Echoes of the Past (Nintendo Switch)

Okay, picture this: “Maliki – Poison of the Past” promises a blend of turn-based combat, time manipulation, and town management. Sounds like a dream, right? Except, maybe it’s also a bit of a hot mess. It’s like the game doesn’t quite know what it wants to be, but hey, at least it’s ambitious. Or something.

So, first off, is it an RPG? Well, kinda. That’s probably the best thing it’s got going. But town management creeps in—like, seriously, growing veggies? And sure, finding bits of land is neat, but cutting grass and smashing rocks? Feels like it’s jumping on the “let’s copy trendy games” bandwagon. And “cozy”? I dunno. Some puzzles are so precise they make my head spin, and don’t get me started on the boss fights. Not exactly warm and fuzzy when glitches lurk around too. Honestly, it’s trying to be a Cobb salad when a Caesar would hit the spot. Too bad, because there’s heart in there somewhere.

Now, even when it’s fun, it’s not perfect. RPG stuff? Entertaining, sure, but dialogue and cutscenes break the momentum. They’re well-animated and all, but wow, can they drag. The story’s intriguing, but connecting with these characters? Nah, 15 hours in, I’m still going, “Oh, the guy with that hair…” Maliki, I remember, since he sticks around. They feel more like gimmicks than genuine personalities. Maybe if I knew it as a webcomic, it’d make sense, but they said, “no back knowledge needed,” right?

On the flip side, the time travel element is cool. Poison messes with space and time, so you’re in all these goofy spots: farms in the ’80s, schools in the ’90s, the Louvre in the ’00s. And those enemies—parasites in animals and random objects—kinda unforgettable. Plus, exploration’s mostly fun, with a sprinkle of laughs here and there.

Though, there’s a downside—those mazes, geez. Even the characters are like, “Ugh, mazes.” Each puzzle ends up a twist on the last, swapping characters to make way. Like, from students hogging stairs to tourists crowding paths. Fun at first, then it’s like, “Again?”

Thank goodness for the music. The soundtrack’s got some ace tracks, reminds me of Zelda—yup, that’s a win. You can even tweak the volume to your liking.

Now, each character has cool skills, but glitches mess with when they’re usable. Game freezes, crashes, and those pesky resets. Sometimes you’re thrown into features without a hint on how they work. And, seriously, no map? I mean, RPGs from 30 years ago managed maps just fine. How did that slip through?

So, here’s the thing: this game feels like it shipped too soon. It’s not easy to recommend, despite its good bits (like, the music rocks). Creative and frustrating in equal parts. “Maliki: Poison of the Past” is full of potential, just needs a little more polish. Or a lot, honestly.