New Ni no Kuni 2 gameplay video shows RTS-inspired skirmish mode, combat and questing

Bandai Namco have released a bumper new gameplay video for Ni no Kuni 2, showing off the game’s skirmish mode, as well as a bit of questing and combat.

The 25 minute video - which features commentary from Stephen Akana, Ni no Kuni 2 brand manager - first details the strategy-inspired skirmish mode, where chibi versions of the game’s main characters square off against battalions of enemies on large, open battlefields.

In skirmish mode, you command different kinds of units with different types of attacks - there’re red sword wielders, blue spear soldiers and green hammer users. Each unit takes its place at the corner of a “rock-paper-scissors” style combat triangle, where red is strong against green, green against blue, and blue against red.

There are also commanders and fortifications that need to be destroyed in what looks like a fun little change of pace.

The video then transitions into something more closely resembling classic JRPG gameplay, when new protagonist Evan receives a quest from the head of the Sky Pirates to rescue his daughter from a group of wyverns.

Between towns and dungeons player-characters turn back into their chibi form, exploring and collecting items, until they run into a monster which triggers a battle scene like in the last Ni no Kuni - where Evan and his party take on enemies in a smaller arena.

Ni no Kuni 2’s release date was pushed back in December, and will now appear on PC and PlayStation 4 on March 23 2018.