I mentioned back when Volume 1 of the Prinny Presents: NIS Classics set was released, that I thought this was a genius idea. What better way to preserve your games for future generations and get people talking than to re-release them with all their original features intact? Sure, you could do a full remake in the vein of Final Fantasy VII Remake, or an overhaul like the Pixel Remasters, but this is a safe bet on a cheaper budget. Prinny Presents: NIS Classics Vol. 2 brings back a game I loved on the PS2, and one I never got to play.

In Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound, you play as Overlord Zetta, the most powerful overlord, who rules his own Netherworld. He is selfish, arrogant, and not very smart. However, when he gets turned into a book and loses his netherworld, he begins a journey to figure out how to solve his predicament, taking on other Overlords on the way.

Makai Kingdom plays very similarly to the Disgaea franchise. Zetta can summon units that he creates into battle. He can also summon vehicles, facilities, and more. The game has strategic combat, with plenty of ways to build characters and implement strategies against enemies and bosses. Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound specifically offers a whole new mode that was never used in the Western release. Petta mode lets you play a whole new story from Zetta’s daughter Petta, from the future.

This means you have two full storylines that likely venture well over 100 hours, in just this half of the bundle alone. We haven’t even gotten into the second game, but I can tell you that Makai Kingdom was a favorite hidden gem of mine on the PS2. If you like Disgaea, this will give you more of what you love, with a new (yet familiar) storyline. Zetta has popped up (along with other characters) in other games as DLC, so now is the chance to find out why.

The second game, Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger Vs Darkdeath Evilman (what a title right?) puts you in the role of a self-named main character, who inherits the powers of a superhero from the previous Unlosing Ranger. You must use these powers to take on the monstrous Darkdeath Evilman, who has kidnapped “Super Baby,” a baby that is prophesied to save the world.

Okay, the concept is bananas. However, Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger Vs Darkdeath Evilman plays like a classic procedurally-generated dungeon-crawler. Your character traverses dungeons, killing enemies, getting items and upgrades, and leveling up. However, you have an energy gauge that slowly decreases as you move. You also have an HP bar which reduces as you take damage or reduces if your energy gauge depletes. Luckily food can restore your energy along the way.

Another interesting element is that you can see enemy fields of view, so as long as you stay out of that field of view, the enemy can’t see you. This is great to strategically maneuver, especially if you are low on health or are trying to get a better vantage point to fight.

It has some dated elements, such as the fact that restarting in a dungeon will make the game think you died in the last run. However, the Prinny Presents bundles don’t remake the games and just remaster them. Despite the issues, if you liked this game on the first go-round or don’t mind a look into the past, this will not be a huge issue.

Overall, Prinny Presents: NIS Classics Vol. 2 is a great value and a great bundle if you like classic NIS America games. Neither of them is easy, but for hardcore strategy or action RPG fans, this will give you a lot of enjoyment. Being able to take them on the go is even better if you ask me, thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s portability.

There are no real bugs or crashes to speak of. Though I will say that the visuals are a little poorly done, mostly in the character sprites rather than the actual environments. That is a minor complaint about what is a really fun set of games though. The added storyline in Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound (Petta Mode) is an even more exciting addition, especially for those people who (like myself) played through the game the first time around.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Prinny Presents: NIS Classics Vol. 2 was provided by NIS America for this review.

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Prinny Presents: NIS Classics Vol. 2

$59.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• At Least 200 hours of Content
• Great Strategy Gameplay
• Fun Characters
• New Content for Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound
• Two Great Remastered Games

Cons

• Sprites Needed Some Work
• A Few Dated Elements