Alright, I did a search on the forum and there was a Disgaea thread, but it was from 2009. So I think it's time to start a thread to discuss Nippon Ichi games, which are far and beyond my favorite video games of all time (more than Final Fantasy, Zelda, etc.) I think it's only appropriate to start with a little FAQ.
What's Nippon Ichi?Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) is a Japanese video game company that makes a lot of video games. These video games usually feature:
-Some amount of customization (ranging from building characters to
combining characters with items)
-Strategy and/or RPG gameplay
-Lots and lots of grinding (9000+ level cap optional)
-Some variation of "optional randomly generated dungeon"
-Graphics that, with some exceptions (Disgaea 4?), are visually pleasing but nowhere near the capabilities of the system most of the games run on
-Exploding demon penguins
They're most famous for their Disgaea series which features grid-based tactical RPG gameplay and really silly stories/characters. The characters from the first Disgaea game have appeared in some way in just about every NIS RPG since then (NIS is legendary for the sheer cameo density in some of their games).
Where do I start if I want to play a good NIS game?There is no excuse now to not play or have played the first Disgaea game. It's been released on three consoles (PS2, PSP, DS) and can provide unlimited hours of entertainment. It's also a little easier to get into than its successors (less mind-boggling features and options).
Can you share a little info on the NIS games you've played?Sure! I haven't played them all and I do not have a PS3, but I can review them here for you.
Disgaea: Hour/Afternoon of Darkness, Disgaea DS (PS2, PSP, DS): Where it all started. This one has my favorite story of all. It features Laharl, son of the previous Overlord (a reigning world-conquering villain), who has been woken up from a hundreds-years sleep by his loli demon liege(?) Etna. His father has been killed, so now every demon in existence is vying for the spot. Laharl decides he's most fit to be Overlord and starts questing to defeat other potential overlords. Things get more complicated when an Flonne, an angel from Heaven, is introduced.
There's a wide variety of classes to choose from when creating characters, and you can make just about every character/enemy type in the game into a playable unit. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but there's nothing really stopping you from working towards a sword-wielding, Ice-casting Archer unit.
When you're not going through the story mode levels you can enter an "Item World": a randomly generated dungeon created from one of your items. Every time you complete 10 item world levels, the item levels up and gains bonuses. There's also a "specialist" system for further customization but blah blah that's too much to get into here.
As for the ports, the PSP version has multilayer, a first for the series, along with a few other additions. The DS version built off the PSP version and added a little more content (but at the cost of reduced graphics quality).
Makai Kingdom (PS2/PSP):Released a bit after the first Disgaea (I think), Makai Kingdom stars Zetta, the biggest badass in all of NIS, questing to free himself from a book. Since Zetta can't actually fight in book form, ALL of your characters until the post game are generic characters.
The character/skill-building wasn't quite as robust as a lot of the Disgaea games, but there are plenty of other changed or new mechanics: the removal of the grid system (you move freely within a certain radius), vehicles, base-building, even giving characters stat boosts based on what item you built them with. There's too much to cover here.
Personally, I think the characters here were some of the most entertaining. A wimpy final-boss-looking demon lord named Micky, the arrogant yet hilarious Zetta, Pram the psychic (or something), Zetta's previous student/lover (who makes things more complicated when she's introduced)... the writing was still top notch. I haven't beaten this game yet so I may update this post if I ever get around to doing that.
Phantom Brave (PS2, PSP, Wii?)Story-wise, Phantom Brave was much more serious in tone than most NIS games. It featured Marona, a girl who was treated as an outcast due to her ability to see and interact with ghosts like Ash (the other main character who died in a battle).
It's actually a little closer to the Disgaea series gameplay-wise compared to Makai Kingdom, but it still features radius-based movement in battle. It's notable for being
absolute, positively ridiculous with the amount of customization possible. You can combine characters with characters, items with characters, items with items... it's entirely possible to have a sword that can cast spells that could only be found on a starfish or pumpkin. Yes, "starfish" and "pumpkin" are viable weapon types.
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories/Dark Hero Days (PS2/PSP):The sequel to the original Disgaea. You play a human hero (!?) who quests to defeat the Demon Overlord Xenon. Things get complicated (see a trend?) when Rozalin, the overlord's daughter, is introduced.
Honestly, I didn't think this one was quite as interesting. The story was comparatively boring (though the endings were great, especially the infamous worst ending which is notable for being absolutely horrific) and made trekking through the story levels feel a little more like a slog. The new content was somewhat interesting, though: new classes, new items, and new gameplay mechanics like a backwards crime punishment system. The gameplay was still rock solid, and the item world was made less monotonous by the introduction of new things like portal types, item pirates and places to rest every 10 levels.
I haven't played Disgaea 3 or 4 yet as those right now are still PS3 exclusive. I do not have a PS3, so I'm going to move on to a couple other NIS games I've played.
Cladun: This is an RPG/Cladun X2 (PSP) (Published by NISA, subsidiary dev)I hope you like nostalgia. Cladun, or Classic Dungeon, is NIS' throwback to the old days of dungeon crawling and features, among other things:
-An incredibly elaborate "magic circle" system for powering up characters
-A degree of customizing stuff not possible in a lot of games (think Animal Crossing's design editor but with both characters and equipment)
-Fairly typical yet extremely fun action RPG gameplay
-Vaguely Diablo-style loot drops
-Punch you in the face, remove your kidney and steal your girlfriend level difficulty (at later levels and bosses)
If you like either of those last two things and have a PSP then these games are worth checking out. Cladun X2 is not inherently "better" than Cladun: the sequel features extended gameplay mechanics at the cost of story elements and interesting characters. X2 is more for purists who just want to steamroll through a dungeon for loot and fun.
Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger Versus Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)Warning: this game is so ridiculous in every aspect that it may cause you to question your personal values. When playing, make sure to remember this was made in Japan. I cannot do it judgement through a text description of the story and basic mechanics so I will link you to the brutally honest American trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wn6NYU7QeUWhen you've watched that, I'm just going to list some highlights that will probably interest this community.
-The game has
roguelike gameplay. Yes, a single character ventures through random dungeons of various themes. You collect items, defeat monsters and figure out how to manipulate the grid-based movement system to give you an advantage over your enemies.
-There's a lot of customization here. Items can be combined, your character can be modified, you can even set up your home base.
-The writing is positively hilarious. To give you an idea: when you beat the tutorial dungeons you
unlock a wife and daughter. The wife is a penguin who desires brand name handbags and will deliver lunch to you during a dungeon.
A few other tidbits-The games listed above do not encompass all NIS games. They're just the ones I have extensively played. If you like them then there's more out there for you like Disgaea 3/4, La Pucelle, Class of Heroes, Soul Nomad, etc.
-NIS has a partnership with Atlus who translates a lot of their games. The translations are consistently good, and a lot of the English voice acting is well done (though sometimes overdone).
-Nippon Ichi is gearing up to
release three new games for the PS3 soon. Actually, I think all (or at least 2) are already released in Japan, but these releases are the American version. I predict at least one of them will hit other systems.
-Almost all of the main games have been ported to PSP with new content (and usually alternate storylines).
Now that you've written all these words, what are we suppose to discuss?Anything NIS is up for discussion. Strategies, what you think of the games, which ones you're considering getting, etc.
However, I have a
question of my own. Disgaea 3 is being released in the US as a super-duper port for PSP called Absence of Detention soon. What I want to know is if it's worth it considering I haven't played D3 yet. What's the best feature? The worst? I want honest pros and cons from the (likely few) people here who've played it.
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Topic: The NIS/NISA thread: CLADUN on PC!?! (Read 14637 times)