Nippon Ichi (Disgaea, Makai Kingdom, etc.)

So apparently D4V is also suffering from one of the oddly frequent crashing issues that NISA's been having. On the other hand, it seems to be isolated to certain user-created Baciels.

Should be easy enough to avoid, but still, just a heads-up.

Axel plays a mean flute.

edited 21st Aug '14 5:34:09 PM by Grounder

Disgaea 5 teaser trailer

Translation from siliconera commenter:
"…How could I forget it"
"Vengeance is the only thing I have now"

"You are a bloody avenger"
"There’s nothing left for you to protect"
"Let out the wrath inside you….!"
"I’ll help you release it…!"
"And then…. Everything… will be destroyed!"

Looks like Disgaea 5 is going the Darker and Edgier route.

edited 1st Sep '14 7:12:23 AM by AkoSiKuya23

Rather skeptical of this route if it's indeed the one they're taking.

Darker and Edgier didn't work out so well in Cursed Memories and their attempts in A Promise Unforgotten made the majority of the cast have at least one "what an asshole" moment.

If I recall, D3 was initially advertised as being darker and edgier too, but it's probably the lightest game, at least IMO.

So I wouldn't take that edgy trailer for granted.

And of course my first major incentive towards a PS 4 would be this of all things.

There also seems to be a noticeable lack of a subtitle this time around.

Ah, nevermind then.

edited 1st Sep '14 10:00:17 AM by Demonfly

That in conjunction with this gives me some pause regardless, though.

It brings to mind one-note 2edgy4me sorts of characters and watered down stories designed to appeal better to the Lowest Common Denominator.

@Demonfly: The subtitles are only added when released outside of Japan. In Japan, every game is simply called Makai Senki Disgaea with a number added for the sequels.

Finally. I was wondering when Disgaea would spoof, satire, and otherwise make fun of Darker and Edgier.

I'm really not sure if those would be the right words to use for this.

What's weird is that the games nearly always plunge into melodrama around the 3/4 mark and have endgames that you're supposed to take a little bit seriously. I've often wished that they'd take a more consistent tone... but preferably not in the dark direction.

I dunno, though, I guess some of their other games prove they can make that work.

Going back to the Flonne debate, IIRC, Artina said something about there being more than one Arch Angel (I think it was in the early post game).

Perhaps the best solution to how to solve this issue is "Occam's Razor". Under this line of reasoning, we get this:

Flonne became an angel again sometime between D2 and D3. Flonne is capable of switching forms at will. This is appropiate given her posistion as the diplomatic bridge between Celestia and Laharl's netherworld.

Only problem being what exactly is the time frame between D2 and D3, given that DD 2 is likely at most a few months before D2?

Back on the original topic, given that NIS has found some way to spoof certain topics in their games such as corrupt politics (based on a scandal at the time) in D4 and the entire high school setting in D3, I would not put it past them to make fun of a concept in general.

Look at the main character, he looks like a total emo with tight leather pants, exactly the dark and depressing type you'd expect to see out of a Darker and Edgier spoof. Then there's the shirtless man with red hair. Given that overly muscular physique, he just screams Testosterone Poisoning and Rated M for Manly parody. The sort of character you's expect out of a Japanese interpretation of iron age comic books. He's probably always pissed off at something too.

edited 1st Sep '14 7:43:32 PM by magnum12

D3 and Dark Hero Days imply that D2 and D3 are set at the exact same time, as the post game of D3 has the D2 cameos and DLC at a post-D2 status, while Dark Hero Days has the retroactive D3 cameos at a post-D3 status.

Confusing? Maybe, but there you go.

The real question is when D4 is set. They seem to be going out of their way to not answer that, seeing how DD2 justifies it's 80% D4 post game via time travel.

edited 1st Sep '14 8:34:31 PM by Otherarrow

Perhaps the problem is that DHD creates continuity snarl via the DLC if we assume its canon.

Since D3 was the first game (to my knowledge) in which post game content is canon, the easiest solution I can think of to untangle the snarl is to assume that the DHD DLC counts as D2 post game for the purposes of canonicity.

As per Infinity, I think that game's purpose is like the connection between Miotsuki-hen and Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni. In short, "a non canon entry used by the author to fill in gaps and holes in the canon story". The example provided explains through subtle hints something the author wanted to finish and resolve but simply forgot. In that light, Infinite's role is to explain Flonne's restored status as an angel.

edited 1st Sep '14 10:34:22 PM by magnum12

If I recall, DHD's D3 cameos aren't DLC. They are new post game stuff.

Also, isn't Infinite a snarl in infinite other ways though? It's cute that it shows that they had the idea of a "ascended" Flonne before D4 went ahead and made it unambiguously canon and suggested how that happened, but I wouldn't put it as proof of anything.

edited 2nd Sep '14 6:43:46 AM by Otherarrow

Infinite is a deliberate Continuity Snarl, as it involves changing the past.

As to how much of it's canon...

All of it.

This joke would probably require far too much patience and not be worth the payoff, but I think I'd love it if Disgaea 5 were a completely po-faced melodrama all the way through, but then the postgame is full of other Disgaea characters crashing into the setting and being all, "What's all this, then?" and the D5 protagonist can only whine about all these buffoons intruding on his deeep daaaark melancholy and jeez get your own games!

I can totally see Laharl calling Valzy Jr. a lame excuse for a main character.

Disgaea 5 can display 100 characters in HD at once, will focus on the theme of revenge.

Looks like Rabbit Girl is going to be the comic relief, nothing stated as to whether or not Not-Zetta or Not-a-Lillith is the villain.

edited 2nd Sep '14 8:19:04 AM by Grounder

That sounds like it could be cool.

100 things on screen at once eh? I can see some massive battles planned.

100 things but I'll bet we can only send up to 10 characters regardless

Damn it. A fifth Disgaea. I've only beaten Makai Kingdom and Disgaea 3, and the post-game? Ho ho. I still need 1, 2, 4, ZHP, the remakes, Prinny spin-offs, and Guided Fate Paradox!

I wish they'd release a collection.

Hrh-hrm.

As much I hate it, that's probably what's going to happen. How many RPG's ignore Conservation of Ninjutsu and give you that many units to control, outside of strategy RPG's/civilization-types where you literally control armies?

edited 2nd Sep '14 9:36:26 AM by FOFD

That would be huge waste to even bring it up if that was the case.

I can see them limiting it to 50 to make sure it runs well, but...

edited 2nd Sep '14 9:35:56 AM by Grounder

@Otherarrow: Maybe we'll get something like in Disgaea 1 where the entire stage is filled with enemies.