Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2

Review - The tales of a bad-ass freaking overlord and an unlosing (??) ranger

In my opinion, Nippon Ichi Software and in turn Nippon Ichi Software America shone brightest during the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable eras of gaming. In an era where 2D and 3D gaming were both commonplace still and shone equally, they managed to create some amazing games in the JRPG genre by taking aspects of both and complimenting it with their own flair which was innovative and eccentric at the time. What hasn’t been consistent in past years is the availability of such games, with some of NIS America’s library receiving a bevvy of remastered versions, especially in their flagship Disgaea franchise, while others have never been available off their original console. At least… until now. Two of the biggest underappreciated gems, Makai Kingdom from the PlayStation 2 era and Zettai Hero Project from the PlayStation Portable are now available in one collection on the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC – Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2.

Both Makai Kingdom and Zettai Hero Project have been brought across faithfully from their original releases. For the latter, outside of a few quality of life fixes and amendments to suit the Nintendo Switch’s controls, it is pretty much the same as the original release. It is a classic that I can wholeheartedly recommend, and I encourage you to read my 2011 review of it HERE. Just keep in mind that it was written more than a decade ago as of writing, the game itself being just as old.

Makai Kingdom is the shining gem in this collection, offering a significant overhaul from the original PS2 release. This version in the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2 collection is based on the PlayStation Portable remaster of the game (Known in English as Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Reborn), which for years has been exclusive to the Japanese market. Like the Disgaea remasters of the time, not only does the game feature many bug fixes and visual improvements, but also a whole suite of new content in the form of ‘Petta Mode’. ‘Petta Mode’ is a postgame expansion comparable in scale to the original game, and follows Zetta and his purported future daughter Petta as they get into all sorts of hijinks.

Now, if you are like me, the first question on your lips would be whether or not NIS America would be bringing back acclaimed voice actors Crispin Freeman to reprise his role of Zetta. Fortunately, all pre-existing English dubbing has been returned in the main campaign, featuring the talents of Crispin Freeman, Amanda Winn Lee, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Wendee Lee, and even Nolan North. However, Freeman did not return to voice Zetta in new content, with Patrick Seitz taking on the iconic role. The difference is noticeable, but this did mean that NIS America put the time and effort into properly dubbing the entirety of the new content. Other voice actors are clearly different here and there, or otherwise, sound different given how long it has been since the main dub, but overall it is a decent cast voicing the new content.

Regarding the game itself, Makai Kingdom is a cult classic for good reason, and it still holds up today, both with its addictive and slightly more challenging gameplay, and memorable characters that are zany and have their quirks dialled up to eleven. Its unique elements around the main playable character being a book needing to summon allies, the ability to equip almost everything as a weapon, and the sheer variety of playable classes/monsters and skills make it oh-so-satisfying to play through once again. If there were one thing I would have liked to have seen, it would have been an increase in overall game speed – battles can be needlessly drawn out with how slow each turn can be, complemented by drawn-out character animations. I recall these being amazing when Makai Kingdom was first released, but given current trends in gaming, a few more settings would have been welcome.

This is a very general review that can be summarised as this: both games, especially Makai Kingdom, are worth picking up on the Nintendo Switch or Windows PC. The PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable eras of gaming were truly my welcome to the JRPG market, and some true gems are getting to see the light of day thanks to the Prinny Presents NIS Classics collections. If you were to choose one, I would highly recommend this collection, with Makai Kingdom and Zettai Hero Project showcasing some classic Nippon Ichi Software JRPG gameplay at its finest. Here’s hoping that NIS America continue this series post-Volume 3 (containing Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure and La Pucelle), perhaps diving into the Japan exclusive PSP-library, and providing motivation for other publishers to dust off their PS2 and PSP backcatalogues and give them new life now and into the future.

9

A review code for Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2 was provided by Nippon Ichi Software America for the purpose of this review.

Both games were playtested on original launch-day Nintendo Switch hardware.

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

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