The Witch And The Hundred Knight: Revival Edition Review (PS4)

Two years ago we had the opportunity to play The Witch and the Hundred Knight, an amazingly deep and enjoyable top down action RPG for the PS3. Now NIS America brings us the enhanced port called The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival. Does it bring anything worthwhile?

 

The story follows the evil witch Metallica (called Metallia in the western versions for obvious reasons) who summons the adorable but bafflingly named Hundred Knight to help do her bidding. Bound by contract he bewilderingly is forced to assist her. It’s refreshing to play the game as a lackey for the antagonist. However, it’s bound to be off-putting to some, with its rather creepy humor at times.

 

 

As far as the cast of characters go, everyone is super eccentric and a joy to watch. From the foul-mouthed demon butler Arlecchino, to the cursed dog princess, to the various enemies you meet on the way, there is never a moment of boredom with the cast.

 

At a glance you might think this is a Diablo clone; It has all the loot grabbing, monster slaying, weapon upgrading you’ve come to expect. But dig a bit deeper and you will find a ton of systems which make this game stand out.

 

You play as the empty headed Hundred Knight. While he is somewhat short for a hero he is quite nimble allowing for a lot of control. You have direct control of the Hundred Knight making for some compelling gameplay as you dodge and counter enemies left and right.

 

The Witch and The Hundred Knight Revival Edition Review - 1

 

Calling this game unique is an understatement. Everything from the weapon system to loot drops functions fundamentally different than you may have grown accustomed to. You won’t just equip the most powerful weapon and use it through the whole game, but instead you will equip up to five weapons each corresponding to one attack in your combo. There is a variety of weapon types and each has its own use dealing more damage to different enemy types.

 

The loot you find will be ingested by the Hundred Knight and will only really be available once you make it back to your home base. You will need to manage your energy, which functions like a hunger meter in other games, with the only effective way of replenishing it by returning to your base, using up points or consuming weakened enemies at the expense of gobbling up some trash. From time to time you will also stumble across villages and even be able to visit people’s homes and raid them for valuable loot.

 

 

The Witch and The Hundred Knight Revival Edition Review - 4

 

Almost all the additions of this version revolve around the Tower of Illusion. You will unlock this segment fairly early on. Here you will meet up with a younger Metallia and with her help scale a massive tower floor by floor. Every few minutes you will be able to play as Metallia and use her destructive magic for a limited amount of time. Another addition is the inclusion of catalysts that you will stumble across in the tower. These catalysts will allow you to upgrade your existing weapons.

 

Another nice addition is the fact that you now have two more weapon sets available for quick swapping. This makes hoarding weapons and planning what to bring with you much more enjoyable since you will spend a lot less time in the menu. One smaller addition in the PlayStation 4 version is the voice of the Hundred Knight which now also comes from the DualShock 4 controller itself.

 

The Witch and The Hundred Knight Revival Edition Review - 3

 

The Witch and the Hundred Knight was a looker even on the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 4 brings a higher resolution, better lighting and improved models. Everything looks stunning, filled with a ton of detail. The game at times looks like a miniature diorama. Not only that but you will have a huge world to explore which includes cities at night, palaces, beautiful canyons and lush forests. We’d love to be able to zoom in and take up all the detail, but just like in the original you can only rotate your camera with no control over the zoom.

 

We still can’t help but wish for a Vita version of the game, since it’s perfect on the go, with bite-sized levels and an addictive looting system. Fortunately, you can play the game on the Vita thanks to Remote Play.

 

 

The Witch and The Hundred Knight Revival Edition Review - 2

 

The Witch and the Hundred Knight does so much out of the ordinary, from its unique story, addictive gameplay and wacky characters. However, if you played the original on the PlayStation 3 there isn’t enough here to warrant a second playthrough. Newcomers on the other hand, are bound to get more than their money’s worth.

 

The Witch and The Hundred Knight Revival Edition Review - 5

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