I have not been a big JRPG guy since the halycon days of the SNES. I have tried (and failed) over the years to get back into the genre but I have never been able to capture the joy and excitement I had back then.

I had heard about Ni No Kuni during its development but this release managed to sneak up on me. Based on the Quick Look and hearing Brad talk about it on the Bombcast I thought that this would be a good opportunity to try again and see if I could get back into the genre. I'm only a little ways into the game so far but I am really enjoying it. The game is beautiful from top to bottom, the limited mechanics I have encountered so far seem intuitive and appear to build upon each other. The game doesn't throw too much at you at once and you have a chance to get comfortable with new mechanics as they are introduced. The voice acting is superb as is the writing and Mr. Drippy may be one of the best NPCs/companions I have ever encountered.

The game also has an earnestness to it that I find strangely refreshing. Oliver's naivete and "aw, shucks" type attitude, rather than being off-putting is actually quite endearing. I am really enjoying the game and looking forward to progressing further.

I would encourage anyone who has fond memories of JRPGs from their youth to check this game out. I do not think you will be disappointed.