Official Makai Kingdom Thread!

[Android18a]

Makai Kingdom is unleashed upon us this Friday 28th October, and I think it deserves an Official Thread. Coming from Nippon Ichi, the guys who brought us the wonderful PS2 strategy titles Disgaea, La Pucelle Tactics and Phantom Brave, Makai Kingdom follows the story of Zetta, the most powerful overlord in the Netherworld!

Pre-order from GAME to get a free artbook (http://shop.game.net/ViewProduct.aspx?cat=10239&mid=327569)

All about the game (http://www.tacticalrpg.com/makai_kingdom/about.php)

Features for Makai Kingdom:

* New! The INVITE system lets you summon army-carrying facilities onto the battlefield. Facilities give special bonuses to your characters, and can store vital healing items.

* New! A variety of vehicles are at your command, from combat motorcycles to gigantic drills. Vehicles can be used to carry characters and items, as well as to attack.

* With the Free Dungeon and Extension Map features, battle maps are randomly generated, providing countless hours of new gaming experiences every time you play.

* Makai Kingdom adopts the free-roaming battle system of Phantom Brave – no more grids!

* Hundreds of weapons, armor, equipment, and characters at your disposal.

* The latest highly-acclaimed Strategy RPG from Nippon Ichi, makers of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, La Pucelle: Tactics, and Phantom Brave.

If you like games such as Fire Emblem, Advance Wars or Final Fantasy Tactics, you'll go loopy for this game!

Screenies:

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/1387/phantomshots9vy.jpg

...Discuss!

[Domstercool]

Seems no one else is interested in strategy RPGs, shame as Nippon make some excellent ones.

I've not had time to start this one myself. I've been really busy with other games.

[JonSt]

Koei, sent me some stuff about this game the other day, bunch of screenshots, looks very much like the old skool with the graphics.

[Android18a]

It is pretty old "skool", yeah. My copy should arrive this morning, I'm so excited! It's my most wanted game this year, easily. Disgaea owned my life, well over 120 hours on the clock (compared to my previous-longest game time Star Ocean 3 at 69 hours).

[Hero-of-Time]

It does look pretty sweet. I see that Phantom Brave and La Pucelle Tactics are £15 on Play.com website. I was wondering are these games like Shining Force 3 and Fire Emblem series? If so I may have to invest in them.

[Android18a]

Think Final Fantasy Tactics. You create your own team (well, in La Pucelle you "purify" monsters into joining you) and battle it out in an isometric enviroment (though the camera can be adjusted, obviously).

Phantom Brave and Makai Kingdom don't use grids though, you have a circle of movement in which you can move in any given turn, rather than the grid-square based systems seen in La Pucelle, Disgaea, Fire Emblem etc.

I'd personally rate all Nippon Ichi strategy games far higher than Fire Emblem, probably on a par with Advance Wars (but with more style, personality and freedom - you choose every aspect about your team, your equipment etc).

Oh, and you can level each character up to lv9999 on Disgaea and PB, not sure about Makai yet.

[Android18a]

Bump :-p

This is the greatest game ever. I've racked up 21 hours on it... since Friday... gooodbye, Social Life :-D

[Cheapshot]

But is it as good as Vandal Hearts...?

[Android18a]

Way better. VH is overrated, I'd say.

[Cheapshot]

Way better. VH is overrated, I'd say.

I rate it pretty well, best strategy RPG I ever played. Might look into this though :)

[Cubechris]

Seems no one else is interested in strategy RPGs, shame as Nippon make some excellent ones.

I've not had time to start this one myself. I've been really busy with other games.

Is this the one I sent you Dom?

[Domstercool]

No you didn't send me this. Samurai Legend Musashi is what you sent :)

[Dr Kong]

Looks great! The problem is, I havn't completed Disgaea, so would that make a difference?

[Android18a]

Not really. It's the same, but different. The Disgaea characters are all in there as unlockable secrets, though... along with a few from other games.

It's a little harder than Disgaea. After 21 hours my team's highest level is only 60 (out of a max level of 9999...)

[JonSt]

Is this game any good then, just got it through the door from KOEI.

[Android18a]

It's freakin' awesome. I'm at 25 hours now, just lost badly to Etna (from Disgaea) in a bonus level :-D