Almost every fan of JRPG's or anime has heard of Ni No Kuni. The adorable series' popularity has allowed for four games to release to date (with a new one in the works!), and the creation of a movie on Netflix. It's fair to say that Studio Ghibli's only video game shows no signs of slowing down.
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Now, the second installment to the series, Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - Prince's Edition, is finally launching on the Nintendo Switch. With that in mind, here are a few beginner tips that any new player should know before heading out on their adventure.
Optimize Party Members
In Ni No Kuni II, there are six options for party members including the game's main protagonist, Adam, the former king of Ding Dong Dell. They each come with different abilities and perks, and kinds of attacks. Aside from Adam, only one other character wields magic, so it's wise to keep one of them in the party at any time.
Melee options include bows, hammers, guns, and swords, among other weapon types. It is also a good idea to figure out favorite party members, and focus on leveling them up to deal as much damage as possible. If players decide they aren't a fan of magic attacks, it doesn't do well to waste time leveling a magic character that they won't use.
Help The Higgledies
Higgledies are a range of 100 helpful creatures available in Ni No Kuni II, replacing the familiars in the first installment. They come in three different helper types: purple magical Higgledies, green ones that provide healing, and white Higgledies that add assistance in combat.
By building the Higgledy Higglery in Evermore, players can keep the Higgledies happy and healthy. Feed them and they become loyal to the party, and will help to no end in battle. Their abilities can be enabled and used multiple times. If a colored circle of them appears on the battlefield, step into it to receive the benefits they each provide.
Save Grinding Until After Chapter Four
As Ni No Kuni and its story progress, more will become available for the player to do. However, it is recommended to stay with the story until chapter four, as the player is guided to all the important moments until this point. After this, the world opens up and exploration really takes hold. Tainted Battles become available on the map, along with numerous side quests and spells to learn. Management of the Kingdoms also becomes more substantial from here as all mechanics become available. Now is the time to rake in those Gilders.
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Grinding should be saved until chapter four too, as there are more battles available here. Enemies get fiercer, so it makes sense to progress the levels of team members from here on out. Spend some time collecting and perfecting familiars.
Correct Combat
Ni No Kuni II's combat is widely regarded as easy. Even taking down enemies above the players' own level is very doable. However, a few helpful tips can still help players out during battle. For example, players can use the roll action to dodge incoming attacks, or can roll over to enemies to attack them. The spin attack is also a very useful tool — it can take out multiple low-level enemies very quickly, which, if used at the beginning of encounters, can speed them up.
In terms of the party system, three fellow fighters can be used at one time. It is best to keep all of their weapons equipped too, even if they overlap. This ensures that there is always a backup and plenty of options for different enemies. Keep swapping out the active party, too, so no one character gets too drained.
Focus On Skirmish Army
The skirmish army battle sections in Ni No Kuni II: The Revenant Kingdom can be a little dry; however, they should not be disregarded. The army comes in to play a little later in the game, and if players take on battles when they appear, it will save grinding for hours later on.
Ideally, the army should reach level 20 by the end of the game. Thankfully, the barracks building can assist in this by keeping the building upgraded and staffed. As players explore the kingdoms, the army will learn new tactics and methods to implement in combat.
Optimize The Tactics Tweaker
The Tactics Tweaker is a menu of options that essentially function as a boost system for battles. After gathering points from fighting enemies, they can be used to level different types of buffs for use during enemy battles. These buffs include damage increases, resistance to certain elements, and the ability to change what spoils are earned. Players can choose whether to earn more gold, more experience, or even choose between rare items or expensive.
This can really help if a certain item needs to be upgraded. If someone requires a lot of gold to upgrade a building, tweak the tactics to earn more cash or expensive items, and the gold will come rolling in quickly.
Target Tainted Monsters
After a certain point in the game, a new type of foe appears: tainted monsters. These angry, glowing enemies should be approached with caution, but not ignored. They will drop very valuable loot, including weaponry above the player's current level. Some are even tied to side quests, and thus will need to be dealt with to progress parts of the story.
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These mini-bosses are found on the overworld map and within dungeons, and there are over 50 of them on the map. The aforementioned Tactic Tweaker can assist with these battles if players find themselves in a pinch, adjusting the available buffs.
Check On Previous Kingdoms
While it may be tempting to only hang around in the latest Kingdom that the player has obtained, they shouldn't forget to check the older ones. For a start, the coffers in the cities will fill up, no matter how upgraded they are. If they're full, the player can't earn more, so make sure to empty them regularly. In a similar vein, Guilders and resources also build up and reach a certain cap. It would be wise to collect these regularly, too.
Players should re-visit previous Kingdoms after every new chapter. New side quests and upgrades become available as the game progresses, and it's important not to miss out on these. They can help to progress all the kingdoms by making more money and researching further technologies. Citizens of the town will also request different things as the game gets going, too, even on the social media platform Leafbook. Look out for messages containing hints for rarer items that have appeared recently.
Gather Twinkling Items
While wandering the Revenant Kingdom, players will notice little shining marks on the ground: collectible items. Make sure to grab them all — a lot of the glimmering pieces are integral for upcoming quests, and it will save a lot of searching down the line. The shimmery spots can be important items for upgrading Higgledies at shrines, too.
The collectibles shouldn't be readily sold due to their importance for side quests, but some things are good to trade with. Some merchants will offer rare and useful items for some picked-up items, such as rare candies.
Build Wisely
The biggest and best piece of advice for new players is to build wisely. Building settlements willy-nilly with seven nice-looking fish markets is a no-go. The ideal starting place for any Kingdom is to make the Outfitters and the Explorers Guild. This gives the player new perks and upgrades, such as faster movement and the ability to mark Higgledies on the map.
From there, it is recommended to create the Institute of Innovation to further research in the Kingdom, as well as the Spellworks so magical elements are not missed out on. Another incredibly good premises to place as soon as possible is the Higgledy Higglery. As previously mentioned, it is imperative to look after Higgledies, and this is the place to do it.