Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

PSX 2016 offers RPG fans a glimpse at gameplay combat in 'Ni no Kuni II'

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Bandai Namco Entertainment offered fans a first look at Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom‘s gameplay in a new trailer at PlayStation Experience 2016, revealing the upcoming sequel will feature a real-time battle system that improves on the original game’s combat mechanics.

Developed by Professor Layton series creator Level-5, Ni no Kuni II is scheduled for a worldwide launch for the PlayStation 4 in 2017.

Recommended Videos

Ni no Kuni II continues the fantasy-themed storyline introduced in 2013’s Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for the PlayStation 3. Taking control of the displaced boy king Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, players seek out a new kingdom to rule after fleeing their home in the wake of a military coup.

The upcoming sequel will feature a hybrid combat system similar to the original Ni no Kuni‘s while offering players more strategic options in battle. The action takes place in real time, with cooldown meters determining your party’s turn order. Players also have access to a range of deadly magic attacks, along with character-specific combat skills.

Given that the game’s storyline focuses on the founding of a new empire, Ni no Kuni II will likely feature a town-building element similar to the Dark Cloud games. Though this week’s new trailer offers a preview of Ni no Kuni II‘s combat system, Level-5 has not announced details regarding the game’s exploration or town-building mechanics.

Developer Level-5 continues to be one of Japan’s most prolific game creators, and Ni no Kuni II will follow up on recent studio projects like Yo-kai Watch 2 and LBX: Little Battlers Experience. Level-5 boasts expertise within the realm of console-styled RPGs in particular, having previously produced well-received games like Dark Could 2, Rogue Galaxy, and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King.

Though Level-5 is best known for its Professor Layton series, which spawned multiple sequels across the Nintendo DS and 3DS, RPGs remained a focal point for the company throughout its 18-year history. The company is also a frequent collaborator with Nintendo, which previously stepped up to publish localized versions of Inazuma Eleven and Fantasy Life in North America.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom will launch exclusively for the PlayStation 4 in 2017.

Danny Cowan
Danny Cowan
Former Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Topics
This study found a surprising mental health perk hiding in your game library
Researchers surveyed 2,252 adults and found that specific game genres, not gaming in general, line up with lower loneliness and stronger emotional resilience.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild official artwork

A new study has found that adults who play certain video games report feeling less lonely and more emotionally resilient than people who don't play games at all. The findings challenge the idea that gaming is just a way to escape from real life and instead tie specific kinds of games to real, measurable shifts in how people cope with stress and isolation.

What the study found

Read more
GTA 6 may be far away, so Rockstar gave GTA 5 a fresh coat of paint
Grand Theft Auto 5

With Grand Theft Auto 6 now just months away, Rockstar Games is giving longtime Grand Theft Auto 5 players a reason to revisit Los Santos. The company has announced that owners of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of GTA 5 will receive a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game.

The move comes as Rockstar ramps up excitement for GTA 6, which is currently scheduled to launch on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. Previously, upgrading from the older console versions to the current-generation release required a separate purchase, typically costing around $10. Beginning Thursday, however, eligible players will be able to move to the newer version at no additional cost.

Read more
GTA 6 pre-orders open June 25 as Rockstar ramps up its launch campaign
GTA 6 marketing is picking up speed ahead of November launch
GTA 6 cover art

Rockstar Games has finally revealed when players will be able to secure their copy of Grand Theft Auto 6. In a post published on X, the studio confirmed that GTA 6 pre-orders will open on June 25, giving fans their first official date after months of rumors and retailer leaks.

The announcement arrives just over four months before the game's scheduled launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. So far, two trailers of the game have been released, giving us a glimpse at the protagonists Jason and Lucia and the modern-day Vice City setting.

Read more