‘Maliki: Poison of the Past’ Is Adorable, Quirky, and Full of Spark (Demo Impressions)

Maliki has been a major player in the Webtoon scene since roughly 2004. And while she may be quirky and adorable, she’s never had a proper video game. That is, until now. Maliki: Poison of the Past is an Isekai adventure that put me in the shoes of a young girl named Sand who found herself in Maliki’s world. While I may not be incredibly familiar with the source material, the adorable graphical style and great turn-based combat have made me a true believer and a brand-new fan.

Everybody in ‘Maliki: Poison of the Past’ Looks Like a Blind-Box Figure in the Most Positive Way Possible

The first thing that immediately stood out to me in Maliki: Poison of the Past is just how cute everything here is. The character models? Perfection personified. The landscapes? Absolutely precious. Even the terrifying enemies that I encountered were still somehow adorable as all get out. It’s a very beautiful game on the surface level, and that beauty isn’t just skin deep. Jumping into the turn-based battles was just as engaging as seeing this game unfold in motion.

There’s only so much that folks can do to build upon the already-established turn-based battle system that we all know and love. But Maliki: Poison of the Past does just that. It makes selecting all of your attacks quick, easy, and, most importantly, entertaining. Rather than flipping through endless menus, attacks link to directions on the analog stick, so I could quickly read and find out what attacks would do. Followed up with speedy attack animations, it makes battling a joy to experience.

As I mentioned before, I wasn’t exactly familiar with Maliki and her adventures before jumping into this demo. But the gorgeous art drew me in and made me a fan. Extremely detailed character portraits, paired with the adorable art, make this one that shines above many others that I’ve played. I can’t wait to experience the rest of the world and get to learn more about Maliki and her friends.

Oh yeah, and to find out who chose me from every other person on the planet. But that’ll get explained later, I can only hope. If you’re looking for a cute new RPG to try out, give this one a go.