Considering Devil May Cry is a huge franchise in the west, and this game is miles better than 4, I'm assuming it's going to sell very well.

It's something that you need to practice at in order to breeze through it. The game teaches you as you progress, so by the time you're at a really "difficult" platform section, you'll be prepared.

I haven't played the demo, so I have no idea which level it was. All I know is that, if the platforming is going to ruin in for you, rent it or borrow it. No need to waste $60.

Well. Ni No Kuni is the best thing ever.

Okay, I wasn't worried at all about Ni no Kuni before, but now I really am.

...like, no seriously, I am. Every time this guy says a game is that great, I end up severely disappointed. We're, like, 5 of 5 now.

What's your take on the gameplay so far? I at least want to hear that bit.

The demo was so much fun. Can't wait for it.

The combat is reasonably simple and straightforward, and fairly slow paced. Not turn based, but not stressful-fast either. I am playing it on the higher difficulty level, and haven't been too challenged.

It's got bounty-style side quests, gorgeous graphics, once of the best soundtracks you'll ever hear and, impressively for a JRPG, it has a lot of lore. There's a book that contains stories and fables and so on, none of which is required reading, but it helps make the world seem a whole lot more vibrant and real - just like Skyrim's books do.

The actual dungeons and main story line are very linear just like every other JRPG, but the story is really worth following - a very sad but touching plot.

And most importantly (and why this is better than the DS game) it looks stunning in HD.

Also I think we both enjoyed Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII-2 and Skyrim. The only point of difference between us is that I like the OOT Otaku-style RPGs from Compile Heart, NIS and GUST and you don't

But thank you, perhaps there is a chance this'll turn out better than the last couple of times.

I didn't know you enjoyed Skyrim. I was thinking more like Nier, Arland, Morrowind, Star Ocean 3, Final Fantasy XIII, and Demon's Souls.

I still think Demon's Souls difficulty is overrated! Haha

I'm hoping I'll make it to Ni No Kuni this year, but I'm dead set on wrapping up the many games I've already got, before buying new titles.

Hey guys, I wanted to ask a question. Persona 4 Arena is having a $20 sale at GameStop. If I can get over there while the sale is going on, then I'm thinking about buying the game. The problem is that I'm afraid that I won't understand the game's story at all without playing Persona 4. I was planning on buying Persona 4 Golden first and completing it first, but my God $20 is almost impossible to pass up.

So what I'm basically saying is that if there's ANYONE who has managed to beat Persona 4 and played Persona 4 Arena, could you tell me if the game spoils Persona 4 or requires you to understand the story? I have never played a Persona game before, even though I own unplayed PSP copies of Persona 2 and 3. I just haven't had the time to play them due to being busy and having a massive backlog of games. I wasn't even planning on touching Persona 4 Arena since I know next to nothing about the series, but the sale is too incredible to resist and I've heard nothing but good things about this game.

And yes, I thought about buying Persona 4 Golden and Persona 4 Arena all at once on my next trip to GameStop. The only problem is that there are other games I wanted to buy like Zero Escape, Fire Emblem: Awakening, and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed. Man...there are seriously way too many awesome games that came out last year and are coming out this year.

If the sale's still on by tomorrow, I'll be headed to the store to get it. I have to go there anyways, for a job fair.

I just came to post about that sale... I'm so pissed. I bought the game last week for $45.

Blazing through Ni No Kuni to review it has left me utterly exhausted.

I didn't get any sleep

But totally worth it. Best game of the generation - yes, Nier has been toppled.

Are you sure Waltz? Are you sure it's better than Nier?

Yes.

I seriously lost time playing this game. On Friday I sat down at 8am to start playing while my other half went to work. I only realised what time it was when it hit 6pm and she was home, and I was like 0_0

Not even Nier did that.

Color me excited. Aside from GameInformers review, I've heard nothing but good things about Ni No Kuni.

_{You got the job!}

Oh... I was just about to head into the site to see if you had a draft for the review that I could take a peak at, but you've already gotten the review up - time to read! Haha

Game Informer's 7 once again confirms how bad GI is.

And yes a 7 is bad for GI, their rating scale, at least back when I was still reading it regularly meant that 5 and below are all awful. So a 7 is basically a 5 from, I dunno, Edge or something.

I honestly have NFI what GI can criticise about the game. Could someone give me an approximation of what they said is wrong with the game (I haven't read it)?

Me and a friend have been playing through Ni No Kuni for the past 2 days. Wow. Best JRPG of this gen, easily.

I have a strong suspicion that Ni No Kuni is going to end up like Final Fantasy VII.

So good, and so important for the JRPG genre that there is no way that Level-5 can possibly live up to its standards in the future.

Hmm... I actually have a lot of respect for the Game Informer team. Sure, they're not always right on key, but reviews are indeed opinion and I'm looking forward to getting my issue in to see what it is they felt dragged the game down. I wonder if it's the game's extreme length that they felt hindered the game?

Still, they do a lot of things in their magazine that I really enjoy, especially when they go behind the scenes of very old retro titles/franchises. They also have great in-depth previews each month too.

Sorry, not trying to contradict you - I haven't read the review - but sometimes there is truth behind and 'off' review. I don't find Ni No Kuni as a game that people would intentionally want to 'bash' on, so I'm very intrigued to know more on this issue.