Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

aka: Makai Senki Disgaea
Moby ID: 10160

PlayStation 2 version

One of the best Strategy RPGs of all time

The Good
Disgaea is probably one of the most lighthearted games I've ever played, and for a game that takes place in the demonic underworld, that's quite a feat. It has compelling characters, amusing dialog, and more replay value than most games. Geo panels, the ability to throw teammates for strategic advantage and the ability to fight battles INSIDE of any item in the game gave Disgaea a uniqueness that's helped it become a niche hit. Being able to take back any action (so long as you don't attack) allows for some pretty meticulous planning to boot.

The Bad
While the main story arc can be completed in a matter of hours, there are endless hours of sidequests and extras to be found in Disgaea. While this is all well and good, certain aspects of the game, leveling up character classes and weapon skills for instance, are far too time consuming and become tedious far too quickly. The graphics are somewhat dated, even for when the game was released, and while they are highly stylized and serve their purpose well, it could be a barrier to entry for some who have grown accustomed to prettier games.

The Bottom Line
Disgaea is a turn-based strategy RPG for the Playstation 2. Its narrative is whimsical, often corny, but always entertaining. It is your task as hell's overlord, Laharl, to exert your supremacy over your subjects and reclaim your father's throne -- but many things aren't as they seem. There's lots of fun to be found -- you can battle monsters using speed and terrain to gain the upper hand, power up your weapons and armor by fighting through the item world, or create powerful minions in the Dark Council. There are plenty of things to do, and hours of possible play time, but how you choose to play is entirely up to you.

by Nick Rycar (155) on August 4, 2007

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