Maliki: Poison of the Past is a just-announced RPG developed by Blue Banshee and published by Ankama. It masterfully intertwines role-playing, exploration, and turn-based combat mechanics, augmented with a unique time manipulation feature that sets it apart within its genre.
As players navigate through the game, they embody the character Sand, embarking on a mission to traverse various epochs to mend the continuum that has been disrupted by the formidable Poison, a plant monster with the power to alter space-time. The inclusion of the Chrono Pack allows players to manipulate time during battles, enabling them to engage in strategic combat and execute joint attacks with team members Becky, Fang, and Fenimale. This innovative approach to combat, combined with the task of solving temporal puzzles, enriches the gameplay experience, offering players both complexity and depth in how they approach challenges within the game.
The narrative of Maliki: Poison of the Past unfolds in a near-future setting where humanity is on the brink of extinction, setting the stage for an interesting saga led by the mysterious Maliki and a group of temporal survivors who operate from the Domaine, a sanctuary outside of time.
This backstory introduces players to a fantastical odyssey filled with magic and emotionally charged moments and showcases the game’s commitment to delivering a narrative with significant depth, humor, and original anime-inspired visuals. The development studio, in collaboration with graphic novel veterans, has successfully created a game with a unique graphic signature that reflects a fusion of French visual culture and Japanese chibi art styles.
Additionally, the game serves as a bridge to the Maliki graphic novel series, allowing newcomers and fans alike to delve into 20 years of fabulous stories. The Domaine serves as a peaceful haven for players to prepare for their temporal adventures, emphasizing the game’s blend of action-packed sequences with moments of calm and restoration.
Maliki: Poison of the Past is planned for a PC and Switch release, but we must wait for a set release date. Below is an overview of the game via Steam and the announcement trailer.
ABOUT THIS GAME
In the near future, humanity is teetering on the edge of extinction, subjugated by the fearsome Poison, a plant monster that alters the space-time continuum. Led by the enigmatic Maliki, a handful of temporal survivors have joined forces and are coordinating their efforts from the Domaine, a haven outside of time that is so far safe from the threat.
Play as Sand as you travel through the ages to repair the continuum. Use your Chrono Pack to manipulate time, fight the monsters that have infested past worlds alongside Becky, Fang and Fenimale, a wacky and slightly magical band of characters.
Wage strategic battles altering time to trigger devastating joint attacks with your teammates. MALIKI: POISON OF THE PAST is a fantastical odyssey with great depth, offering a surprising mix of roleplaying, exploration, temporal riddles to solve, and turn-based combat.Rest and prepare in the Domaine, take care of the Thousand-Root Tree that protects it from the monster, harvest, cook, improve your equipment and send your hero into the bisections of time with every more powerful and wacky accessories.
In Maliki: Poison of the Past, you’ll find a universe full of magic, a family of endearing characters, and a story full of nuance and emotion, all of which carried by a sharp wit and satisfyingly original anime visuals. Bring harmony back in this unforgettable ecological fable!MAIN FEATURES:
• A COMMITTED AND OFF-BEAT STORY – In a world where defeated humanity clashes with invasive, vengeful natural forces, a small group of colorful adventures struggle to right the world’s balance and save their home. But who is Poison? What is Maliki hiding? And can we pet the cats?
• A NEW GENRE OF COMBAT – Use an original mechanic in turn-based combat: time manipulation! Alter the course of time to create powerful combos with allies, send your opponents into the past, and link your attacks by sliding them toward the future!
• A REFUGE OUTSIDE TIME AND CHAOS – Between sessions exploring time, the Domaine is the perfect place to recharge. Develop your peaceful haven: plant, harvest, cook, craft, and take care of the Thousand-Root Tree holding back time!
• A UNIQUE GRAPHIC SIGNATURE – Thanks to the combined talents of graphic novel greats and experienced video game creators, MALIKI: POISON OF THE PAST offers dynamic graphics with a tang that embody a marriage between French visual culture and Japanese chibi.
• 20 YEARS OF FABULOUS STORIES – The graphic novel series Maliki is a touchstone for many readers. It’s making its first incursion into the world of video games and opening a door to easily enter its delightful universe.
