Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound
- May 10, 2022
- Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamIn Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound, play as Overlord Zetta on a mission to reclaim his Netherworld and body after a prophecy's fulfillment. Employ strategic planning, magical prowess, and an array of deadly weapons to seize enemy territories. The game boasts a unique INVITE system for summoning your army and introduces Petta Mode, delving into Zetta's daughter's origins.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Makai Kingdom offers a unique and enjoyable tactical RPG experience with a humorous story and engaging characters.
- The game features interesting mechanics such as character creation from objects, vehicles, and facilities, providing a variety of strategic options.
- Nostalgic fans of the original PS2 version will appreciate the return of beloved elements and the inclusion of the Petta mode from the PSP release.
- The port suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, poor graphics scaling, and lack of quality-of-life improvements that modern players expect.
- Many players feel that the remaster lacks significant enhancements, making it feel like a lazy cash grab rather than a true upgrade.
- Gameplay mechanics can be convoluted and poorly explained, leading to frustration, especially for newcomers to the series.
- story26 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, featuring enjoyable characters and clever dialogue, though some find it basic and campy. While the main plot is fun and heartfelt, the game's mechanics and quality of life options have not aged well, leading to some frustration. Overall, fans of NIS games will likely appreciate the humor and voice acting, despite some inconsistencies in the storytelling experience.
“I loved the story writing, the genius level dialogue writing & exceptional voice actor work.”
“The plot is fun, silly, and surprisingly heartfelt in moments like many of NIS's outings, and its voice acting work is as wonderful as any of them.”
“I found the story and characters to be enjoyable.”
“The story is non-existent.”
“Its story is ridiculous.”
“The story is okay but not fantastic.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its unique and often absurd mechanics, including vehicle and facility systems that add depth but can feel clunky and convoluted, especially for players accustomed to more streamlined titles. While it offers fun challenges and an engaging story, the game suffers from a lack of clear explanations for its systems, and some mechanics have not aged well. Overall, it appeals to fans of NIS strategy games, though it may frustrate those expecting modern quality-of-life improvements.
“If you enjoy NIS strategy games, this one is worth playing as it's probably the most absurd and the mechanics are fun.”
“Cool and funny story and very unique battle mechanics - clunky but so different and fun.”
“The mechanics are interesting and a step up from Phantom Brave.”
“Its gameplay mechanics are ridiculous.”
“However for fans of the later Disgaea games who are used to more streamlined experiences, a warning: this game was made during the PS2 era, and you might find the gameplay a little stiff.”
“It hasn't aged well (especially the mechanics with vehicles) and the after-game is not particularly great even by the standards of older games the company has done, but the main story itself is fun enough.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics have been criticized for lacking significant improvements over the original PSP version, with many users noting that they appear blurry and outdated, particularly during cutscenes. Additionally, there are no quality-of-life enhancements or options to adjust graphics settings, which contributes to a feeling of stagnation rather than modernization. Overall, the graphical presentation is seen as a downgrade rather than an upgrade, failing to meet contemporary gaming standards.
“The graphics are the same as on PSP; they just ported the game, but with the 'petta mode' which I got stuck in because I had a weak army and the dungeons were long, and I couldn't get to the end.”
“Even with the 'upgraded' filters turned off in the settings menu, the large text and characters during cutscenes are blurry, so graphically it looks like a downgrade.”
“This is not a modern game with modern graphics or controls.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and lacking quality-of-life improvements, particularly in post-game content, which can feel like a hassle. While some players appreciate the colorful cast and engaging plot, they note that effective grinding may require significant research and optimization. Overall, the experience of grinding varies, with some finding it excessive compared to other titles in the genre.
“Grinding for levels, farming for mana, and absolutely just obsessing over tips and tricks from friends who played.”
“Post-game content is a hassle to get to, and grinding is more tedious than in the Disgaea games.”
“The maps are honestly tedious.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, striking a balance between lightheartedness and serious moments, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique and funny story, along with hilarious dialogue that reflects the Disgaea brand of humor. The protagonist is noted for being both cool and comically engaging, contributing to the game's fun atmosphere.
“It's mostly humorous, but it knows when to dial back on the silliness when things get serious.”
“Cool and funny story and very unique battle mechanics - clunky but so different and fun.”
“Hilarious dialogue!”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment over the lack of quality improvements or remastering, suggesting that the developers prioritized profit over delivering a polished experience. Users noted significant issues, such as crashes during gameplay, which further fueled the perception of laziness in development.
“No quality of life improvements, nothing remastered; it feels like a cash grab.”
“It's just classic NIS laziness at work. They somehow managed to release the Switch port with unavoidable crashing issues during a non-skippable cutscene. How did they not notice that? Because they were too lazy to put in the 20 hours needed to play a single run. This is nothing but a quick cash grab release by recycling old content.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, with users noting its lasting appeal and quality, describing the soundtrack as "awesome" and "very nice," even two years after its release.
“The soundtrack is awesome; even after 2 years, I still listen to it.”
“The soundtrack is also very nice.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Phantom Brave is praised for its emotional depth, combining a fun and silly plot with surprisingly heartfelt moments. The voice acting, particularly Crispin Freeman's performance as Overlord Zetta, enhances the game's emotional impact, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of NIS games.
“Phantom Brave is a heart-wrenching great time.”
“The plot is fun, silly, and surprisingly heartfelt in moments, like many of NIS's outings. Its voice acting work is as wonderful as any of them, with Crispin Freeman delivering a fantastic performance as the main character, Overlord Zetta. If you have enjoyed previous NIS games, you'll probably like this one.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant bugs, leading to frustration among players regarding its stability.
“The game is incredibly buggy, which has been a major source of frustration for me.”
“I encountered numerous stability issues that made the gameplay experience quite unpleasant.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches have ruined my enjoyment of the game.”
