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Watch Disgaea 5's anime opening take on an army
There's something very apt about a half-operatic, half-rock ballad for a Disgaea opening, and for me this one is a decent track too. Also, is that Psyduck in demon form at 0:54? So anyway, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance hits Japan on March 26 and the West sometime this fall. [Image: Nippon Ichi Software]
Get a load of Disgaea 5's new trailer
Nippon Ichi recently revealed a new six-minute trailer for Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance, flashing snippets of the RPG's gameplay. The PS4-exclusive game will launch on March 26, 2015 in Japan and will reach North America later in 2015.
Disgaea 5 wings West in 2015
The now-dubbed Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is coming to North America and Europe in fall 2015, NIS America announced this week. The newly revealed subtitle is tied to the game's Alliance Attack battle system. According to NIS, it lets main characters - and main characters only - use special moves when their "relationships are appropriately aligned." NIS' announcement also reveals the PS4 tactics RPG features more than 40 races and jobs, as well as a new stats-boosting system called Revenge Mode. It's just a hunch, but we're guessing that's a shot of it above. As NIS puts it, "Revenge Mode empowers your characters with bonus stats when they've become fed up of their allies being beat on."
The demons of Disgaea 5 take on Japan in March 2015
Disgaea 5 already has a March 26, 2015 release date for Japan, just weeks after it debuted at Sony's pre-Tokyo Game Show conference. The PS4 tactical RPG is coming in both download and retail forms, and as Gematsu notes, a demo is headed for the PlayStation Store in Japan sometime next month. For gameplay footage, check out the new trailer below the break. The next entry in Nippon Ichi Software's off-the-wall mix of demonic heroes, turn-based tactics and volatile penguins is exclusive to PS4, and according to reports NIS wanted to make a game that took advantage of Sony's new hardware. For example, NIS says Disgaea 5 can feature 100 characters on the screen at the same time, compared to just 10 on a PS3 version.
Report: Disgaea 5 'could only be done' on Playstation 4
Following this weekend's reveal, publisher Nippon Ichi Software has spilled a few more details on the upcoming Disgaea 5, a game it claims will feature more content than any prior entry in the series. According to the latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation magazine (helpfully translated by Gematsu), Disgaea 5 stars a young demon boy named Kiria who is seeking revenge against Demon Emperor Void Dark. Kiria is joined on his quest by Seraphine, the princess of the Gorgeous Underworld, and Usaria, the unstable queen of "Rabbit Rabbit World" who goes "berserk if she does not eat curry."
Disgaea 5 announced for PlayStation 4
Some three years after Disgaea 4 hit PS3 back in September 2011, Sony and Nippon Ichi Software announced its successor is coming to the PS4 with a 2015 release window in Japan. Disgaea 5 has long been in the shadows and while today's news makes the tactical RPG official, details remain limited for now. [Image: Sony]
NIS America's new imports include Guided Fate Paradox sequel
Localization specialist NIS America announced three new games for North America and Europe over the weekend, kicking off with The Firefly Diary this fall on Vita. Nippon Ichi's puzzle-platformer will be followed in 2015 by Guided Fate Paradox sequel The Awakened Fate Ultimatum and Vita RPG Criminal Girls: Invite Only. The Firefly Diary is heavily based around the Vita's touch capabilities. As Gematsu reports, you control a pair of firefly-like fairies with the task of guiding a young girl through perilous ruins. One of the fairies is based in a light world, the other a shadow world, and you switch between the two to solve the game's puzzles. Here's where the touch gameplay come in: The light fairy is controlled by the front touchscreen, while the rear touch pad moves the shadow fairy around (Push Square notes you can tie both fairies to the touchscreen if you prefer.) If you fancy a gander at The Firefly Diary, check out the trailer below the break.
The Guided Fate Paradox is getting a sequel in Japan
Nippon Ichi Software is releasing a sequel to The Guided Fate Paradox, and it's coming to the PlayStation 3 in Japan on July 24. Famitsu (via Gematsu) revealed some scant details today on The Guided Fate Cross Thesis: The plot apparently centers around two heroines, and if the player saves one of the ladies, the other one dies. Yikes. Given The Guided Fate Paradox starred a hero who became a god by winning a mall lottery, the game's probably not as dark as that synopsis makes it sound. The first game combined isometric dungeon-crawling with the turn-based RPG strategy of Disgaea, and featured, among other things, a group of companion angels clad in maid outfits who help players do their godly duty. You know, like in most religions. There'll be more details on The Guided Fate Cross Thesis in Famitsu's print magazine this month, but we'll have to wait and see if NISAmerica has any plans to bring it to the West like it did the prior game. [Image: Famitsu]
The Witch and the Hundred Knight swamps us with a new trailer
In The Witch and the Hundred Knight, you play a warrior devoted to the witch Metallia, a vindictive mistress hellbent on expanding her swampy dominion until she's taken oven the world. In case you hadn't guessed by the description or by looking at it, the PS3 action-RPG comes from the minds of Disgaea studio Nippon Ichi Software. In addition to laying out the story, a new trailer shows how the Knight does Metallia's bidding across the various lands. Highlights include customizing combos by assigning different weapons to each of the hits, and how the Hundred Knight needs a depleting resource called "gigacalories" to seemingly do anything in the world, including stay alive. The Witch and the Hundred Knight is set to take over Europe when it arrives on March 21, before spreading its rule to North America on March 25.
Vita dungeon crawl Demon Gaze heads West on April 22
NIS America continues its plucky support of Sony's Vita handheld with Demon Gaze, a Japanese roleplaying game that will bring its diabolical creatures and moon-eyed heroines to the West on April 22. In Demon Gaze, players assume the role of Oz, an amnesiac in a mysterious realm full of dungeons and monsters. Helpfully, Oz is a "demon gazer," which allows him to capture defeated demons and later use their powers. Described as a "dungeon crawl," Demon Gaze is played from a classic, first-person perspective. Players move forward one square at a time and each step has a chance to prompt an enemy attack or other event. As you can see from the collection of screenshots below, these old-school game design concepts are mated with modern 2D, anime-styled graphics. If you're interested in pre-ordering Demon Gaze you should pay a to visit NIS America's online store. There you'll find the game in its Limited Edition form, which includes Demon Gaze, an art book, a soundtrack CD and a fancy box to store all of this swag. All of that can be yours for $50.
Witch and the Hundred Knight screens show brawls, fine dining
The Witch and the Hundred Knight won't reach US PS3s until March 25, but some new screens can help give you an idea of what you'll be getting into. More specifically, it appears players can eat literal garbage between bouts of chopping up enemies and raiding houses.
The Guided Fate Paradox has angelic company for you, lord
The angels in the upcoming PS3 RPG The Guided Fate Paradox want you to know that they'll fight right beside you as you play as a god, guiding fates and fending off demons. They can also wear gear and be customized via the Divinigram, a grid-like board for character growth.
NIS President Niikawa considering more anime in games, more games as anime
Nippon Ichi Software President Sohei Niikawa told Joystiq his company may try to introduce more anime cut scenes to games like Disgaea, and spoke about the reverse possibility of a new Disgaea anime. Talking with us at the Tokyo Game Show, Niikawa said he's been able to build closer contacts within the anime industry in his relatively recent dual role as the president of both NIS and NIS America. "I believe that until recently NIS and NISA were completely different entities on their own," Niikawa explained. "NIS would make games, NISA would sell games. Having worked with both companies, being president for both companies, I believe that we could make a more intertwined relationship. "NISA has been doing anime before NIS, and because of that I've personally been able to meet more people working with anime, not just games. I originally met the anime industry people as the president of NIS America, but using that connection I gained by being the NISA president, I want to use that for NIS [Japan] as well."
Disgaea 4 Return picks up an official Japanese release date
Disgaea 4 Return will make its Japanese debut on January 30, 2014, according to a Famitsu report translated by Siliconera. Like the PSP's Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days and the Vita's Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention, Disgaea 4 Return is a portable update to 2011's Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten. It's currently unknown what additions the game will see in its Vita incarnation, though if prior portable adaptations are anything to go by, you can expect new characters, new stages and a host of new items and equipment to complement the basic story elements found in its PlayStation 3-exclusive predecessor. There is currently no word on when (or if) Disgaea 4 Return might reach Western territories, though the series' popularity in North American and European regions should ensure it receives an English-language localization at the very least.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight marches to western PS3s in 2014
NIS America will enlist western audiences to carry out an evil witch's bidding early next year, when its PS3 action-RPG The Witch and the Hundred Knight launches in North America and Europe. Players will guide the Hundred Knight through a contract with Metallia, a witch that is unable to travel beyond the borders of her poisonous swamp. The Hundred Knight is tasked with spreading destruction on her behalf while searching for and destroying pillars that were built to prevent the swamp from spreading. Players can use up to five different weapons to contribute to extensive combos. Dodging enemy attacks with the Mystical Dodge mechanic will slow down time, allowing players to punish their inaccurate foes with a few extra hits. The Witch and the Hundred Knight will also retain the Japanese version's audio tracks in addition to its English versions. You can get a glimpse of the game in this gallery of images from the Hundred Knight's Japanese release last year.
Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness trailer promises laughter and tears
Do you have enough exclamation marks in there, Disgaea D2?! Yes, you're excited Nippon Ichi's "spiritual remake" of 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is coming to PS3s in Europe on September 27, and North America on October 8, but ease up, dood!!!!!
Disgaea 4 Return coming to Japanese Vitas in January
Disgaea 4 Return is on its way to Vita, along with a game with the working title of Criminal Girls Invitation, Siliconera says. Disgaea 4 Return is reported to be a port of Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten, and it's due out in January 2014 in Japan. Criminal Girls Invitation is scheduled to launch this winter. There's no word on a western release for either game. Publisher Nippon Ichi Software announced the games during its 20th anniversary event on Saturday, where it also revealed an Asagi 10th anniversary game is in planning stages for unannounced platforms.
Returning to simpler days with Disgaea D2
Nearly ten years ago, a quirky little game called Disgaea: Hour of Darkness put developer Nippon Ichi on the map for lovers of Japanese RPGs – the ones from America, anyway. This quirky strategy RPG combined Final Fantasy Tactics with a Tim Burton-inspired aesthetic, and just as the genre seemed to be fading from relevance. Nippon Ichi capitalized on the success of Disgaea by opening up an American branch months later, and continued to iterate on their particular brand of complex and bizarre mechanics. For some (like myself), Nippon Ichi's prolific nature soon became a case of diminishing returns, and their audience gradually checked out from the company's regular forays into strategy RPG territory. Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness for PlayStation 3 stands as the developers' attempt to recapture that magic of 2003 with a spirtual remake of the game that made them, and by all accounts looks to be treading some very safe waters. This might not be a bad thing, though; just as the New Super Mario Bros. series added a fresh coat of paint to old-school action, Disgaea D2 has the same intent. The latest installment to the series acts as a direct sequel to the first game, complete with the same mechanics and characters, but with an entirely new story. %Gallery-179545%
Disgaea 2 coming to PS2 Classics January 22
NIS America is bringing Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories to the PlayStation Network's PS2 Classics section on January 22. The game will be priced at $9.99.The 2006 SRPG game previously made an appearance on the PSP in 2009 as Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days. The PSP version included additional content such as levels, skills and characters. While NIS America's announcement implies that the PSN version will be a direct port from the PS2 game, we reached out to see if any of the added content from the PSP version will be included in the PSN port, and will update as we learn more.
Disgaea D2 breaks Japanese launch barriers in March
Nippon Ichi Software is working on Disgaea D2 for PlayStation 3, set to launch in Japan in March 2013, NIS America tells Joystiq.Disgaea D2 stars Disgaea main protagonist Laharl, along with Etna and Flonne – the main characters from the original Disgaea (which is pictured above). There is no western release schedule as of now.NIS has Disgaea 5 on its radar, but can't confirm its development. NIS predsident Sohei Niikawa is thinking about Disgaea 5, NIS reiterates, piggybacking off the news out of Anime Expo in July.
