"Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom" is set to be released on January 19, 2018. The sequel to 2013's "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch," which was only available on the PlayStation 3, is currently confirmed for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. That is already one platform more than the previous entry, but it seems that Microsoft will be left out in the rain.
Is that really the case? IGN Spain and Game Informer are stating that a digital-only release of "Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom" is set to happen after the physical version is made available on Sony's console.
While some might be disappointed at the lack of a full physical Xbox One release, this news would very much be welcome for the console.
JRPGs
In terms of Japanese RPGs, Microsoft has struggled to attract any titles for their Xbox One. Even if we are generous and include backward compatibility, the total available JRPGs is still below 15 titles. The standout releases are from the previous generation as well, with "Blue Dragon" and "Lost Odyssey" being worthwhile exclusives which any gamer should try out.
In terms of Xbox One titles, there is not a single JRPG exclusive on the console. "Final Fantasy XV" and "Final Fantasy Type- 0" are playable on the Xbox One, while "Valkyria Revolution" and "Stranger of Sword City" are hardly anything to write home about.
"Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom" might not be an exclusive title, but if it were to be released for Microsoft's current generation, it would arguably be the biggest JRPG on the console.
A retrospective
"Wrath of the White Witch" brought together Level-5 and Studio Ghibli to create one of the best looking titles on the PlayStation 3.
While the gameplay and story were definitely oriented towards a younger crowd, the "Pokemon" style system which allowed familiars to be captured was addictive and a blast to play.
Unfortunately, that is not part of "Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom." Instead, the player controls the human character during battle, who summons a small army of spirits to fight alongside them.
The combat appears to focus heavily on action, and the previews suggest that it flows considerably better than the original.
The 2013 JRPG was fun to play through but suffered from a handful of glaring flaws. The main issue being the partner AI, who was practically helpless against the stronger monsters. At times, it was better just to let them die to continue the fight on your own. Hopefully, the sequel improves on this issue.
