The phrase ”Netherworld action is on a different level!” is no exaggeration. While the controls themselves are surprisingly simple, the moment you press a button, the effects and shockwaves that fill the screen—along with damage numbers exceeding 100 million—will blow your mind. The sensation of running freely through 3D space while mowing down enemies with a character you’ve painstakingly raised is beyond mere exhilaration. The degree of power inflation, which makes you laugh and wonder, ”Is it really okay to be this strong?” is the true essence of this game. The design, where effort translates directly into destructive power, is why you won’t be able to stop playing.

The setting is a vast Netherworld teeming with a wide variety of demons. The story kicks off when a veteran mercenary, NA, is summoned by the rookie Overlord, Ticiel. Hearing this, one might imagine a heavy dark fantasy, but the request is the unexpected: ”Someone ate my pudding in the fridge.” To make matters worse, that pudding was the ”Primal Radiance Pudding” made by her late father, the former Overlord. This gap in tone is irresistible. A grand worldview mixes with a strangely relatable motive, and the story progresses in an atmosphere where you can’t tell if it’s serious or a joke. However, behind the laughter lurk the power struggles and betrayals unique to the Netherworld, with lighthearted banter and tension exquisitely intertwined.

The protagonist, NA, can use seven types of weapons: Fists, Swords, Spears, Axes, Bows, Guns, and Staves. Each is given a distinct personality; for example, the Sword offers stability in close combat, the Bow can hit multiple enemies from a distance, and the Staff unlocks magic. Your fighting style changes completely depending on your choice. It’s interesting how decisions like ”Should I go for a frontal breakthrough this time, or keep my distance?” are directly reflected in your playstyle. By building combos while switching between multiple weapons, a combat experience free from monotony is born. Spending time finding your own winning pattern is also part of the fun of this game.

What cannot be overlooked when discussing this game is the training elements that can be delved into thoroughly. The fact that the level cap reaches 9999 is already extraordinary, but from there, you can further re-train through Reincarnation to aim for even higher base stats. Abilities change significantly depending on the combination of Evilities, and you can aim for further enhancement in the ”Chara World,” which lets you enter a character’s inner self. In addition, it is packed with the depth typical of Nippon Ichi Software titles, such as equipment strengthening through the Item World and Innocents. Even if you aren't good at action games, the design allows you to push through with sheer force if you master the training, so the door is open for those who say, ”I’m not confident in my controls.”

”Kyouran Makaism” is a work that is seriously playful, inflates power to the max, and gives players ultimate freedom. From the eccentric starting point of retrieving pudding, the development eventually expands to a scale beyond imagination, possessing a charm that won't let you go once you step inside. The pleasure of crushing enemies with overwhelming power, stats that keep growing the more you train, and the banter with characters full of personality—all of these mix together to create a one-of-a-kind Netherworld experience.