Studio Ghilbi’s famous animation.
Several years ago, on the PS3, I played NNK, though none of its DLC that would eventually come out. Just a couple of weeks ago, Bandai Namco re-released NNK for the PS4 and the Switch. The remasters are pretty scant on contents — you’re getting a resolution and framerate boost. For the PS4, you can play in 1080p/60fps, and PS4 Pro can do 4K at 30 fps, or 1440p at 60fps. On the Switch, you’ll get just 720p at 30fps. Besides the resolution and fps bump, all of the DLC — the quests, the Familiars — is intact, which is great, but also what you’d really expect. That, as far as I can tell, is all that is offered in this remaster. The cost of admission is about four times what you might pay for a copy on the PS3, but obviously your mileage may vary. For those that missed NNK the first time around or maybe sold their copy with their PS3 over the years, the remaster makes a strong case for itself simply because the game is still great and time has not tained the experience.
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