Makai Kingdom

[g0zen]

I just feel the pacing is a little slow, even for an SRPG.

What pacing? There is no pacing in a turn-based game. You determine the pace. Especially in NIS games, where you either queue all your characters' actions till the end of the turn or you do them there and then. It's a ridiculous criticism, and I'm convinced you just came up with it off the top of your head without any real thought put into it.

[Jeremy]

No, I came up with it after playing the game and realizing that the pace was slower than I'd like, in part, due to needless button presses. It's far from a game-killing thing, just something that disappoints me. I'm fond of the character creation system, and it's pretty funny so far. I just think the pacing could stand to be a bit snappier is all. You're making this into a bigger deal than it needs to be.

[ssbomberman]

I hear this a lot, but I have never played a SRPG that really dealt with absolute strategy, show me an SRPG where you can take a low level character and using simply your wits, defeat a horde of overpowered bad guys. Save Suikoden 2, I have played all the notable ones and have yet to experience this.

But I DO think MK has plenty of strategy with its bases, vehicles, and overpowered levels. Try taking a handful of allies into a 30 floor dungeon that is twice your level and make it out alive. It can be done to an extent with using bait techniques, positioning healers at the right distance, mages too. Also getting your gunners and close ranger people positioned right on the board. Plus don't forget the theives to steal the good weapons to decrease your enemies attack power.

See I see all this as strategy plus I see the entire system as strategic. The way you choose to level your characters, what classes to take them into after each resurrection. This is all my strategy for beating the guys. You had better bet that I had a strategy to beat that level 209 ep 4 guy. I didn't just level up to beat him, I had to make sure I unlocked the right class, chose the right reincarnation classes playing to his faults, and position my weaker allies at the right distance so that my archer would not get Sky Highed to death in one shot.

I mean, if you want to play real strategy, than go with military strategy games but once again it is not only your wits but largely your wealth and firepower that decides who wins in those games as well.

I think NIS has changed strat games, but I do not think they have gotten rid of the strategy. It's just a different mindset. Powerleveling is not without its strategy in itself, but straight leveling is not why I enjoy this game, smart leveling is a more apt term to use. Cause I can level a fighter to a gazillion and he will be infinitely weaker than if I am smart about how I reincarnate.

Yes this is an SRPG and yes it is phenomenal. And the story while not as endearing as Disgaea is still leaps and bounds above most everything I've played this year. It is perfect Japanese style quirkiness. I do not dispute this games Japaneezy-ness, but I do dispute the fact that it tried too hard. It doesn't try anything, it is really well written and funny. The characterizations are hilarious, though Atelier is even funnier I think.

As for the menus I do agree somewhat with Jeremy. I was spoiled by Stella and did rate that one higher than a lot of people cause I felt it did a lot of things right one of them being a very nice and streamlined menu system. So while I think the menu system works fine in MK, I do find myself canceling out commands sometimes cause I try to do things too fast.

I still say this is one of the best SRPGs we have gotten in the US to date. Definitely top 10.

ssb

[RedCoKid]

PS: Redco, what are these faults you speak of?

1) The cutscene graphics are absolutely horrid, relative to NIS' already subpar standards. Anyone who deems this acceptable isn't thinking quite straight. Excluding the intro & ending, all the graphics look like that. The menu icons are unrecognizable, too (more noticeable in the import because you couldn't read the item descriptions). Why are the graphics crap? The game was developed in 6 months (see interview in strategy guide).

2) You can't play with the main characters until long, long after you win the game. The main character Zetta is a stinking base square. Aside from the facts that it's a totally unconventional game design and a waste of the character designer's talent, not allowing you to play with Zetta & friends also makes the main storyline completely irrelevant to the battles (except stages 8-6 and 9-10).


I can't believe EGM and other reviews won't touch these subjects. IMO they dramatically reduce the appeal of the game. The gameplay is fun & the voices are good, but MK deserves 6/10 maximum.


Re: some other comments so far. Most battles take 5-10 minutes! How can that be "slow pacing"!?

[g0zen]

Re: some other comments so far. Most battles take 5-10 minutes! How can that be "slow pacing"!?

I know, he's completely talking out of his ass.

[Diff-chan]

No, I came up with it after playing the game and realizing that the pace was slower than I'd like, in part, due to needless button presses.

This is opposed to Shenmue 2, where one of your favorite things about the game was the extra button presses in QTE.

[Jeremy]

No, if you recall correctly, those were my most loathed things about the game, since they got old towards the end of the game, and didn't help it in multile playthroughs.

g0zen, just because you disagree with me, doesn't mean that I'm talking out of my ass. I feel the game's pacing is slow, as do others. Deal with it.

[g0zen]

g0zen, just because you disagree with me, doesn't mean that I'm talking out of my ass. I feel the game's pacing is slow, as do others. Deal with it.

Others, like? Because all I'm seeing here is two votes from people who've played the game that your analysis is crap. This isn't a matter of preference or taste, this deals directly with one's basic perception of fucking reality. There is no slow pacing in Makai Kingdom. There is no pacing at all.

[Jeremy]

Fine... just get the fuck off my case, Christ.

[g0zen]

Fine... just get the fuck off my case, Christ.

Just stop writing reviews. Christ.