Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

The definitive package on Switch with all DLC, a gorgeous Ghibli art style, and a superb orchestral score. Performance holds up well in early and combat areas but slows significantly in larger open-world sections, and the combat is enjoyable yet oversimplified. A lovely experience overall, with kingdom-building and Higgledy companions adding charm despite some streamlining.

A typically twee fantasy JRPG that opens with a strong, bizarre hook before settling into achingly predictable city-to-city plotting and nonsensical story beats. The real-time combat is a cluttered button-masher with poor blocking, while the shallow kingdom management and skirmish modes feel like disconnected interludes rather than integrated systems. It comes across as a hacked-out sequel with thin monster variety and no Studio Ghibli cutscenes.

A definite buy for JRPG fans, this builds on its predecessor with gorgeous, stylish visuals and exceptionally tight pacing that avoids the bloat common to the genre. The combat shifts to satisfying hack-and-slash with charming Higgledy helpers, and the kingdom-building is well integrated into the main loop. The story is a bit predictable and the experience differs from the first game, but the characters stay interesting and it modernizes the franchise well.

A brilliant sequel that addresses nearly every major criticism of its predecessor, with faster, flashier action combat and excellent pacing that never demands grinding. The standout narrative develops into a stunning, emotionally charged tale, well supported by a strong cast and superb English voice work. The kingdom-building and simplistic skirmishes occasionally disrupt the flow and the soundtrack leans too heavily on the original's theme, but it outdoes the original in nearly every way.