Simply a wonderful experience for any fan of turn-based RPG's
Well people, that day has changed, with what could possibly be one of the best games the PSP has to offer. Yes, it's a PORT, just like every other decent PSP game, but it has enough new content and changes to make it worth playing for anyone who didn't play it the first time around. Like me.
So, now, I'll begin my review.
Disgaea:Afternoon of Darkness is a port of the original Playstation 2 game, Disgaea:Hour of Darkness. You take command of the demon prince, Laharl, after waking up from a 2 year nap, only to discover his father, the Overlord of the Netherworld has died (from choking on a pretzel as if to add insult to injury). Thus, other demons have been continuously fighting for the title of Overlord, leading to chaos and destruction. As the spoiled bratty prince, you will control him along with his questionably loyal vassal, Etna and a variety of colorful and quirky characters on a quest to regain the title of Overlord.
If you haven't already gleaned from what I've written, this game goes for laughs, and it does it successfully. The game is well-written, and the voice acting is top notch, making the game even funnier. The game centers around a central hub, where you will heal your party members, by weapons, create members, and appeal to the Senators. Also, this hub is also where the portal is, that will take you to all your battlefields.
The game is turn-based, but when compared to the likes of Final Fantasy:Tactics, is so deep and complicated that you will probably be spending lots of your time, just reviewing the rules and nuances of the game. This will obviously turn off newcomers, but for those who stick to the game will find an immensly rewarding experience. From weapon-specific skills, to unique unlockable classes, to exploding penguins, to throwing your own allies, this game has a lot of depth.
Characters are made by you at the Assembly. Here, you will choose their class, name, and even some of their stat boosts. As your characters level up, you will discover stronger versions of them, and even unlock new ones, such as Rogues, Archers, and Ninjas.
The batttle graphics are colorful and well-animate sprites, with flashy attack animations while the hand-drawn portraits that appear during the voice-acted dialogue help add a lot of charm to the game. The music, while personally a bit odd in some areas, is usually great, and will help set the theme the majority of the time.
If there's anything wrong with this game, it's its own depth. While for those who are hungry for a deep tactics game will find this game equivalent to eating candy, those who are new will scratch their heads, bang them against walls, and scowl with confusion as to why their Prinnies keep dying.
However, as I said before, if one can get past the seemingly intimidating learning curve, they will find Disgaea:Afternoon of Darkness to be a truly entertaining and fun game, with hours upon hours of replay value.