Time travel is usually a mess. You’ve seen the movies where someone steps on a prehistoric butterfly and suddenly everyone has tentacles for arms. But in Maliki: Poison of the Past, the mess isn't just a side effect; it’s the entire point.
Honestly, if you haven’t heard of Maliki before, don't sweat it. Most people outside of France haven’t. She started her life as a character in a long-running webcomic by the artist Souillon, known for its vibrant "Franco-Belgian meets Japanese chibi" aesthetic. For twenty years, Maliki was a slice-of-life icon. Then, Blue Banshee and Ankama Games decided to throw her into a tactical RPG where a sentient plant monster called Poison is literally eating the space-time continuum.
It’s weird. It’s colorful. And it’s surprisingly dark.
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Why Maliki: Poison of the Past Still Matters
Most RPGs give you a sword and tell you to go kill a god. This game gives you a "Chrono Pack" and tells you to fix the past so the future doesn't turn into a giant, rotting salad. Released in April 2025, it stood out because it didn't try to be another Final Fantasy clone. It felt more like a playable graphic novel with a brain-bending combat system.
You play as Sand. You’re a survivor in a near-future where humanity is basically extinct, thanks to the aforementioned Poison. This isn't just some vine growing over a building; it’s a temporal parasite. It infects moments in time.
The story revolves around the Domaine. Think of it as a sanctuary outside of time. It’s your base of operations where you farm, cook, and pet cats (yes, you can pet the cats). But the real meat is in the "bisections of time." You aren't just visiting different eras; you’re trying to prevent Maliki’s own history from being erased by a monster that knows exactly how to hurt her.
The Combat: It's All About the Timeline
The combat is where things get kinda crazy. Most turn-based games have a static list of who goes next. In Maliki: Poison of the Past, that list is your playground.
- Slide your turns: You can literally push an ally’s attack into the future to create a combo.
- Past/Future mechanics: You can knock an enemy into a previous turn or delay their move entirely.
- The Chrono Pack: This isn't just a backpack; it’s how you manipulate the flow of the fight.
It’s tactical. It’s slow-burn. If you rush, you’ll die. The game rewards you for thinking three turns ahead, much like the classic JRPGs of the PS1 era, but with a modern "time-scrubbing" twist that feels fresh even a year after its release.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Story
There’s a misconception that you need to read twenty years of comics to understand what’s going on. You don't. Souillon specifically designed this as a standalone entry.
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Sure, long-time fans will recognize Becky, Fang, and Fenimale. They’ll get the inside jokes about Maliki's life in the French countryside. But for a newcomer, the "Poison" serves as a perfect metaphor for trauma. The game isn't just about fighting a plant; it’s about how the past can "poison" your present if you don't face it.
The art style helps mask the heaviness. It uses a gorgeous, toy-like diorama look—very similar to the Link’s Awakening remake on Switch. It’s bright and pink, then suddenly you’re looking at a decaying urban wasteland or a memory of a lost pet. The contrast is what keeps you hooked.
Real Evidence of the Game's Depth
Critics at places like Hardcore Gamer and IGN France pointed out that while the puzzles can be frustratingly obtuse sometimes, the narrative depth is undeniable. The "Poison" entity is a terrifying antagonist because it doesn't just want to kill you; it wants to undo you.
It targets Maliki’s childhood. It tries to ruin her happiest memories. This makes the stakes feel incredibly personal, which is rare for a genre that usually deals in "saving the entire world."
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How to Get Started with the Game
If you're looking to jump in now, you've got options. It's available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
- Don't ignore the Domaine: The farming and crafting sections aren't just "cozy" filler. The food you cook and the equipment you upgrade are essential for surviving the later boss fights.
- Master the "Shift": Learn how to move your characters behind the timeline. It’s the only way to recover health and mana (AP) during a fight without wasting a turn.
- Explore every era: The game uses color to tell the story. Older eras are vibrant and saturated. As you move toward the "present," the world gets grayer and more metallic. Pay attention to the background details; they often hold the keys to the temporal riddles.
Maliki: Poison of the Past is a weird, beautiful ecological fable. It’s a game about family, both the one you’re born with and the one you find when the world is ending. It’s not perfect—some of the objective tracking is a bit clunky—but it has more soul than most AAA titles released in the last five years.
Actionable Next Steps
To get the most out of your run, focus on leveling up Sand’s time-manipulation abilities first. These are the "get out of jail free" cards of the combat system. Also, make sure to talk to Becky at the Domaine after every major mission; her dialogue often unlocks side-quests that provide the best gear in the game. If you're playing on Switch, keep an eye on your battery—those time-bending visual effects can be surprisingly demanding on the hardware.