Almost a year later and I'm just getting into it.
A video game whether we admit it or not is ultimately a time-waster. Sure, we can pick up a few things if there's world history in the story or formulate an opinion if there are some heavy themes; or even just be inspired if the game is truly great, but in the end: playing video games is just a hobby.
That's why Disgaea is such a perfect fit for portable gaming. You can sink literally hundreds of hours into this title and never get bored of it. Well, maybe after the first 100 hours you'll switch up for some variety, but soon enough it'll nested back in your UMD slot (providing you weren't cheap to the point where you stole this game off of mininova or someplace.)
The game is a strategy role-playing game, and it’s unique in the genre because of it's very forgiving gameplay (the freedom to withdraw units after placing them before your turn runs out), character development and class systems, and it's levelling system- characters max out at level 9999, and there's plenty to do up until you reach that level.
The game has a 'cult classic' status as it debuted on the PS2 over ten years ago. Usually when you think 'cult classic', you think of a bizarre (or a ‘so bad it's good’ plot) complemented with some twists and innovation in the gameplay and yes, Disgaea has both. The plot though- Disgaea loses some points for that.
Despite reading numerous other reviews for this game, I have yet to agree with the general consensus that this is a laugh-a-minute, rolling-on-the-floor hilarious game. Actually, the humour is extremely obtuse and slow. I may have laughed once throughout the whole thing. The original voice acting was re-done when it was brought to the PSP, so maybe that's it- but the actors are following the same, unfunny script, so who knows. If you’re a ‘Japanophile’, you might get a kick out of the story, but otherwise just leave the sound off. Save your ears from the bad voice acting.
But it’s still a fun game. Strangely, it took me almost a year of playing it on and off just to get into it. I was near the end when the addictive, levelling and stat-growth factors finally hit me. Maybe that's part of the games mysterious appeal; or maybe I've just been too busy. Who knows!
Anyway- if you like SRPG’s and you’ve got a PSP, you can’t go wrong with Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness. It is superior than both Jeanne D’Arc as well as Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. More classes, more freedom, longer replay value than both aforementioned games put together- it’s a perfect fit for portable gaming.
