Disgaea DS (DS)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Shiva Stella
• Reviewed on: 09/30/2008
• Released on: 09/23/2008
• Originally published on GameSpot: Disgaea DS (DS) Review

Disgaea DS is an enhanced version of the popular strategy role-playing game that was originally released for the PS2 and which later found its way onto the PSP. It maintains the original's light-hearted style and impressive amount of replay value, but also boasts a fresh multiplayer mode, a slew of guest characters, and full stylus controls. The game's difficulty level has also been lowered, which makes Disgaea the most player-friendly it has ever been.

Set in the demonic realm of the Netherworld, Disgaea casts you as the young and impetuous Prince Laharl, son of the recently deceased Overlord. Laharl has spent the last two years asleep and is awakened only when his less-than-trustworthy vassal, Etna, tries to kill him. Afterward, Laharl discovers that he'll have to slay any who oppose his claim to the throne to be the new Overlord.

Disgaea's turn-based strategy battle system is straightforward, with a moderate learning curve that shouldn't prove too intimidating. The grid-based battlefield is presented on the bottom screen while the top houses a valuable map that marks both enemy and ally units, making the game significantly more player-friendly because it aids in character positioning. Another feature that increases the game's ease of use is the ability to maneuver the camera, which greatly helps in targeting because you're able to get a better view of both the field and your opponents. There's also a very well-integrated zoom feature that enlarges panels to make them easier to select with the stylus, which is a convenience often lacking in most DS strategy RPGs.

The game's most striking aspect is its geo-effect system. Geo symbols, which are colored objects that grant special effects to their same-colored geo panels, can significantly alter the battlefield to the point that you can't proceed without dismantling or transferring them. For this reason, you might want to destroy every geo symbol on the map, but the most effective way of doing so, chaining, involves both the transferring and destruction of multiple geo symbols, which can quickly become tiresome and frustrating for beginners.

Combos, team attacks, and throwing also increase strategic play and are essential for besting the game's opportunistic AI. You trigger combos by attacking the same enemy in succession, which lets you quickly dispatch foes because it raises the damage rate. You'll also score extra goodies by filling a bonus gauge with each successful combo string. Team attacks, meanwhile, are specials that are initiated when you have characters placed near an attacking ally, and these grant you such a great combat boost if you pull them off consecutively that they're absolutely vital against powerful enemies. Throwing adds a refreshing dimension to the battle system by letting you lift and toss characters; this is useful for accessing hard-to-reach areas and can even be used to manipulate enemies by combining them to create a more formidable foe.

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