In addition, different symbols can also be placed on the map to add further benefits to adjacent characters, such as mana and experience bonuses as well as entirely different rules governing play, provided you can garner enough sway with the Netherworld's senate to pass a vote. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine (PC, 360, PS3).Characters are arranged on the map such that those adjacent to each other will be more prone to assisting with combo-attacks during a fight. Dubbed the Cam-Pain HQ, the map opens up into a grid-based overview of all of the battles that have been won. Much of Disgaea 4's labyrinthine game design is aimed at scratching gamers' OCD itch, and nowhere is this more apparent than Disgaea's new campaign map. And while previous battles will have to be completed again, this is an excellent opportunity to level up characters found wanting the time before. Afterwards, play begins anew, with levels and items intact. (This is the Netherworld, after all.) Lost battles are met with an actual ending, complete with dialog and credits, rather than a boring 'game over' screen. That said, defeat is seldom an end in Disgaea 4. Completing enough levels in this Item World makes items more powerful, and can often spell the difference between a hard fought victory and bitter defeat. It doesn't hurt to bring a big sword to a fight either, and once again characters are able to grind their way through randomly generated levels based on items in their possession, from candy bars to pointy daggers. Puzzling out the most efficient and lucrative way to dispatch opponents using a combination of abilities and environmental hazards is the quickest way to ensure success in future battles. If you think a normal sized Prinny is cute (or horrifying), one that's been super sized is outright adorable (or doubly horrifying).Īdding to this, the magichange system returns from Disgaea 3, and now a fused monster can be combined with a human character to multiply their combined stats and create an imposing super weapon to deal massive damage.Įven so, most battles in Disgaea are as much about learning how to exploit the battlefield for the most points as they are about winning outright. In addition to series staples such as lifting, throwing and team attacks, the game now allows monsters to be fused together to create a single huge monster with combined stats. Even so, the characters are now extremely crisp, though purists have the option to revert back to the old, pixelated artwork should they be so inclined.Īs it has been from the onset, however, it's gameplay, not graphics, that makes Disgaea so endearing. While Nippon Ichi has gone back and redrawn characters in glorious high resolution, what we're left with is still much of the same artwork we've been looking at since 2003. An inability to rotate the map beyond set intervals only compounds this issue, and can turn even the most epic slugfest into an annoying ordeal.įortunately, the sprites themselves aren't too difficult on the eyes. For example, battlefields in Disgaea 4 can become exceedingly cramped as sprites bunch up together in a fight. How much you enjoy these features, however, will vary directly with your willingness to endure or overlook many of the series' long-suffered shortcomings. Faces new and old are encountered along the way in a politically-grounded story that, while not as zany as Makai Kingdom or as morose as Phantom Brave, never stops short of entertaining.Īt its core, Disgaea 4 is a typical turn-based strategy RPG, but whereas most games of this type are content to offer multiple character classes, level grinding and grid-based combat, Disgaea ups the ante with numerous other features and tons of customization options that truly make the long hours needed to complete the game a rich and rewarding experience. Wackiness ensues as Valvatorez and his werewolf counterpart, Fenrich, embark upon a campaign to deliver sardines promised to the Prinnies prior to their graduation ceremony. To use his own words, Valatorez aims to "pound Prinny pride into opponents' heads through lessons of fear and punishment." %Gallery-131379%Once more set in the Netherworld, Disgaea 4 tells the story of Valvatorez, a vampire and tyrant-made-teacher with an obsession for sardines and an uncanny sense of loyalty, particularly when it comes to his students, the Prinnies. That storied tradition looks to continue with earnest in Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten, a testament that, all things considered, developer Nippon Ichi definitely still knows its audience. Nevertheless, whether owing its longevity to quirky storytelling or staggeringly deep and complex mechanics, the franchise has found favor among strategy role-playing game enthusiasts. With its dated gameplay and recycled graphics and music, each new entry in the franchise has flown in the face of convention. The Disgaea series is a tough nut to crack.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |