Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness Review

By Simon Parkin Published 3 December, 2007

Afternoon delight.

Version tested: PSP

That the PSP should receive heavily embellished ports of two of the greatest strategy RPGs ever made within weeks of one another is, at once, cause for wild celebration and cause for mild irritation. Celebration because both Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea are astounding achievements of intelligent design, assured form and delightful function; annoyance because the proximity of their second comings will force free time-impoverished players to choose one over the other when, in all honesty, both are fiercely individual games and both make for essential playing.

Disgaea is the younger game by some stretch. First released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003 (as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness) it arrived without fanfare, the creation of an obscure Japanese developer, Nippon Ichi, known only to the most dedicated importers for the musical RPG Rhapsody. Until Disgaea's arrival the SRPG was a genre deeply entrenched in tradition, the grid-based mechanics - where games play out like two generals moving toy soldiers across a tactical map in a battle for domination - solid and immovable, nobody willing to venture far from their strict rules. Indeed, following 1997's Final Fantasy Tactics, the near perfect expression and realisation of ten years of preceding tradition, virtually no developer or publisher tried their hand at the genre.

All of which made Disgaea's arrival all the more of a surprise and goes to show how meteoric the rise of the game and its developer's reputation actually was. Rather than trying to compete with the strait-laced storyline and aesthetic of all that had gone before, Disgaea instead opts for an irreverent art style and storyline in the style of a universally appealing comedy anime show (Excel Saga springs to mind). Set in the esoteric Netherworld, the game pulls back the curtain on the prissy but loveable anti-hero Laharl as he awakens from a two-year sleep in the belly of a hellish castle. Heir to the underworld kingdom, Laharl's slumber has meant he missed his father's passing and, with it, his chance to take the throne. Within moments he's off, tracking down the usurping rival demon Vyers, who comes to be disparagingly known as 'Mid-boss' as the game progresses.

Laharl is flanked by a memorable cast of hangers-on, most notably the assassin Etna and the sugary, angel-with-a-saviour-complex, Flonne. The game's divided into fourteen chapters, which makes it sound much shorter than it really is, each section introduced by an anime TV series style recap of what's happened so far. In 2003 the lively and impudent story seemed fresh for a Japanese videogame and time hasn't dulled Atlus' brilliant original translation, which still fizzes with life and personality in this update.

'Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness' Screenshot 1

Etna's original voice actress has been replaced with the lady who voiced the character in Disgaea 2, which will irritate as many people as it pleases.

Of course, all of this narrative framework and feisty dialogue exists just to drive you into the strategy of the game's labyrinthine underbelly. Rather than doing away with that historical SRPG framework altogether, Disgaea instead heaps flexibility onto the fundamentals. Aside from the handful of storyline protagonists, you're left to create your own team, picking each member's class, name and equipment thus building up the team you'll be using throughout. With a raft of different character classes to explore and unlock, as well as a host of different monsters to enlist, you're free to develop your team and corresponding play-style in any number of different directions. Characters can take on protégées and even learn abilities from them if they fight side by side for long enough, fostering deep and meaningful relationships and micro-alliances between your squad.

During battles, units can be picked up, stacked and thrown across maps while enemies can be lobbed into one another to create more powerful hybrids or can be captured and conscripted to your side. Crucially, and herein lies Disgaea's most valuable contribution to videogaming's evolution, your units can be moved and positioned freely to provide team support to attacking comrades before being returned to their original positions for their own turn later. The flexibility to the system was a revelation four years ago and, playing afresh today it still offers near unrivalled freedom to the thinking player.

With so many tactical options available during battles (and you can use the full gamut of different techniques right from the first tutorial level) Disgaea was always a game more about means than ends. Sure, you're essentially just presented with a grid-divided environment and charged with defeating all of the opposing enemies therein, but it's the way in which you beat the level that's important. Fail to capitalise on every single manoeuvre and your progression through the game will be slower and your team all the weaker for it. As one character in the castle's hub points out, you don't have to understand everything the game has to offer to finish it, but succeeding with style is what it's all about.

There are many touches that make the game interesting: the way the hospital where you heal units deals out presents when you spend enough money there; the way you have to petition the senate-like Dark Assembly to increase or decrease the difficulty of enemies or prices in the shop; the item world where you can metaphorically enter your items (everything from a sword to a restorative piece of chewing gum) to increase their abilities by clearing levels; the Geo panel system where coloured pyramids provide different status effects to distinct parts of the environment (and which can be destroyed in complex chain attacks to yield huge bonuses); the way in which soldiers can be terminated and reincarnated with some of the bonuses from their past life to create astonishingly powerful and flexible units. The list of innovations and complexities is near endless. Some of these elements will take weeks to fully unravel but, once you've got your head around them, it's this depth that will keep you playing for months afterwards.

'Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness' Screenshot 2

Geo-panels: you'll sit for minutes staring, murmuring under your breath: 'If I hit that one...then that one will change colour to this... which means that one will take out that one and...wait, that's not right. Dammit. If I hit that one...'

The PSP port is flawless and, in a head-to-head comparison with Final Fantasy Tactics, comes out the winner technically. While much of its competitor had to be reworked visually to accommodate the widescreen aspect ratio, Disgaea slips with ease into the PSP's screen, proudly showing off pin sharp environments and 2D character portraits. The only real visual issue comes from trying to manoeuvre the camera into a suitable position for some fights where the level's topography obscures a clear view.

Disgaea is, almost irrefutably, the better-suited game for the handheld platform. Battles are generally short and sweet, or, if they're not, then you can at least choose to tackle shorter and sweeter levels to suit your journey time.

The additions to the original game are good and generous. You've now the option of Japanese or English spoken language (a feature which was removed from the PAL version of the PS2 game), the addition of a whole new storyline that focuses on what would have happened if Etna managed to kill Laharl in that very first cut-scene, and, of course, ad-hoc multiplayer, additions that make this the definitive version of the game.

Time does the best job of muffling hyperbole but today, years after we first encountered Disgaea, we still feel like shouting from the rooftops. That Nippon Ichi has worked so much love and care into this update is admirable. The effort was worth it: for fans that have long clamoured for a PSP title from the company (something many of you were doing in the comments section for our Disgaea 2 review) it's a nigh on perfect package. Compulsive, missing-your-stop-because-you're-so-engrossed gaming, you'll sit down for a quick go to find that an hour of darkness has stretched into much more than an afternoon.

9 / 10

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Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (54) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Murbal #1 4 years ago

    \o/

    Awesomeness!

  • dsmx #2 4 years ago

    Time to watch the DS fanboys march onto the board declaring that the psp still has no good games.

  • captain_cupcake #3 4 years ago

    Good review of a great game. I'm discovering all the magic I felt when I played the original - time is the best test of a classic. If you haven't played this and like the genre, you're missing out big time.

  • FabricatedLunatic #4 4 years ago

    Etna has a new English voice actress? Nooooooo!

    Okay, it's settled, I'm getting this. Etna mode is the clincher.

  • Hunam #5 4 years ago

    Great review there, got this on the ps2 but never really gave it the time it needed and for some reason my ps2 no longer reads the disc, so getting this is pretty much necessary.

  • Toothball #6 4 years ago

    I need to move to somewhere further away from work than I currently do. I played a lot of FFTA on the bus to work, but then I got a different job and a car, so FFT hasn't been getting as much attention. And now this? I'm trying to make a start on the Nippon Ichi games, but then they release another one. I was kind of hoping that they hadn't included the Japanese soundtrack, so I could convince myself that I didn't need it. No luck there then.

  • aine #7 4 years ago

    Etna has a new English voice actress? Nooooooo!

    why "noooo"? i don't remember her original voice being anything special. although it didn't especially get on my tits like some other characters.

  • FabricatedLunatic #8 4 years ago

    Um, because I enjoyed the performance. I thought she captured Etna's deviousness perfectly.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/07 @ 12:02

  • HiddenAway #9 4 years ago

    Geo-panels: you'll sit for minutes staring, murmuring under your breath: 'If I hit that one...then that one will change colour to this... which means that one will take out that one and...wait, that's not right. Dammit. If I hit that one...'

    That's me!

  • Brianstorm #10 4 years ago

    just finishes FFT, this will fill the void!

  • Murbal #11 4 years ago

    @ dabo

    There are plenty of EG 9s for the PSP!

  • marilena #12 4 years ago

    "Time to watch the DS fanboys march onto the board declaring that the psp still has no good games."

    Nope. I actually wish we had something like this on the DS too. After Advance Wars I haven't found anything of that type that is even remotely as good.

  • Kay #13 4 years ago

    Yep, I most definitely want this.

    I hope there's a really good tutorial in there though, as it all sounds ridiculously complex.

    K

  • Kay #14 4 years ago

    Marilena - Advance Wars 2 is out early next year. Yet another stupidly addictive time-consuming handheld game to look forward to... :)

    K

  • Stoatboy #15 4 years ago

    Nin, Nin, Nin, Nine!

  • Steroyd #16 4 years ago

    I promised myself I wouldn't own 2 copies of this game...

    EG isn't helping.

    I wonder what happened to the original Etna voice, but then the new Etna voice wasn't bad either.

    And then the Japaneese voices and Etna chapters.

    Self confliction. @_@

  • TipTop #17 4 years ago

    If Im only going to get one of these 2 games this Christmas, then which one?

  • HiddenAway #18 4 years ago

    /Prepares Steroyd's finances
    /Faints in horror

  • TheMoonRat #19 4 years ago

    Tiptop: you buy one, have Santa buy the other?

  • Murbal #20 4 years ago

    @ TipTop

    I'd say this. Power levelling to 9999 ftw!

  • TipTop #21 4 years ago

    Unfortunately I have not been good this last few months. With The Orange Box, Assasin's Creed, GH III, Mass Effect, COD4 and a preorder for Drake's fortune having been spotted by the financial accountant in the family. Santa will not be purchasing on my behalf.

  • The_Aardvark #22 4 years ago

    Marilena; You could try front mission (available on US import). It's a straight port but quite appealing anyway.

    Still, this and FFTA is almost enought to make me buy a PSP.

  • VMerken #23 4 years ago

    Well, unlike FFT, I've got this (and the sequel) on PS2, so I'll skip it - besides, Slent Hill: 0rigins still needs to rear its undead head in backwater Belgium...

  • BillyBrush #24 4 years ago

    "Time to watch the DS fanboys march onto the board declaring that the psp still has no good games."

    Are there any?

    Can i fill in for the absent ones?, who i'm sure would point out Disgea's battle system bears more than a passing resemblance to the Advance wars/Fire Emblem games...in that it's a copy

    Which is why it's better than Field Commander, Saints row & Disgea, peas in a pod (don't ask me how i managed to link those 2 but i did). I think it's a good thing, am hoping MS come up with an alternative to Buzz! oh look, is that a new quiz game with unique controller MS? niiice

    Is that enough to raise the prinny wrath? i hopes so

  • dirigiblebill #25 4 years ago

    Disgea's battle system bears more than a passing resemblance to the Advance wars/Fire Emblem games...in that it's a copy

    O_O

    Yes. Yes, sure it is. Tell you what, why don't you take your medication now?

    (I share your dislike of 'prinny wrath' by the way)

  • MrChuckles #26 4 years ago

    I'm more pro ds than psp, but to say disgaea is a copy of fire emblem & advance wars... ha ha, apart from being turned based, it's completely different.

    AW & FE are for people who want to dip their toes in TBS's, Disgaea is for TBS geeks, so much more depth. I have owned all 3 games (Disgaea on PS2) and wish there was something on the DS with that much depth, the strategy games are hugely lacking so far, at this rate i'll have to get a PSP :-(

    Battles of Prince of Persia and Age Of Empires are also too light.

  • Stoatboy #27 4 years ago

    @TipTop - personally I'd take Disgaea over FFT by a large margin. I liked FFT a lot (only played the PS1 version though), but never finished it due to some nasty difficulty spikes and getting bored having to replay old maps repeatedly to level up.

    Whereas Disgaea I've played through several times to get different endings, and also spent a vast amount of time in the item worlds collecting all the best weapons and so forth. The story is ace, it's got bags of charm, loads of depth and is stupidly playable. It's in my top ten games ever. Love it to bits.

  • TipTop #28 4 years ago

    ... now that's the ringing endorsement I was looking for!

  • FabricatedLunatic #29 4 years ago

    I prefer FFT, if only for the "wahhhh" noise characters make when knocked out. And if the female time mage isn't the cutest sprite evah, then I'm good at chaining geostones (I'm not).

    Disgaea is definitely a better choice for n00bs. The great thing about it is that the player needs only go as deep as they want.

  • goz #30 4 years ago

    I'd say that Disgaea is a good choice over FFT for, as you put it, 'noobs' and, weirdly, also experts. It's welcoming to the newcomer who doesn't really know much about these sorts of games while also being crater deep for those who do.

    By contrast FFT expects it's player to be fairly competent at SRPGs right from the off while not providing nearly as many directions and possibilities for the creative expert.

  • kissthestick #31 4 years ago

    already preordered :)

    roll on Dec 14th!

  • wizbob #32 4 years ago

    Hmm, I'm interested now. As someone who really likes AW, should I try Disgaea? I don't think I could cope with more strategy options than AW though...

  • haowan #33 4 years ago

    Etna has the same voice actress as the PAL version afaict. The Prinnies have had their voices altered in-game, but the cutscene voices are intact.
    edit: oops, I'm talking about the US release. Etna sounds the same as PS2 PAL version in that release.

    You can also get a record of what items you have collected and buy music that you've heard to play over the item world.

    Easy 5/5 from me. So effortlessly easy.

    What I love about the game most is not just its flexibility but the way it actively encourages you to bend the rules - beating the crap out of the Senate or creating ridiculously powerful items in the item world is encouraged, and as mentioned the game allows a lot of nefarious advantage-taking in terms of the definition of a "turn" in-game. Fantastic stuff.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/07 @ 14:16

  • Shrub #34 4 years ago

    You could try front mission (available on US import). It's a straight port but quite appealing anyway

    The DS version is an enhanced port of the PS1 remake of the SNES original. More missions, including secret ones, etc. Very probably this is the best SRPG on the DS right now.

    Back on topic, I wish Disgaea AoD were out now - two more weeks? Nooooo!

  • Hughes. #35 4 years ago

    Now I have another answer for those "What do you want for Christmas?" questions.

  • famous_roy #36 4 years ago

    Wooop! Can't wait to get suck into this absolute classic again!

    /spasms

  • Murbal #37 4 years ago

    Now I must just finish Jeanne D'Arc - with this inching ever closer I'm not even sure I'll get around to FFT!

  • MrChuckles #38 4 years ago

    wizbob - Hmm, I'm interested now. As someone who really likes AW, should I try Disgaea? I don't think I could cope with more strategy options than AW though...

    Well, you have a lot less units, but what each of them can do is more complex. The REAL complexity is how each of them improve though, the number of choices there even got me reeling, along with teh infinite dungeons in each of my items... Sheesh

    But, it's a game that is as complex as you want it to be.

    if you never start a character again from scratch with old skills, or never enter an item for extra power, you'll still have a fun time, the coloured battle grids are a great idea, why isn't there anything similar for the xbox 360 already? Grrr...

  • smurphs #39 4 years ago

    @wizbob

    The beauty of Disgaea is that although it has incredible depth, you don't have to understand it all to have great fun with the game anyway. I agree that AW can be mind-bogglingly tactical at times, so much so that it can feel like hard work. Disgaea never feels like work - just pure unadulterated strategic fun.

    If you enjoy strategy at all you need Disgaea in your collection.

  • 7creature #40 4 years ago

    Great review.

    Anyway, the best thing about Afternoon of Darkness (aside the perfect technical execution on PSP) is japanese audio. Just the imagination of playing it with english audio makes me shivers...

  • haowan #41 4 years ago

    The English voices are great, IMO. Far better than most you'll hear. I actually prefer them to the Japanese.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/07 @ 16:11

  • mingster #42 4 years ago

    Yup you don't need to understand this game to enjoy it.

    I completed the story in Japanese with japanese writing didn't understand a word yet still managed to do even get bills passed by the council.

    infact ive played it twice in japanese now once on the ps2 as well.

    i may even play it a third time in english.

  • bluebird #43 4 years ago

    Right, that's it, I'm buying a PSP.

  • bluebird #44 4 years ago

    Does anyone know if there is an option for Japanese voices in the PSP version?

  • VMerken #45 4 years ago

    Trend. Over here, we're drowning in black PSPs with the occasional Ice Silver and Spiderman Reds. We're NOT drowning in Silent Hill: 0rigins copies, though :/

  • Nemesis #46 4 years ago

    Game are reporting release date as this Friday, is this confirmed or am I charging the PSP for nothing...?

  • FabricatedLunatic #47 4 years ago

    I think it's out on the 14th, which is Friday week.

  • Nemesis #48 4 years ago

    Yeah, I think you're right.

    Oh well, I've waited this long...

  • Razz #49 4 years ago

    OOOooo Afternoon delight!

  • Kafeen #50 4 years ago

    I was hoping I was going to like FFT alot more than I actually did. Luckly Disgaea is awesome. I found it alot more fun that FFT.

  • 7creature #51 4 years ago

    bluebird: There is complete japanese audio (though I have probably US version, considering I bought it month ago - import shops ftw!). Considering PSP UMD policy, it should be the same.

  • napalm68 #52 4 years ago

    Good to see they are leaving the option of original voice actors in games a bit more than they used to. I never got into Siren due to the really bad voice actors they trundled out for the English language release. They were so bad...

    And dsmx, the PSP has had a lot of great games for some time. It is probably the most used game unit I've ever owned. :)

  • CrawlingKingSnakes #53 4 years ago

    Can't find a copy of this in HMV, Game or independent stores... and none of them seem to know when it will turn up, or indeed, have even heard of it.

  • stemitchell #54 2 years ago

    This is a paltry £11.99 on the Playstation store right now. What fun coming to a platform late. :)