Many games are too serious for their own good. Have you played Gears of War or Halo? It seems that only recently have games with a real sense of humor have been made, like Portal, Psychonauts, or Castle Crashers. Disgaea is an interesting strategy title in that vein that pokes a lot of fun at traditional games.
Disgaea was originally a PS2 tactical strategy game that has made its way across to the PSP and now the DS. While the DS version doesn’t look near as good as the PSP title, it can still hold its own for the touch-screen system. Part of what makes this game appealing for those choosing between the PSP and DS versions is the use of the touch screen. I’ve played the PSP version quite a bit already and while it looks so much better, it’s easier to control via stylus on the DS.
Disgaea is game about demons. Laharl, the main character, is the demon prince of the netherworld. He wakes up from a long sleep to find his father has died that he know has must protect his right to the throne. The story and dialogue is hilarious. The dialogue is light and charming and never gets in the way of the solid, tactical action.
Players control Laharl, along with a whole team of other characters (some that you will create their class and name). You outfit your team with equipment and spells and lead them in what looks like a chessboard. The tactical action allows you to move one character at a time at your own pace, figuring out the best moves. Nothing happens until you press “Execute” so no need to rush. Sit, think, and figure out a good strategy to take down your enemies.
Disgaea is also part RPG. After you create your characters, you can level them up and unlock new perks. There are also other interesting modes to play through, like the item world. It’s a dungeon of sorts that, if you complete the lengthy campaign, will upgrade the item that you select. After every 10 levels, you can save.
One interesting gameplay mechanic is the geocube। They are cubes that rest on the board and have certain attributes for the other players. Maybe it says “Defense +5” and it’s resting on a blue square. Anyone on a blue square across the battleground will gain that perk. There is a complex strategy involved with the cubes because you can either destroy them (sending explosions across the corresponding tiles) and opt out of their buffs, or use them to your advantage.
Features
- Geo Panels – A group of stat altering elemental properties that are placed upon certain stat parts of the battlefield. When there are one or more colored panels on the battle grid, it means an element can affect that area. The effect can boost or reduce your unit’s stats.
- Geo Cubes – A new addition to the PSP version, Geo Cubes are magic items that add more depth to multi-player battles. You can use the various Geo Cubes to enhance your abilities, summon monsters, or even attack your enemies with them.
- Demon Gadgets – Randomly generated items that appear on the battlefield. By acquiring these gadgets, you can power-up your units. Some demon gadgets can level your unit up by 30 levels at once.
- Transmigration – A form of reincarnation that allows you to start over from level 1, but your unit will grow stronger than before.
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