Some interesting thoughts, guys. I’ve really enjoyed the relaxed, relatively slow pace of the game for the most part. One criticism I definitely agree with: most of the puzzles presented throughout the game have solutions so ridiculously obvious that they can’t really be called puzzles. It doesn’t help that the dialogue which often accompanies these makes Oliver look like a complete idiot. It’s usually something along these lines:

Oliver: “Oh no! We can’t get across! What are we going to do?”
Drippy: “Are you blinking serious right now? Use one of them spells you’ve learned, mun!”

My main frustration with the combat is that your teammates’ AI is pretty terrible. They tend to use up all of their MP on large spells rather quickly, leaving them depleted and vulnerable after a few skirmishes. I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I have to handle every boss fight on my own, since my comrades are usually passed out on the floor by the halfway point of a major battle.

It does bug me a little that a certain amount of grinding is basically necessary to continue along the main storyline at a certain point. I don’t have a problem with doing the bulk of the side quests to gain various boosts, as those tend to be diverse enough to remain consistently engaging (and the boosts are really worthwhile). However, those moments when I realize that I need to spend an hour or so wandering through a dungeon and leveling up a bit more are tedious. I’m at level 45 and pretty close to the end of the game, but it seems as if I’ve been just barely strong enough to handle each new boss as I’ve proceeded.

Still, so much of the game is so charming and so enjoyable that one can’t help but forgive the occasional weaknesses.

Soupy definitely provides the best assessment of Ni No Kuni at the end.

Where do I mail some of my famous spinach empanadas, GS staff?

So, I feel like Steve didn’t entirely answer the question, but does the game ever stop holding your hand?  I’m in a similar situation that I’m 8 hours in and falling asleep outside of battles.  The ‘Drippy tells you exactly what spell to cast here’ thing is SO SO old already, and I’m just DYING to get the training wheels off so I can catch my own familiars.

The main thing keeping me in the game (besides the pretty pictures) is Drippy being funny/goofing on how dumb Oliver is.

I’m going to be starting Ni No Kuni in the very near future, and I’m super amped. I think the glacial pacing is a typical weakness of JRPGs, and a lifetime of playing them has left me with something of a resistance to it, but I’m increasingly aware of the sort of padding I would have immediately forgiven as a kid. And handholding is beginning to drive me mental the more I notice it in games, but hey. This is Studio Ghibli we’re talking about. I’d watch a 90 minute xenophobic hate crime from Ghibli if it was scored by Joe Hisaishi.

My Girlfriend, “Who’s that on the left?”

Me, “John Teti.”

My Girlfriend, “Why is he so negative?”

Me, “Because he’s John Teti.”

Serious question – do you think you could play this in Japanese with no subtitles?