Lord Zetta is a total idiot. He’s also the most powerful Overlord in the universe, or at least he was until he accidentally burned his own Netherworld to a crisp while trying to prevent a prophecy about its destruction. To save his soul, he had to bind himself to a book. Not a cool, magical grimoire—just a dusty, sentient slab of paper called the Sacred Tome.
That’s the premise of Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome. If you played this back on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, you probably remember how it felt like a fever dream compared to Disgaea. It’s a Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) joint, so it’s got that signature art style by Takehito Harada and a soundtrack that sounds like a haunted carnival, but under the hood, it’s a completely different beast. Most people overlook it because Disgaea became the flagship franchise, but honestly? Makai Kingdom is mechanically superior in ways that still feel fresh today.
The Gridless Chaos of the Netherworld
Forget squares. Seriously. While almost every tactical RPG of the era (and even now) relies on a rigid grid system, Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome opted for a free-movement circle. When it's your turn, you move your character within a specific radius. It sounds like a small tweak, but it changes everything about how you space your units and aim your AOE attacks.
You aren't just moving people; you're moving "facilities." This is the game's biggest curveball. Instead of just spawning units onto a map, Zetta (the book) "Invites" structures like huts, hospitals, or laboratories onto the battlefield. You cram your units inside these buildings, and when the building drops, the units pop out. But here's the kicker: the building itself provides stat buffs and can even be used as a weapon.
You can literally pick up a laboratory and throw it at a dragon. It's ridiculous.
The Confine System and Your Soul
Character creation in this game is a bit morbid. Since Zetta is stuck as a book, he has to "Confine" souls into objects found on the battlefield to create new party members. See a rock? Confine a soul into it, and you get a high-defense Golem or a sturdy warrior. See a weed? You’re probably getting a fragile healer.
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It makes the "loot" on the ground matter. In most SRPGs, the environment is just a background. In Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome, the environment is your raw material. If you find a rare, high-level broadsword lying on the ground, you have a choice: do you give it to your best fighter, or do you sacrifice the sword to create a brand-new character who will inherit the sword's base stats?
The Vehicle Problem
Let's talk about the tanks. And the mechs. And the weird floating tubs.
Makai Kingdom introduced "Vehicles," which were supposed to be the late-game powerhouses. You can build these massive machines, customize their parts, and have your characters pilot them. In theory, it’s awesome. In practice? They’re often clunky as hell. They take up massive amounts of space on the map and can be a nightmare to maneuver in tight corridors.
But when you get a giant mecha-suit into a wide-open field? It's pure catharsis.
Why Zetta Beats Laharl (Sometimes)
The writing in Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome is sharper than it gets credit for. While Disgaea often leans into the "hero who doesn't want to be a hero" trope, Makai Kingdom is just a bunch of ego-maniacal Overlords shouting at each other. You’ve got Pram the Oracle, who basically manipulated the entire plot because she was bored. You've got Alexander, the God of Destruction, who has a rivalry with Zetta that feels genuinely petty.
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It’s a comedy of errors. Zetta isn’t a misunderstood protagonist; he’s an arrogant jerk who is slowly learning that being a book is a very humbling experience.
The Grind: A Double-Edged Sword
NIS games are famous for the "post-game" grind where numbers go into the millions. This game is no exception. You will spend hours in the "Free Dungeon" system, which is basically a procedurally generated loot-fest.
The complexity here is staggering. You aren't just leveling up characters; you're leveling up their "Mana," which is spent on "Wishes." Want to make the enemies weaker? Make a wish. Want better items in the shop? Make a wish. It gives the player an incredible amount of agency over the game's difficulty, but it also means you can accidentally break the game if you know what you’re doing.
For example, the "Extension" mechanic in dungeons. Sometimes, when you clear a floor, the map literally grows. New sections sprout out of the fog of war, filled with higher-level enemies and better treasure. It turns a 5-minute skirmish into a 40-minute endurance test. It’s stressful. It’s chaotic. It’s great.
Modern Accessibility and the Port Situation
For a long time, Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome was trapped on the PS2 and a somewhat obscure PSP port (Makai Kingdom Portable). Thankfully, NIS finally brought it to modern platforms via the NIS Classics Volume 2 collection on Nintendo Switch and PC.
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This version is the definitive way to play. It includes the "Petta Mode," which was originally exclusive to the Japanese PSP version. It adds a whole new storyline involving Zetta’s daughter from the future. It’s as weird as it sounds.
The port isn't perfect—the UI can feel a bit dated, and the sprites are definitely "of their time"—but the gameplay loop is still addictive. There is something specifically satisfying about the "Invite" system that modern tactical games just haven't replicated.
Practical Tips for Your First Conquest
If you’re diving into the world of Raebina for the first time, don’t play it like Final Fantasy Tactics. You will lose.
- Prioritize Facilities: Get a "Hut" as soon as possible. It allows you to bring more units onto the field. Without a good facility, you’re stuck spawning one person at a time, and the enemy will swarm you.
- Watch the O.B. (Out of Bounds): Since there are no grids, you can knock enemies off the edge of the map. This is a double-edged sword. If you knock a boss off, they’re gone, but you might lose the experience and loot.
- The Chef is Secretly OP: Create a Chef character early. They can "cook" enemies on the battlefield, which heals your team and provides temporary stat buffs. It’s one of the most unique support classes in any RPG.
- Don't Ignore the "Sacred Tome" Menu: Since Zetta is a book, his menu is where all the meta-progression happens. Check your "Wishes" frequently. If you’re struggling, there’s usually a wish that can tip the scales.
Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome isn't for everyone. It’s loud, it’s complicated, and it’s occasionally very unfair. But it has a soul that many modern, polished strategy games lack. It’s a game that encourages you to cheat, to break its systems, and to throw a literal building at a god.
If you want to start, grab the NIS Classics Volume 2 on Steam or Switch. Focus on building a diverse roster of "Confined" souls rather than just one super-unit. The game is designed to be played horizontally—meaning you need a wide variety of tools (and facilities) to handle the late-game "Extension" dungeons. Start by leveling a Merchant and a Chef; they’ll keep your economy and your health bars healthy while Zetta yells from the sidelines.