Man, “Maliki – Poison of the Past” is a real mix of stuff. So, imagine a game that’s juggling turn-based combat, time fiddling, and managing a little town. It screams cozy and tactical adventure, right? Well, yeah, kinda. It’s like, they tried too hard to be everything at once, and it gets a bit confused about its identity. Still, you gotta appreciate the ambition there.
So here’s what’s up: It’s labeled as an RPG, and honestly, that part rocks. But here’s the catch—there’s this whole side hustle with town management, which has you growing veggies and exploring an area that’s called Domaine. It’s fun, sure. I mean, who doesn’t like breaking rocks and cutting grass? But sometimes, it feels stuck in there just because that’s what’s cool right now. And about being “cozy”—eh, not really. Some puzzles need such exact timing, and don’t even get me started on the glitches and boss battles. It’s like they tossed a whole salad when a simple Caesar would’ve done.
Right, onto the fun stuff—RPG bits. They’re solid but constantly interrupted by dialogue and cutscenes. Don’t get me wrong, those bits are beautifully animated. Still, I couldn’t really vibe with the characters; they’re like a collection of quirks more than actual personalities. And remembering them? I’d be like, “Oh, that’s the spiky-haired dude,” rather than using names. Meanwhile, if you’ve read the webcomic it’s based on, this might be less of a problem. But hey, they said you wouldn’t need to know it beforehand.
Some parts do stick with you, though. Like, the time travel stuff is really cool. Instead of the usual medieval scenes, you’re in an ’80s farm, a ’90s school, or the Louvre in the ’00s. The enemies are a trip too; they’re like animals, humans, and objects all warped by these poison parasites. Exploring for items brings some laughs, even if it’s just the RPG parts keeping you hooked.
Now, about the mazes—they’re everywhere. Even the game’s characters are like, “Ugh, not again.” It gets a bit repetitive with all the puzzle-solving requiring you to switch characters over and over just to move on. Tourists blocking your path in the ’00s feel just like students in the ’80s. The thrill wears off after a while.
Oh, but the music! It’s got a killer soundtrack. Anything that reminds me of Zelda is a win in my book. You can even tweak the volume for tracks and effects separately. So that’s cool.
Here’s the snag—each character has special skills, but glitches make them pop up randomly. You think you can use them, but nope. Plus, there’s a buffet of other bugs: game freezes, crashes, the whole shebang. Sometimes, I had to reboot because a puzzle lost its marbles. Some game mechanics are just dropped in your lap without a hint of explanation. And seriously, no map? How does a game in 2023 not have a map when games from the ’90s got that down pat?
Look, it’s got potential; don’t get me wrong. But it feels unfinished, like it could’ve used a bit more time in the oven. So even with its bright spots—like the rad music—it’s tough to give it a thumbs up with all those glitches hanging around. It’s packed with creativity, but needs some TLC to really shine.
