Author: Nathan Doverspike
I have learned a lot with during my time with Ni No Kuni 2: Higgledies are like adorable Pikmin but better, I am pretty sure I would love the Tales games if the combat is anything like Ni No Kuni 2, and open world JRPG’s still bring out that wonder you normally only feel as a kid. Here are some spoiler free tips and hints as you begin your journey with this spectacular and breathtaking new JRPG from Level 5.
Play the Game Your Way
This might sound obvious, but it’s especially true with Ni No Kuni 2. After the somewhat brief (compared to other JRPG’s like Xenoblade Chronicles 2) tutorial, it becomes abundantly clear that there are many more moving pieces going on here that you can interact with and enjoy. Or not. That’s your choice! Do you want to focus on upgrading and nurturing new Hiddledies? Would you rather build up your city into a glorious and magical new kingdom? Or do you want to hunt down all the tainted enemies that inhabit the world to truly make it a peaceful world? You can do all that and more, or choose to just play through the story with minimal to no interaction with the numerous systems available. That’s just one of the great things about this game that I hope people don’t overlook.
Don’t Rush To Sell All Your Items
I made this mistake about half way through the game. I though that I needed all the gold possible (trust me, you don’t), so I decide to sell all the extra armor, weapons, and miscellaneous items I had in my inventory. Turns out, I definitely needed those to complete side quests a couple hours later and had to spend a lot more gold than what I received for selling it to get similar items for those quests. Word of advise, don’t sell all your items unless you have plenty extra or are more focused on completing the main story and not the majority of side quests.
Upgrading Your Spells Will Make Combat a Piece of Cake
The Spellworks building in game allows you to upgrade your skills/spells for each character. If you want a challenge, don’t upgrade them to the max or unlock the upgraded version of them. However, if you want to feel really powerful by the end and exert your power as King Evan by demolishing anyone who stands in your way (i.e. tainted monsters), then upgrading these will definitely help you accomplish that goal. By leveling up the building, having the right personnel assigned to it, and completing research you are ultimately working towards building an unstoppable team of charming adventurers.
Higgledies Aren’t Just Cute, They’re Useful Too
Going into this game, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the combat. I loved the first game, and really enjoyed the familiar catching and evolving that reminded me of an open world Pokemon game. Still, I went into this one with an open mind about the combat and, like everything else in this game, it doesn’t disappoint! Each Higgledie has an elemental affinity, like normal, fire, nature, just like the familiars in the original game. Unlike the orginal game though, you don’t take direct control over them. They are still important since they can boost your stats, or even awaken and use special abilities like transforming into a cannon or raising your resistances to certain elements. Having the right combination of Higgledies in your party can sometimes mean the difference between defeating a tainted enemy, or having to retry the battle from the start. By upgrading the Higgledie Hut and nurturing new ones, you can make sure you’re prepared for any enemy you want to take down. Plus, they are really, really cute.
What do you think of Ni No Kuni 2? Has it lived up to your expectations? Are you enjoying the change in combat more or less? Let me know in the comments and feel free to post any other hints or tips I may have missed.
Golden Age Gamers 