Pokémon meets Studio Ghibli in stunning RPG you can play free now

I spent Christmas on a bit of a Studio Ghibli kick, because can you think of a better way to spend time off? But after seeing The Boy And The Heron in the cinema (loved it) and devouring the likes of Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Spirited Away, and more for the umpteenth time, I found myself wanting more.

There are, I think it's fair to say, not that many games that come close to capturing that Studio Ghibli magic. Many have tried, of course. But as I travelled through my growing backlog of video games, I stumbled upon an RPG that absolutely hit the spot and gave me exactly what I was looking for.

Check it out below!

If you've never heard of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, I urge you to check it out as soon as you can. First released on PlayStation 3 way back in 2010, it's a colourful RPG that probably flew under the radar of gamers who prefer to focus on the mainstream. It's a game with a huge cult following, so if you are aware of how brilliant this RPG is, just be aware I'm writing this article so that a new group of gamers can discover the magic.

You'll notice immediately that Wrath of the White Witch is steeped in Ghibli magic, and that's because the studio is actually involved in the game. Studio Ghibli produced the game's stunning animated sequence, and the world, monsters, and rich cel-shaded aesthetic all spring from the same clear inspiration.

It's a classic story of good vs evil, with a young child entering a strange fantasy world, meeting incredible characters, and battling monsters. It's best described as a blend of Pokémon and Final Fantasy, with a dash of The Legend Of Zelda thrown in for good measure.

A remastered version of Wrath of the White Witch is currently available on all modern consoles. I'm currently playing it for the first time on my Switch, and am absolutely loving it. However, if you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription you can currently play it completely free. I would encourage you to take advantage, because this game really is quite, quite wonderful.