Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: NIS America
Platform: PS4
Tested on: PS4
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 – Review
The Witch and the Hundred Knight was one of NIS America’s very quirky new franchises that was released several years ago on the PlayStation 3, and eventually made its way on the PlayStation 4. While the game possessed an original tale, and put you on the evil side of the fence for once, it wasn’t really clear if a sequel would ever hit the stores, as it seemed as if it was a one trick pony in terms of story and mechanics. Nonetheless, NIS America decided it was time for a follow-up, with new characters, new witches but still with the Hundred Knight in the lead, albeit under the command of someone else, and in a slightly different form due to his awakening. This time he did not appear from another realm, but his spirit was infused in a stuffed animal. Those expecting something totally new might be disappointed, but those hoping for ‘more of the same’ as the first game will be pleased with this second installment.
Story
Players of the first game will undoubtedly remember (and perhaps slightly miss) the foulmouthed Metallia, the witch that summoned the Hundred Knight to this world and forced him the wreak havoc upon all that was good surrounding her swamp. This time however we are greeted by a cute pair of siblings, the teenager Amalie, and her adorable little sister Milm. Sadly, our introduction is immediately riddled with dread as the tiny Milm has contracted the Witch Disease, which will slowly turn her into an awakened witch, who will no longer possess Milm’s personality, creating an entirely new being in the process. Amalie decides to find help, and she does so in the WR, an organization that occupies itself with ridding the world of witches and curing those who contract the horrible disease. Of course, we didn’t expect that much of a happy ending when it was time for Milm’s surgery, and instead of removing the curse, she becomes an awakened witch by the name of Chelka. Of course this new entity wants to be feared and eventually rule the world as the most powerful witch in existence and to do so, she has summoned a familiar out of a stuffed animal in the form of the Hundred Knight. Once again the player will become this small and adorable creature to do the witch’s bidding. At least, until Amalie returns and your allegiance shifts constantly between good and evil, on the one hand to help Amalie in her quest to get Milm back, and on the other hand to make sure Chelka doesn’t go overboard.
While the first game revolved around a power hungry witch, this game tries to mix things up by placing the allegiance of the Hundred Knight in the hands of both a character that stands for all that’s good in the world, and one that’s purely evil and vile. Due to this, you’ll constantly feel conflicted, as you’ll do both good deeds, as well as very evil things in order to keep both characters happy, and more importantly alive. The flow of the story is pleasant, the dialogues are funny and witty and the characters, even the evil ones, are often very likeable, making the game’s story very appealing.
Graphics
Graphically the game hasn’t changed that much since the release of the first game on the PlayStation 3, safe for taking off the rough edges the original game had. You’ll still be treated to a very colorful and cheerful game, even though it contains a lot of disturbing scenes. The latter are often lightened by the character design, and the scenes that are built around them. The dialogues are often presented in a visual novel-esque style, which perfectly suits the fully voiced conversation.
The actual gameplay looks a bit recycled from the original game, as it features many of the same enemies, areas and of course the same attack effects. Nonetheless, The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 looks spiffy, even though it never pushes the console’s limits. Just like the dialogue sequences you’ll be treated to a bright and vibrant game, that motivates you to press forward, not only for the portrayal of the story, but also the world you’ll be able to explore, expansive as it is, while also being limited in terms of special encounters.
Sound
As is the case with many of NIS America’s titles, the sound design is superb, and often complements the graphical style of the game. The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 is no exception in NIS America’s portfolio, once again treating the player to a fully voiced game with a superb (English) cast supporting the characters. You’ll be treated to a lot of funny and lighthearted conversations, that will certainly amuse you, and make the longer dialogue sequences fun to watch and listen to. The sound effects of your tiny warrior are also on point, albeit somewhat repetitive when you wade around enemy territory for a bit too long.
Gameplay
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 is a game that combines many different genres into one, such as traditional RPG elements, hack and slash gameplay and visual novel portions. The latter is how the story is portrayed for the most part, but in the actual gameplay sequences you’ll be running around with the Hundred Knight and bashing in enemies’ heads. From start to finish you’ll be following the orders of either Chelka or Amalie, which means you’ll sometimes have to fight the forces of evil, but also those on the good side of the fence.
Combat is rather interesting in this game, as you’ll be able to equip five weapons at a time, which will alternate, forming one big combo if you keep pressing the attack button. If you combine the proper weapons, you can do massive damage, or you can make sure your opponents don’t have that much time to counter your moves. After a while the game will also introduce ‘facets’. These facets are basically different character builds, each able to equip five weapons, armor pieces and accessories, creating somewhat different play styles for your character. Each facet has different stats in terms of HP, and weapon damage. This means that a certain facet is better with swords, while others are better with hammers or other weapons.
The crafting system in The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 is very simplistic, but also extremely satisfying. You’ll be able to upgrade your weapons and armor, to gain more attack damage and/or defense. First you can simply level up your items, by sacrificing materials and/or other weapons, to gain experience for said item you wish to upgrade. You’ll have to keep in mind the rarity of the base item, as the rarer an item is, the higher you can level it. If you max the level, you can also add other effects with other items, making these items even stronger. Overall you’ll get the hang of it after mere moments, which makes the crafting system very pleasant.
While the difficulty can be altered after some hours into the game, it’s still a reasonably hard title to plow through if you keep it on the normal setting. You’ll notice that the difficulty will go up in leaps, making it so that grinding is by no means a luxury, which might scare off some players. Nonetheless, you can simply alter the difficulty into something easier, so you can continue your journey.
Conclusion
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 is a very welcome continuation of a series that at first seemed like a one-hit wonder. You’ll be treated to the same witty dialogues as the first game, with familiar mechanics, a vibrant and colorful world, and many hours of fun with different builds, items and collectibles for you to uncover when beating the living crap out of hundreds of enemies. If you were into the first game, you’ll certainly love this second installment of the witch-crazed series that will keep you hooked for hours on end.
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