My most anticipated RPGs of 2011: Day 9

Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten – PS3 – 6^th September (NA), Q3 2011 (EU):

Nippon Ichi was always a peculiar game company which has made a name for it self by developing and publishing quirky and niche game titles without ever having a break out hit, a game which would put the company on the gaming map. 2003 was year when the company truly announced that they had arrived when they released Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PS2, and the thing which stood out the most that the game was still was a niche game! Disgaea was a SRPG through and through with the grid based mechanics, literally more than a hundred levels to gain, micromanaging the party with unhealthy amount of customization options and hours and hours of game play, all set in a weird and totally off the wall setting of the Netherworld. The game was not moody or twisted but was riotously hilarious with superb zany characters from the main protagonist the egoistic Laharl, or his mischievously evil vassal Etna to the bumbling angel Flonne or the super hero with a massive, ironically, hero complex. Many of the cut-scenes were really funny with pop culture references, raunchy under tones and generally wackiness, all done with top notch voice acting. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness was, as aptly put in GameSpot’s editor Greg Kasavin words, ‘consider Disgaea one great big thank-you card’ as the game is bursting at its seams with SRPG goodness and the game ushered a deluge of SRPG games for the PS2 which bloated the system library of RPGs to dizzying quantity.

Henceforth Disgaea became the brand name which Nippon Ichi wanted. The inevitable sequel and the handheld iterations gave the brand good credentials and became the grind fest for that serious RPG nut! But with the HD generation in full bloom fans expected Nippon Ichi to atleast update the look of this now venerable series and this is where the company faltered as the PS3 entry of the series looked EXACTLY the same as its PS2 predecessors with the same flat 2D sprites and uninspiring drab background art . For me Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice was a huge let down as the game really looked bad so much so that I didn’t even bothered buying the game!! Even some of the review stated this fact, and although visuals don’t make a game awesome, as the classic Disgaea fare was present, but the look of the game just killed it for me. I guess Nippon Ichi took the disappointment of the fans to heart as when they announced Disgaea 4 for the PS3; they went about in providing what the fans wanted.

Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten is set to become the first game in the series with crisp HD visuals. The whimsical look of the series is still intact with but now every sprite, background and the visual novel sections boast clean and detailed graphics. This is the look which Disgaea 3 should have had but it’s heartening to see that Nippon Ichi does have the ability to create HD graphics and its apparent that this time around they not left any stone unturned in their pursuit of giving a HD Disgaea game.

The plot also has all the strapping for a laugh a minute roller coaster ride. Like previous Disgaea games, this game too takes place in the chaotic Netherworld and tells the travails of Valvatorez and his struggles to usurp the throne of Overlord with the help of his werewolf servant Fenrich and Fuka, girl with anger management issues and a wannabe Prinny (the exploding penguin mascots of the Disgaea world). You can just tell from the outset that the plot will be rife with comedy and over the top situations, exactly how we Disgaea fans like it!!

But that’s not all, the developers have added loads more to the game play fodder with more crazy skills to perform, the whole throwing mechanics and tower attack system has become really insane (and silly), a new Punishment system (take it how ever you please!!), new character classes, a monster union mechanic, a map creator, an online mode, loads of DLCs (whew) which will make more a deep yet out of this world experience for the PS3.

Sony machines have historically been RPG power houses, but the PS3 has been lacking in that department, but with system now finally firing in all cylinders, Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten is the perfect sort of RPG to woo back those who had become disenchanted with PS3’s lack of quality RPGs. And if NIS America (Nippon Ichi North American arm) takes full advantage of the space afforded by the blue ray format and ensure that the whole game is fully voiced, has dual audio options and gives a sparkling and comedic localization, it will only bode well for the game. So after a couple of tumultuous years for Nippon Ichi in the financial circle and still seeing the end of the tunnel, Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten will elevate the company back in to the lime light and bring its awesome series back in to form for the HD generation.