Disgaea 3 | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Nippon Ichi Software |
Publisher(s) |
|
Director(s) | Masahiro Yamamoto |
Producer(s) | Sohei Niikawa |
Designer(s) | Masahiro Yamamoto Yoshinori Yamamoto |
Writer(s) | Kaori Shinmei Sohei Niikawa |
Composer(s) | Tenpei Sato |
Series | Disgaea |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 PlayStation Vita |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice [lower-alpha 1] is the third video game in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi. It was released for the PlayStation 3 video game console. Jack Niida, Localization Director for NIS America, said, "Disgaea 3 will have a downloadable content feature through the PlayStation Network to download new and old returning characters." [3]
Disgaea 3 is a tactical RPG; most of the game involves battles on isometric maps upon which the player controls a group of characters. Maps often feature "geo blocks" with statistical effects on the battlefield, that, unlike in previous games, can be stacked or stood upon. Many objects in the environment, including these blocks, and characters themselves, can be lifted, thrown, or destroyed. Certain classes can create boxes or barrels to create stepping stones. Characters can form stacks, allowing them to reach higher areas or perform "tower attacks". When throwing a character to a monster-type ally, they will bounce an extra distance based on the monster's direction and throwing stat.
With the newly introduced "magichange" feature, monsters are able to transform into specific weapons in which a partner can use to execute a strong technical attack. To do this they must be assigned to the same club as the ally, and the change is temporary. After two turns the monster disappears from battle, unless in the magintology club which increases it to 3 turns.
Characters now have certain weapons that they are proficient with, much like Makai Kingdom's battle system. While characters can use other weapons, they won't be able to use the weapon's skills. Weapon skills are now unlocked by purchasing them with mana collected from defeating enemies. Many of the skills' effective areas have been rearranged, and each weapon now has two hidden skills.
One can incorporate a maximum of two special augmentation abilities, known as "evilities", to improve a character's performance in battle. One skill is standard for each class, the second skill can be customized. When a monster executes the Magic Change skill, their main evility is also transferred to their partner.
Bonus maps and characters can be accessed after the final boss is defeated, at which point an epilogue chapter opens. The player may choose to continue to the extra maps, or to replay the entire game with stronger characters as in previous titles. From within the epilogue, many extreme challenges await hardcore players under various circumstances, from maxing out characters to the millions, to defeating the final secret boss and then the land of carnage.
The game takes place in a Netherworld school called the Evil Academy. In this demon school, a good student is one who engages in evil activities such as truancy, never showing up to class, and getting in fights with others. The student who participates the most in these kind of activities is known as the Honor Student, while demons who are admirable by human standards are known as delinquents.
Mao, son of the netherworld's Overlord, has not once attended class since the beginning of school. His ambition is to overthrow his father and claim his title (along with claiming revenge for having his gaming systems destroyed). After reading a few volumes in his manga about the Super Hero, Mao resolves to become a hero, convinced that it is the quickest way to gain enough power.
Eventually, Raspberyl, Mao's childhood rival, learns about his goal, and realizes that if Mao became a Hero, it would endanger her position as the academy's top delinquent. She makes up her mind to stop Mao's plan to sustain her title. However, since Raspberyl is a demon delinquent, she tries to solve the problem without violence and talk him out of it instead. Almaz, a meek hero fanboy from Earth on a mission to protect princess Sapphire by defeating the overlord who he believes is targeting her, misunderstands the situation and tries to save the day. Mao accepts the challenge and defeats him, stealing Almaz's title and giving him the title of "Demon". Almaz slowly starts becoming a demon, but he sticks with Mao, who claims he is his slave now, to defeat the overlord.
Visiting the "Heart Bank", in which demons store parts of their heart and memories to be less feeling, they make several attempts to open up Mao's heart, where the hero title is stored, but are unsuccessful. Geoffrey, Mao's butler, is unhappy with Almaz's meddling. At one point, Mao comes across his sealed memory of him contributing to his father's demise by telling the Super Hero Aurum his weak spot. Aurum later clarifies this by revealing that the Overlord intentionally lost in order to protect Mao from his ultimate attack.
Eventually, all the freshmen become delinquents, being brainwashed by the Senior class. After fighting them, Mao learns that Geoffrey orchestrated the plan. Actually the Super Hero Aurum in disguise, Geoffrey attempted to raise Mao to be the ultimate overlord so he could eventually destroy him. Mao tries to get revenge by destroying the human world, but the words of his friends convince him not to release the evil in his heart, and he instead goes after Aurum, who is disappointed to see Mao has not succumbed to evil. Aurum initially dismisses Mao as weak, but Mao uses the power of a hero to defeat Aurum. The ghost of his father gives Mao the Overlord title and he runs the Evil Academy henceforth.
Nippon Ichi Software has released two Game Spaces for the game in the Asian and Japanese versions of the PlayStation 3's online community-based service, PlayStation Home. The first space is called "The Nether Institute, Evil Academy" and features six Prinnies. The users can purchase a displayable Prinny, answer a questionnaire, purchase Disgaea 3 content, and take "Disgaea tests." The second space is called "The Chairman's Room" and features the "Netherworld Millionaire" card game and an "Arcade Game". They were released on April 23, 2009, in the Japanese version of Home and on July 2, 2009, in the Asian version of Home. The game supports Home rewards currently for the Japanese version of the game where users are able to win decorative ornaments for their personal spaces in Home by earning trophies in the game. [4] It has been confirmed that there is an unlockable ornament in the North American version of the game as well. The two game spaces were released to the North American version on June 10, 2010.
This section needs additional citations for verification .(July 2009) |
Additional unlockable content became available in Japan once the game was released and on December 22, 2008, in North America, and was released monthly in Japan until January 2009 and once or twice a month in North America until August 2009. The content includes new characters able to be accessed once the main story is complete, character and monster classes, the modes "Item World Command Attack" and "Class World Command Attack", and a side story following Raspberyl after the end of the game. Access to this additional content must be paid for.
Available characters include Captain Gordon, Jennifer, Thursday, Kurtis in his human and prinny forms, and Mid-Boss from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness , Adell, Rozalin, Taro, Hanako, Yukimaru, and Tink from Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories , Zetta and Pram from Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome , Gig and Revya from Soul Nomad & the World Eaters , Priere from La Pucelle: Tactics , Marjoly from Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure , Hero Prinny from Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? , and Kogure Souichirou from Hayarigami. Aramis from Disgaea and Pleinair, Takehito Harada's mascot character, can be unlocked by completing the additional modes.
An enhanced remaster of Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice named Disgaea 3 Return (魔界戦記ディスガイア3 Return, Makai Senki Disugaia 3 Ritān) was released for the PlayStation Vita as a launch title in Japan on December 17, 2011. It was released in North America and Europe in April 2012, subtitled Absence of Detention. [5]
Aggregator | Score | |
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PS Vita | PS3 | |
Metacritic | 78/100 [6] | 78/100 [7] |
Publication | Score | |
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PS Vita | PS3 | |
Destructoid | N/A | 7.5/10 [8] |
Eurogamer | N/A | 8/10 [9] |
Famitsu | 32/40 [10] | 32/40 [11] |
Game Informer | N/A | 8.25/10 [12] |
GamePro | N/A | [13] |
GameRevolution | N/A | B− [14] |
GameSpot | 7/10 [15] | 7.5/10 [16] |
GameSpy | N/A | [17] |
IGN | 8.5/10 [18] | 6.7/10 [19] |
Pocket Gamer | [20] | N/A |
PlayStation: The Official Magazine | 8/10 [21] | [22] |
Push Square | 8/10 [23] | N/A |
RPGamer | 3.5/5 [24] | 3.5/5 [25] |
RPGFan | 84% [26] | (US) 87% [27] (JP) 85% [28] |
Metro | 7/10 [29] | N/A |
Teletext GameCentral | N/A | 8/10 [30] |
The game received "generally favorable reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [6] [7] In Japan, Famitsu gave both Absence of Justice and Absence of Detention each a score of 32 out of 40. [10] [11]
Andrew Fitch of 1Up.com said of Absence of Justice, "This is possibly the most accessible incarnation to date, and if you've overlooked Disgaea until now, give this one a shot." [31] Eurogamer noted the difficult learning curve for new players but commended the same game for its overall depth. [9] IGN 's Ryan Clements was more critical of Absence of Justice, citing its dated graphics (on PS3) and camera control but praised the music quality and length summing up his review with "Ultimately, I think Absence of Justice is just the repackaging of a formula that's passed[ sic ] its prime." [19] Edge gave it a score of eight out of ten, saying, "That Disgaea 3 is perhaps the finest of its self-referential and casually wicked yarns,[ sic ] is almost an irrelevance. We've got numbers to think about." [32] Louis Bedigian of GameZone gave it a score of 7.7 out of 10, saying that it was "Best suited for the Disgaea fan who loves the series solely (or at least primarily) for its gameplay, and for newcomers who will skip the story regardless of its quality." [33]
Reviewing the Vita version, Absence of Detention, on PlayStation LifeStyle, Heath Hindman cited camera control and Vita's touch features as problematic, but was more positive about Disgaea's formula than Clements. His review had particularly great things to say about the story and characters, and made it clear that the graphics look better on Vita's small screen than they did on a TV. [34] Vito Gesualdi of GameZone gave it 8.5 out of 10, saying, "As the first true RPG on the PlayStation Vita, Disgaea 3 definitely has a lot of expectations to answer to. Thankfully, this largely flawless experience delivers." [35]
David Jenkins of Teletext GameCentral gave Absence of Justice a score of eight out of ten, saying, "You'd never believe this was actually a PS3 game, but apart from the graphics this is the best Disgaea yet." [30] Later, when GameCentral was switched over to Metro , Roger Hargreaves gave Absence of Detention a score of seven out of ten, saying, "It's not the best the series has to offer, and it's clearly just a PlayStation 3 port, but Disgaea was made for portables and has never worked better than on the PS Vita." [29] Armando Rodriguez, however, gave the same PS Vita version a score of 8.8 out of 10, saying, "The fun story and the deep and complicated combat mechanics are worth seeing. Sure, sometimes it can get TOO COMPLICATED but the nice thing is, if you get overwhelmed, using common sense and the basics is enough to overcome most challenges." [36]
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is a tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. Set in a world full of demons and angels, the story follows Laharl, the son of a demon overlord, who upon being awakened after a two-year slumber, aspires to succeed his father’s place while also fighting rival demons in the process.
Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was founded in 1991 and has developed several role-playing video games, most notably the Disgaea and Marl Kingdom series. Its mascot is the penguin-like Disgaea character Prinny.
La Pucelle: Tactics is a tactical role-playing game developed by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2. It was released in Japan in January 2002, and in North America by Mastiff in May 2004. The game was ported to the PlayStation Portable in Japan on November 26, 2009 as La Pucelle Ragnarok. The Ragnarok version was later ported to Windows and Nintendo Switch as part of the NIS Classics Volume 3 in 2022.
Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software. It was initially released for PlayStation 2 on March 17, 2005 in Japan, July 26 in North America, and October 28 in Europe. An enhanced port of the game, Phantom Kingdom Portable, was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on October 6, 2011. The game was later ported to Windows as Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound, and to Nintendo Switch as part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2 compilation, with those versions released worldwide on May 10, 2022.
Prinnies are a fictional race of creatures primarily in Nippon Ichi's Disgaea series of role-playing games. First appearing in Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, they have appeared in all later titles by the company, as well as on various merchandise such as hats and plush toys. With a few notable exceptions, they are voiced by Junji Majima in Japanese releases and Grant George in the English releases from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten. The Prinnies are regarded as the mascots for the Disgaea series and have received generally positive reception.
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and was released for the PlayStation 2. It is also the predecessor to Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice for the PlayStation 3.
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is a tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation. Released in 1998, it is the first installment in the Rhapsody series. A version for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan and North America in 2008, and in PAL regions in 2009. The game was released for Nintendo Switch as part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 compilation in western regions, and for Windows as a standalone game worldwide in 2022. The game's story focuses on a young girl named Cornet as she seeks to rescue a prince after being turned to stone by a witch.
Makai Senki Disgaea is an anime series based on the video game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Makai Senki Disgaea follows the same general plot as the game, but with several alterations to characters and chronology. The anime was licensed by Geneon Entertainment before they closed their doors in 2007. On September 1, 2010, North American anime distributor Funimation announced that they had rescued the series, and they released the complete series in 2011.
Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? is a 2D side-scrolling comedy platform video game for the PlayStation Portable, developed by Nippon Ichi Software. It is a spin-off title in the Disgaea series.
Disgaea is a series of tactical role-playing video games created and developed by Nippon Ichi. The series debuted in Japan on January 30, 2003, with Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, later re-released as Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Disgaea DS. One of Nippon Ichi's most popular franchises, it has branched off into both a manga and anime series. The Disgaea games are known for complex gameplay, extremely high maximum stats and humorous dialogue. The Disgaea series has shipped 5 million copies as of 2021.
Trinity Universe is a 2009 console role-playing game, co-developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Idea Factory and Gust Corporation exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is published by Idea Factory in Japan and NIS America in North America and Europe and was released in Japan on October 1, 2009 and in North America and Europe in June 2010. The game features characters from the Atelier and Disgaea series from Gust Corporation and Nippon Ichi Software respectively, with fully 3D character models for the first time.
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten is a 2011 tactical role-playing video game for the PlayStation 3 and the fourth in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi Software. The game tells the story of Valvatorez, a former tyrant leading a party to rebel against the president of the Netherworld. Originally released in February 2011 in Japan, the game was released in September that year in the U.S., with a European and Australian release in November. A western release of the Vita rendition of Disgaea 4, subtitled A Promise Revisited, was released in North America and Europe in August 2014. This version was released for iOS and Android in November 2022. A second rerelease titled Disgaea 4 Complete+ was released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on October 29, 2019, and was released on PC through Steam and Microsoft Store on September 10, 2020. The game featured voice-overs in Japanese and English, with texts also translated into French.
Disgaea Infinite is a visual novel for the PlayStation Portable. The game is part of the Disgaea series, using the same setting and characters as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, though Mao and Raspberyl from Disgaea 3 also make appearances.
Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! is a platform game by Nippon Ichi Software released in Japan in 2010. The game made it to the North American market in 2011.
Hiromi Hirata is a Japanese voice actress represented by I'm Enterprise. She is best known for her role as Makoto Kikuchi in The Idolmaster game series. She was featured as a guest of honor at Anime Expo 2004. In video games, she voices Mao in Disgaea 3, Kamui Tokinomiya in Arcana Heart, and Miyabi in the Senran Kagura series.
Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness, known in Japan as Disgaea Dimension 2, is a 2013 video game in the Disgaea series developed by Nippon Ichi Software. The game is a direct sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PlayStation 2, where the respective main characters of that game are once again the focus. It was released on March 20, 2013, for the PlayStation 3 in Japan.
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is a 2015 tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software, and part of the Disgaea series. It was initially released for PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, and by NIS America in North America and Europe in October 2015. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in Japan in March 2017, as a launch title for the system, and worldwide in May 2017, under the title Disgaea 5 Complete, containing all DLC content from the original, but no new content. This version of the game was released on Microsoft Windows through Steam in October 2018, albeit without network compatibility.
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is a tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software as part of the Disgaea series. It was released for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on January 28, 2021, in Japan, and by Sega on May 27, 2021, in Asia. NIS America released the Nintendo Switch version worldwide on June 29, 2021. In total, the game was translated into French, English, Traditional Chinese and Korean. A version with all previous downloadable content, titled Disgaea 6 Complete, was released for PlayStation 5 on June 16, 2022, in Japan, followed by a worldwide release on June 28, 2022, alongside PlayStation 4 and Windows platforms.
Disgaea RPG is a spin-off title of the Disgaea series for iOS and Android devices. It is published by Nippon Ichi Software and jointly developed by Drecom and ForwardWorks. It was released in Japan on March 19, 2019. The game is free-to-play and monetized with microtransactions to obtain in-game currency; this in-game currency allows players to collect randomized characters in a gacha system.
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