Customer Reviews

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness: Greatest Hits

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Talk about a well-made game. I enjoyed playing every minute of this game. With multiple ending, tons of items, leveling items to level 100, tons of classes to choose from, character levels of 9999, that's right 4 digit levels, there is no game that could be better for tactical games. It's even better than Square's Final Fantasy Tactics.

You play as a demon creating mischief as you take over rule of the netherworld. Filled with lots of humorous moments and tactical game play this game will keep anyone busy well over 100 hours.

I would say this is the best game I purchased in 2003.

This game is wonderful, halrious, exciting, and above all execesive. If you were to compare it to the standard of the genere, Final Fantasy Tactics, it is very different. While both tactics had a serious story line, Disgaea's storyline focuses on humor, but with a just with little points of seriousness to keep you liking the story. Also try La Pucelle Tactics, which is made by the same company(Nipon Icchi), runs on the same graphics and gameplay engine as Disgaea and comes out in May!

Scanning through other reviews, I saw someone had picked up this game due to the box art. I have a similar reason for picking up this game; a whole wave of Disgaea fanart had swept the art site deviantArt, and I thought "These character designs look really cool. I think I'll give it a shot."

I have to say that this game could've been priced at $70 or $80 and, with my opinion I've developed, I still would've purchased it.

I'll say this out front; if you want a game with a deep, thought-provoking storyline with tons of twists, betrayals, and suspense... don't play Disgaea. Go buy Final Fantasy Tactics and have yourself a jolly good time. However, if you're looking for a game with a lighthearted storyline filled to the brim with risque humor and general bashing of lots of pop culture, this game is the game for you.

Very little in the way of a detailed tutorial is given, which is a mixed blessing. First it means you can jump right into the game and get started, but if you're new to the Strategy/RPG Genre you'll probably be a little overwhelmed at first. It plays a little differently than most traditional ones as well. You can have up to 10 characters (either story-influenced ones or created ones) out on a battlefield at once, any type or class. (I have 10 Nekomatas that I use quite often!) You can move them about individually and assign them moves, and you have to tell the game to Excecute them once you've assigned them. Tedious at first, but after an hour or so it becomes automatic (You'll hit Triangle -> X without even thinking about it).

A rather neat feature this game has is a team-attack system. This goes side-by-side with the Master/Pupil system as well. If you have a character, say Laharal (The main character, Demon Prince of the Netherworld) is used to create a Warrior character. If you have Laharl positioned and attacking an enemy with the Warrior ajacent to Laharl, there's a very high chance that the two will both attack at the same time. You can have up to four characters in one combo attack, and some of which are pretty funny, as well as damaging (batting an enemy from the ground to the air, ground to air, etc., or knocking them in the middle of all four and just laying into the sucker).

Another interesting feature of the game is the "Geo Panel" system. In certain maps there will be colored tiles on the ground, and they may or may not have an effect on the battle. Pyramid-shaped gems on a single colored tile will give all of the same colored tile whatever effect they specify. This includes, but isn't limited to, Enemy Boost, Invincibility, Recovery, Atk/Def boost, and so forth. Using Geo Panels to your advantage can make a battle a lot easier, but it can also end up making it a lot tougher, too. Be careful!

The replay value of this game is nigh endless. Why? Well, while Final Fantasy Tactics has Disgaea beat when it comes to storylines, your maximum level in FFT is level 99. Disgaea's maximum level? Nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine. 9999. Not only that, at any point you can reset a character back to level 1. Now WHY would you want to reset a character back to level 1? Well, depending on how much "Mana" you character has (Points racked up from killing enemies), he can keep more and more of its abilities as it resets. Also, a reset level character (called "Transmigrated" in-game) gains stat points much faster than a normal character.

That's not all! Your items aren't simply stoic things that you use in Disgaea. No no no, on the contrary. They're their own dungeons! This game has the unique "Item World" dungeon system, which random generates a dungeon to fight through inside of an item. Getting farther and farther into the dungeon levels up the item higher and higher, up to a maximum of 255 (for "Legendary" status items). These leveled up items can make your characters unstopable powerhouses, if you put the time into it.

Initially, you start with only Laharl, the demon prince, Etna, his vassal, and three "Prinnies", penguin-like beings that are a major highlight of the game, dood. However, you can create more characters. A standard few are available in the beginning, like Warriors (Sword/Axe/Spear users), Brawlers (Martial arts users), Skulls and Mages (Magic users), and Clerics (healers), but you can unlock many more classes as you level up the base ones. Also, you have the option to create any monster that you kill in any battle. The more of them you defeat, the less mana they cost to create.

Nippon-Ichi has put together a truly great game. Let's just hope they bring the others over! (Well, we've got Rhapsody and Disgaea... and La Pucelle is coming out [Phantom Brave has been announced for US release! Woohoo!] I'd highly reccommend this game to anyone who enjoys Strategy/RPGs, or wacky humor. Just watch out for those horse weiners, dood.

This is probably the best strategy RPG I've ever played. The gameplay is extremely easy to pick up; the first time I played I didn't have the manual, and I still pucked things up very quickly. The battles are great, and the numerous character classes allow an enourmous level of cutomization for every character. The "Item World" dungeons and numerous endings offer huge replay value.
The story is a lot of fun, and a lot of the dialogue and cut scenes are absolutely hilarious. The voice acting is well above-average, as well.
The graphics are pretty lackluster, since this was a originally a PS1 game in Japan, but the gameply is so engrossing that you very quickly forget that. This is one of the best games available for Playstation 2.

Total sleeper hit!!!!!! Rush out and buy this game pronto!!!!

I remember reading about this game in Gameinformer, and i hadnt even read the review; but i knew i HAD to get this game. I bought it on the first day it came out and was simply stunned. Many say the game has bad graphics, but you know, tactics games are hard to give extremely awesome super 3-D graphics. And besides, the graphics in this game are colorful, clean, and fit perfectly to the tone.
This is the best tactics game since FFT and tactics ogre. No, wait, its BETTER!!! More classes, more levels, more secrets, and more endings! The new game plus feature is a great bonus too.
One of the great things about this game is the plot. Its not serious and confusing, but it's hilarious and has GREAT character development. I saw the normal ending, and it was sort of sad, but i thorougly enjoyed the little bit after the credits. I'd have to say this is without a doubt the funniest game i've ever played. Its funnier than Earthbound, Leisure Suit Larry, and even Conker! You have to play it to believe it.
If you've played a tactics game, then i dont really NEED to explain how you play it. There are many new things thought that if youre a beginner to these, i wouldnt select this one to play first. Instead, play FFT, THEN try this. It's not THAT confusing. In fact, it's really fun to figure out new tricks.(there are a bunch)
The music and sound are great, and so is the voice acting! The game is full of spoofs, laughs, and even a (small) dash of drama! But they luckily ruin most of those moments with hilarious dialogue.
The fifty bucks is well spent. You can level up to 9999, there are over 100 classes, TONS of items,(each with hilarious little descriptions) and there are (i think) 8 different endings! And being an Atlus game, you know it's gonna go out of print soon, so hurry up and get it!

To be honest, I bought this game because I liked the box art. Little did I know I was getting so much more. However reminesent of a bad comedy skit, the story somehow holds together and is not only humorous, it is compelling. You are the Prince of Darkness, who has been sleeping in a coffin for 2 years. You awake to find your dad, the king of the netherworld, has died choking on a 'black' pretzel. The netherworld has gone to hell, there are uprisings, battles for power, and anarchy. You then set off on a quest to plunder, loot, and take back the title of king of the netherworld.

Though the gameplay graphics are on the ps1 level, its not bad. Story screens are done in still anime pictures with voice acting to fill dialouge. This would be boring if the dialouge wasnt funny, and if the pictures looked bad. Luckily it has a high level of quality for each of those categories. Spells and other fancy attacks have spectacular effects, and are a joy to watch.

The gameplay itself is innovative and resourceful. You can throw teammates and enemies to attack, or just for strategic movement. Geo panels set up brilliant combo attacks for devasating damage, assuming you can plan them out correctly. Weapons can also level up just as your characters do. You give the item to someone and you go inside the weapon where a dungeon-like situation arises. Defeat it and your weapon gains power and attributes. A very nice feature. If you want better equipment at the shop or more money and the like, you have to take it up with a congress-like group of demons who vote in favor or against you, depending onhow much you bribe them. That right there is hours of enjoyment (or frustration, depending on your patience).

Music is good, it can get repedative and annoying if you listen to the same song for too long, but it doesnt hurt the game. Some of the music is fantastic. Sound effects are excellent, and the voice acting, though a little overdone is of good quality and moves the story along well.

In short, this is a great game worthy of any strategy RPG fans time. Actually, its not just worthy, it demands to be played. The game is fantastic and I recommend it to anyone.

This game is the best I have ever seen or played. You can't get tired of it. There are so many diferent ways to play it with so many characters and items you can't get board.

I judge books by their covers. Or, in this instance, Playstation 2 games by their cases. The cartoony art on the cover drew me in.

I'm glad that I'm a sucker for cute art, because Disgaea has stolen my soul.

The plot's wacky. Hardly, if at all, does it take itself seriously. Right down my alley.

The art's great, like something fresh from an anime. Yes, this is a reason why I buy games.

The gameplay, oh man. The gameplay makes me want to become a video game so that I can somehow defy logic/biology and become pregnant by this game.

The voice acting isn't terrible.

The music is lacking, but surely, anything, if heard for hours on end, would grate on one's nerves.

Oh, this game will take away a lot of my boring time when I can find no friends around. It'll make me a hermit, and I am glad.

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness was definitely the best $50 I have spent in a while.

To elaborate on my ratings:
FUN: I definitely think it deserves five stars as demonstrated by my review.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Well, you never know when you will be in hell fighting a bunch of demons for the right to the throne, while you can somehow control the people on your side from a 3/4 perspective. In some people's lives, I guess this can be training for something.
DURABLE: It's a CD. It has a case to protect it, but it's just as durable as any other single-sided game disc on its own. IF USED FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE AND TREATED WITH RESPECT AND CARE AS CDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, it has a nice durability! Kicking, biting, scratching, yelling at, covering in mud, and hitting with bats is not recommended for optimal durability.

It is an RPG and thats the only reason it doesnt smell like radioactive sludge balls. Don't listen to the other people who fell in love with these graphics. Imagine a grown person staring at a static television with drule gussing from their mouths screaming and laughing. Thats how bad the graphics are. The characters are plausible. The Plot is amiable. The sound is credible. Watching the children do their dances is fairly boring and takes along time. Stick to Final Fantasy X and X-2