History VideoGame / MakaiKingdom

* FauxAffablyEvil: Most of the overlords except Babylon, who has grown genuinely affable in his own age and isn't really evil anymore anyway, and Seedle, whose outright hostility subverts the "affably" part. Dryzen is probably the most prominent example.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Most of the overlords except Seedle, for a certain value of 'evil'. Dryzen is probably the most prominent example.

Continuing the tradition of wacky TurnBasedStrategy {{RPG}}s started by ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' and ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'', [[Creator/NipponIchi Nippon Ichi Software]] released ''Makai Kingdom'' in 2005. It's the story of 'Badass Freakin' [[DimensionLord Overlord]]' Zetta, who [[MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds accidentally destroys his own Netherworld]] by torching a CosmicKeystone called the Sacred Tome. In order to save himself, he seals himself inside the book before it's completely ruined. Reduced to a sentient tome with no home, no resources and no body, Zetta is forced to enlist the help of his fellow Overlords in a bid to get his netherworld back.

* ArtShift: The begining and ending of the game features a different pool of sprites for the characters, they're highly detailed and proportional to their official art, very different from how they appear in the main game, looking like something straight out of ''VideoGame/OdinSphere''.

* BuffySpeak

* CardCarryingVillain

* CantCatchUp: TEC-users are gimped by this. Post-Game bosses and high-level Dungeon characters tend to have above-average defenses. Unless over-levelled, Support spells will usually come into play to assist. However, there are no spells for buffering the TEC stat. What doesn't help is that ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' chose to do away with item-leveling, which makes Accessories static. Long story short, a TEC-user with 3000 TEC and three Glasses is nothing compared to a Mage with 3000 INT that's been boosted by five Magic Boost spells, turning that 3000 into 5000.
* CerebusSyndrome: Outside of a few moments with Salome, the story has generally been comedic, with episode 7, involving ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' inspired corn, easily being the funniest. Then, that episode ends with Zetta, upon meeting with the other Overlords, roasts a nearby corn with a Zetta Beam, said corn having been implied to be The One. While the laughs continue for a bit with King Drake trying to use the dead The One as a puppet, all comedy is sucked dry as Zetta has to contend with the fact that he might die or lose all his mana.

* CognizantLimbs: Spoofed. The demon lord Valvoga is made up of three parts -- the four-armed AmbiguouslyGay Micky, the ManipulativeBastard Ophelia, and the AxCrazy Dryzen -- but they function as one person in battle.

** Idols and Heaven's Blisses are amazing healer-types with an overabundance of RES, MV and SP. They're also amazingly useless at every form of combat. [[LethalJokeCharacter Unless you happen upon a Syringe and have some Mana to spare]]...

* EvilTaintedthePlace: When [[spoiler: Salome is introduced in Chapter 5]], we see a regal, angelic-looking Netherworld presumed to be hers. When the Final Chapter rolls around and Salome [[spoiler: slams Zetta's Netherworld into hers]], the resulting stages look like dead wastelands that are about to ooze LovecraftLite from their seams.
* EyeBeams

* GlassCannon: Samurai, Hell Sabers, Professors and Archers all have one thing in common: High attacking stats and pitiful HP growth.

* GodWasMyCoPilot: Turns out that "The One", an entity responsible for helping the BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil is really [[spoiler:Ophelia... Although this ''might'' have been a gag. Also, Trenia was the original spirit of the Sacred Tome.]]
* HarmfulHealing: The Syringe can heal the target for free with its basic attack, but the more advanced attacks all cause harm (and replenishes the user's health by an equal amount - it essentially drains away life). Furthermore, it uses the RES stat (which Healers and Medics tend to focus on) to determine its effectiveness, so it can become a very powerful weapon for a class that usually hangs back in the rear.
** Starting with VideoGame/Disgaea3 the Healer class takes advantage of this trope with an skill that deliberately heals so excessively it harms the patient instead as an attack.

* JokeCharacter: King Drake upon recruiting him. His poor Aptitudes prevent him from properly using three out of the four weapons he's good with, and the one weapon type he CAN properly use happens to be the weakest in the game. Just stack him full of shoes and use him to throw people around. That's as useful as he's gonna get.

** Out of the recruitable post-game characters, [[spoiler: Salome]] and [[spoiler: Valvoga]].
* MarketBasedTitle: The fully English name ''Phantom Kingdom'' got renamed to the partially GratuitousJapanese name ''Makai Kingdom'' when it was ported to Europe and North America. It was likely a marketing move to emphasise the connection to the better known ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' (which it shares more thematically) over ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'' (which it shares more mechanically), though it depends on ViewersAreGeniuses to catch the BilingualBonus. The name change was also lampshaded by Asagi:

* MistakenForGay: Zetta is sickened when Drake tells him that he wanted his junk. Drake naturally meant Zetta's money and valuables and not...''that''.

** Valvolga's regular form -- a multi-armed demon, an angel head, and a dragon skull mashed together into one being -- is intended to be evocative of this trope, which is why he's often referred to as "The Last Boss" (of other games).

* SchizoTech: None of the Netherworlds appear to be very advanced technologically, but the demons fight with all kinds of futuristic weapons -- guns, tanks, ''[=UFOs=]''...

* ShoutOut: Like all good Nippon Ichi games, there's plenty -- [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "I didn't know we had an overlord. I thought we were an autonomous collective."]] springs to mind...

** VERY frequently, characters will insist "go play Phantom Brave" sometimes with "instead of this game!" thrown in. Hilariously, Zetta, upon entering Asagi's world, begs to differ.

* SnotBubble: Babylon

* StoneWall: Guardians, Golems and Treasure Boxes are designed to soak up punishment with their high DEF and RES. Don't expect them to be able to actually damage the enemy without help.

* TheDitz: Trenia. Zetta wakes up early in one chapter to find that Trenia has set him on fire and is using it to roast a marshmallow. [[spoiler:borders on FridgeBrilliance when you find out that she's the spirit of the sacred tome and is actually practicing ObfuscatingStupidity... REVENGE!!!!]]

* UselessUsefulSpell: The game's two Magic-using classes (the Witch and Sorcerer, obviously) gain access to spells meant to weaken the stats of enemy units; which in theory should make them the opposite of a Healer. However, the spells will never work on enemy units, whether you are overleveled or underleveled. [[GoodBadBug However, they WILL work on your own forces half of the time, which is actually useful when grinding for Weapon Mastery;]] as you can attack your own teammates to gain Weapon Mastery while also being unable to accidentally kill them if you're extremely strong.

-->"Ellipses are for chumps -- say something!"

* MarketBasedTitle: The fully English name ''Phantom Kingdom'' got renamed to the partially GratuitousJapanese name ''Makai Kingdom'' when it was ported to Europe and North America. It was likely a marketing move to emphasise the connection to the better known ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' (which it shares more thematically) over ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'' (which it shares more mechanically), though it depends on ViewersAreGeniuses to catch the BilingualBonus.

** Nearly all characters in the player's party turn into this come Post-Game due to defenses becoming a DumpStat against higher-levelled foes, typical for [[Creator/NipponIchi Nippon Ichi]] RPGs.

* MasterofNone: Idols and Heaven's Blisses are a subversion. Without being given weapons better-suited to their abundant RES, every one of their Weapon Proficiences prevents them from being able to actually fight.

* CombatMedic: a playable class, one of the Soldier classes, functioning as a healer with gun proficiency. Healers are also surprisingly powerful in this game if you put a syringe into their hands.

* EpicFlail: The final skill of the weapon class known as "Hammer" ''swings the entire map around''.

* [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch Who's the Overlord now, Bitch?!]]
* [[WhoWritesThisCrap "Who The Hell Writes This Crap?"]] asked Zetta.

* CerebusSyndrome: Outside of a few moments with Salome, the story has generally been comedic, with episode 7, involving ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' inspired corn, easily being the funniest. Then, that episode ends with Zetta, upon meeting with the other Overlords, roasts a nearby corn with a Zetta Beam, said corn having been implied to be The One. While the laughs continue for a bit with King Drake trying to use the dead The One as a puppet, all comedy is sucked dry as Zetta has to contend with the fact that he might lose all his mana.

* CerebusSyndrome: Outside of a few moments with Salome, the story has generally been comedic, with episode 7, involving Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail inspired corn, easily being the funniest. Then, that episode ends with Zetta, upon meeting with the other Overlords, roasts a nearby corn with a Zetta Beam, said corn having been implied to be The One. While the laughs continue for a bit with King Drake trying to use the dead The One as a puppet, all comedy is sucked dry as Zetta has to contend with the fact that he might lose all his mana.

* ShoutOut: Like all good Nippon Ichi games, there's plenty -- [[MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "I didn't know we had an overlord. I thought we were an autonomous collective."]] springs to mind...

* JapanesePronouns: Each Overlord uses a different pronoun for "I" that helps the listener quickly key in on their personality. See the Character page for more.

* ArtShift: The begining and ending of the game features a different pool of sprites for the characters, they're highly detailed and proportinal to their offcial art, very different from how they appear in the main game, looking like something straight out of ''VideoGame/OdinSphere''.

* AwesomeButImpractical - Balloon weapons. They use the game's easiest-to-increase stat (SP) to attack, but fling the character using it out-of-bounds just for using it once; That's ignoring the fact that using their special attacks take SP away, thus making them weaker with every use. And if the enemies use Balloon attacks, [[FakeDifficulty they level their friends up upon being thrown Out-Of-Bounds]]
** The Hammer weapons also count. Not only are they the weakest weapon types in the game, but if an allied character takes a hit from an enemy hammer, [[TheComputerisaCheatingBastard it DECREASES THEIR LEVEL BY ONE as well as getting rid of any experience they have have acquired during the battle. Of course, PlayerMooks using Hammers on enemies don't have this effect.]]

* AxCrazy: Dryzen

* BookEnds: The game begins and ends with Zetta consulting the Sacred Tome. The difference is that while he's using the Sacred Tome at the beginning to confirm the prophecy of his Netherworld's destruction, the Normal Ending has him using the Sacred Tome [[spoiler:to bring Salome back to life.]]

* CantCatchUp: TEC-users are gimped by this. Post-Game bosses ad high-level Dungeon characters tend to have above-average defenses. Unless over-levelled, Support spells will usually come into play to assist. However, there are no spells for buffering the TEC stat. What doesn't help is that ''VideoGame/MakaiKingdom'' chose to do away with item-leveling, which makes Accessories static. Long story short, a TEC-user with 3000 TEC and three Glasses is nothing compared to a Mage with 3000 INT that's been boosted by five Magic Boost spells, turning that 3000 into 5000.

* CognizantLimbs: Spoofed. The demon lord Valvoga is made up of three parts: the four-armed AmbiguouslyGay Micky, the ManipulativeBastard Ophelia, and the AxCrazy Dryzen, but they function as one person in battle.)
* CombatMedic - a playable class, one of the Soldier classes, functioning as a healer with gun proficiency. Healers are also surprisingly powerful in this game if you put a syringe into their hands.
* CoolStarship - The battleship Yoshitsuna, piloted by BonusBoss Prinny Baal, which can be yours if you can defeat it.

* DimensionLord: All of the main characters are rulers of a Netherworld (or the Underworld in Seedle's case). Trenia is the only exceptions [[spoiler:and she's the spirit of the Sacred Tome, which may qualify her as one anyway]].
* DirtyCoward: King Drake III

* GenreBusting: The game is a weird mixture of ''Disgaea'' and ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave,'' revolving around summoning allies in the middle of the battlefield but less dependent on objects already on the field. There's nothing exactly like it. (Then again, there was nothing exactly like ''Phantom Brave'' either).

* InnerMonologue - Zetta does this a lot, one time Pram even calls him out on it.

* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Salome
* LoveMartyr: Again, Salome

* MythologyGag: Being a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Phantom Brave'', there's the "Confine" ability. It doesn't work the same way here, with Zetta being literally confined to The Sacred Tome. [[spoiler:More notable is when Trenia returns to The Sacred Tome, she says out "Confine".]]

** Salome in the Final Chapter. In a desperate attempt to get Zetta to [[spoiler:kill her before her Mana is completely drained]], Salome adopts a Yandere persona to get Zetta to pursue her.
* ObligatorySwearing: The champion of TheMultiverse by a long shot, even though it holds the same teen rating [[LaPucelle as]] [[Franchise/{{Disgaea}} the]] [[VideoGame/PhantomBrave others]], the localization is riffled with: Bitch, Slut, Asshat & etc.

** Valvolga's regular form -- a multi-armed demon, an angel head and a dragon skull mashed together into one being -- is intended to be evocative of this trope, which is why he's often referred to as "The Last Boss" (of other games).

* OracularUrchin: Pram and [[spoiler:Trenia]]. Later, it turns out that [[spoiler:Pram doesn't have the power of precognition after all. She was just reading from the Sacred Tome, which recorded the entire past, present and future, the whole time. Also, the Sacred Tome, or rather spirit of it, is actually Trenia, which explains her own power of precognition]].

* SchizoTech: None of the Netherworlds appear to be very advanced technologically, but the demons fight with all kinds of futuristic weapons - guns, tanks, ''[=UFOs=]''...

* ScrewDestiny: Attempted; backfires ''[[HilarityEnsues spectacularly]]''

** In the Japanese audio, whenever Zetta fries someone with his EyeBeams, he calls out [[strike: [[Manga/GetterRobo Getta Beeeeaam!]]]] "ZETTA BEEEEAAM!"

** King Drake once Zetta and Pram [[spoiler: Foil his doomed-from-the-start plan to re-write the Sacred Tome.]]

* TheDitz: Trenia. Zetta wakes up early in one chapter to find that Trenia has set him on fire and is using it to roast a marshmallow. [[spoiler: borders on FridgeBrilliance when you find out that she's the spirit of the sacred tome and is actually practicing ObfuscatingStupidity... REVENGE!!!!]]

** The game will lampshade this in one of the NonStandardGameOver [[spoiler:Zetta can go challenge Salome in her prime. Upon defeating her, he starts losing his powers as Salome was the source of his power. A ''hint'' pops up saying what you did wrong to get the game over, which effectively states "Be careful what you wish for because you may end up feeling stupid afterwards."]]

* UselessUsefulSpell: The game's two Magic-using classes (The Witch and Sorcerer obviously) gain access to spells meant to weaken the stats of enemy units; which in theory should make them the opposite of a Healer. However, the spells will never work on enemy units whether you are overleveled or underleveled. [[GoodBadBug However, they WILL work on your own forces half of the time, which is actually useful when grinding for Weapon Mastery;]] as you can attack your own teammates to gain Weapon Mastery while also being unable to accidentally kill them if you're extremely strong.

-->"Ellipses are for chumps-- say something!"

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou: Justified. Zetta ''is'' the Book that controls the nearby reality. If he dies, the dimension collapses. In fact, if he gets hurt ''everyone'' gets hurt. You can actually manipulate this, too; while injuring Zetta will cause you to be unable to summon any more units, you can quickly heal or buff your entire team by tossing the appropriate spells at him, so long as you're prepared to deal with the enemies getting the same effects.

* VictoryIsBoring: In Alex's ending, where [[spoiler: he kills Zetta]] and then wallows in boredom as [[spoiler: Zetta]] was the only one that offered a challenge to him.

* XMeetsY: This game is almost ''exactly'' a fusion between ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'' and ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'', marrying the graphics style, free-range movement, large variety of weapons, and the deployment of allies through a single character that must be protected of Phantom Brave with the turn-based battle system, combos, and the Netherworld atmosphere of the Disgaea series.

* PlayerMooks: Notably, this game is almost ''all'' PlayerMooks. It's not until the postgame that you recruit anyone else.

Continuing the tradition of wacky TurnBasedStrategy {{RPG}}s started by ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' and ''PhantomBrave'', [[Creator/NipponIchi Nippon Ichi Software]] released ''Makai Kingdom'' in 2005. It's the story of 'Badass Freakin' [[DimensionLord Overlord]]' Zetta, who [[MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds accidentally destroys his own Netherworld]] by torching a CosmicKeystone called the Sacred Tome. In order to save himself, he seals himself inside the book before it's completely ruined. Reduced to a sentient tome with no home, no resources and no body, Zetta is forced to enlist the help of his fellow Overlords in a bid to get his netherworld back.

* BonusBoss: Like all Nippon Ichi games by this point, it's Baal (plus [[PhantomBrave Castille]] and the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' crew). Zetta even [[BreakingTheFourthWall Breaks The Fourth Wall]] by calling him out, knowing the trend.

* GenreBusting: The game is a weird mixture of ''Disgaea'' and ''PhantomBrave,'' revolving around summoning allies in the middle of the battlefield but less dependent on objects already on the field. There's nothing exactly like it. (Then again, there was nothing exactly like ''Phantom Brave'' either).

* MarketBasedTitle: The fully English name ''Phantom Kingdom'' got renamed to the partially GratuitousJapanese name ''Makai Kingdom'' when it was ported to Europe and North America. It was likely a marketing move to emphasise the connection to the better known ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' (which it shares more thematically) over PhantomBrave (which it shares more mechanically), though it depends on ViewersAreGeniuses to catch the BilingualBonus.

* ObligatorySwearing: The champion of TheMultiverse by a long shot, even though it holds the same teen rating [[LaPucelle as]] [[Franchise/{{Disgaea}} the]] [[PhantomBrave others]], the localization is riffled with: Bitch, Slut, Asshat & etc.

--->'''Zetta:''' ...The next game is not another serious drama, is it? [...] If people wanted drama, they would have bought PhantomBrave!

* TakeThat: "...The next game is not another serious drama, is it? [...] If people wanted drama, they would have bought PhantomBrave!"

** VERY frequently, characters will insist "go play Phantom Brave" sometimes with "instead if this game!" thrown in.

Continuing the tradition of wacky TurnBasedStrategy {{RPG}}s started by ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' and ''PhantomBrave'', [[Creator/NipponIchi Nippon Ichi Software]] released ''Makai Kingdom'' in 2005. It's the story of '{{Badass}} Freakin' [[DimensionLord Overlord]]' Zetta, who [[MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds accidentally destroys his own Netherworld]] by torching a CosmicKeystone called the Sacred Tome. In order to save himself, he seals himself inside the book before it's completely ruined. Reduced to a sentient tome with no home, no resources and no body, Zetta is forced to enlist the help of his fellow Overlords in a bid to get his netherworld back.

** Creator/CrispinFreeman as {{Badass}} Freaking Overlord Zetta.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: See MoralEventHorizon

* WeaponsKitchenSink: Everything from swords to [[ThunderDrum drums what shoot electricity]] to wrenches to ''balloons'' can be used as a weapon.

* WeaponsKitchenSink: Everything from swords to drums to wrenches to ''balloons'' can be used as a weapon.

** Salome in the Final Chapter. In a desperate attempt to get Zetta to [[spoiler:kill her before her disease does]], Salome adopts a Yandere persona to get Zetta to pursue her.