Disgaea: An Eccentricity Diluted by Time

Disgaea:

Reviewers and fans alike declare Disgaea compelling, composed of irreverent skewering of the classic heroic tropes, and a slapdash, zany humor. In Disgaea: Hour of Darkess, the player encounters Laharl, prince of the Netherworld, awakening from an extended slumber three years after his father's death. As the son of the Overlord of the Netherworld, Laharl stubbornly insists on claiming the title. After reviewing his drafty castle and meager, unsuitable vassals, he embarks on a quest to defeat claimants and usurpers, so he may rule demonkind.

Immediately, one might expect a dark, cruel, anti-hero, intent on enforcing his formidable will on a hellish underworld. Others, assuming a subversion of tropes might envision a virtous, crusading knight determined to seek out justice for his father's enemies, and cleanse the Netherworld. But neither would be correct. Instead, the primary characteristics of Laharl are childishness, naivete, and an unrelenting desire to have what he wants. Instead of a frightening or awe-inspiring visage, he is depicted as a pre-teen: skinny, pouting, and awkward. He rushes to battle, not out of a sense of knowledgeable courage, or a daring bravery, but through the same attitutde which led David to challenge Goliath, an immature feeling of invulnerability and a obstinate belief in one's inevitable victory. Fortunately, his untrained, yet awesome potential allows him to overcome deadly obstacles (admittedly, the foes are complete dunderheads).

Both Laharl's early companions and recurring foes included similarly dopey characteristics: Etna, his mocking, ineptly conniving, right-hand demoness; Flonne, his love-freak angel, amateurish assassin; and Vyers, self-titled the Dark Adonis, and disparagingly named “Mid Boss” by Laharl.

Hour of Darkness (Also called Disgaea PC or Afternoon of Darkness) is separated into fourteen episode, each which has a short plot arc, while occasionally contributing to the larger canvas. Like any good story, each episode begins with an issue or problem which Laharl seeks to resolve. Sometimes he stumbles into trouble as the unwitting victim of an ally or an enemy.

These chapters each contain a cinematic introduction, where Laharl's issue is revealed publicly, or he is deceived into mistaken circumstances by a companion. Each episode opens a new area for the player to access. But Disgaea limits exploration (as compared to Final Fantasy) by using a system of portals in the Overlord's Castle. From this hub, a female cleric opens up the relevant portal for Laharl to chase his foe, invade a palace, or seek out lost pets. Each chapter's portal contains a number of battles, which the player can pick and choose from. Most episodes have four battles, but with only the first available, unlocking the next after a victory. After each battle Laharl is returned to the castle to rest. Upon accessing a battle, there is normally a short conversation between Laharl, his companions, and possible foes. Upon conclusion the battle begins. There are few instances in which a battle is interrupted for further dialogue. Victory will reward the player with a conclusion to the conversation, and a new battle to access.

Unfortunately, Disgaea doesn't succeed on the detail of its comprehensive plot, or the intricacy of its short arcs. With nine of the fourteen episodes completed, it's introduced a few tenuous threads by which the player can anticipate the eventual outcome. Only one incident contained any substance, a revelation to past events, to Laharl's past and his future development. Every conflict contained within an episode is too transparent, the resolution too predictable. And the best writing, the dialogue, is reserved for characterization, not bolstering the flagging plot.

Instead, Disgaea relies on the quirkiness of its characters to engage the player. The eccentric, character-centric dialogue obscures the flimsiness, and often non-existent broader purpose to these battles. While the early episodes insinuate Laharl's motive as a quest to reclaim his father's title of Overlord, amidst supposed a backdrop of demonic infighting and conflict, it's difficult to be swayed by this story. The method of gameplay created by the developers subverts the enemy, by giving the player initiative. Laharl always obliges the enemy by seeking them out in their palace, by simply walking through a portal. Enemies never are able to threaten or imperil Laharl, and any sense of urgency and possible defeat are minimal. Even the battles, and their brief introduction, serve to diminish Laharl's foes. They live in lavish palaces, ornamented with comfort, instead of fierce weapons of war. If there is a raging, bloody war for the heart of the Netherworld, it's entirely invisible to Laharl, and the player.
The irreverence of Disgaea often slips into juvenile humor. One of his later companions, Jennifer, is shown in the cartoon cut-scenes, (which are from the waist up) as wearing nothing more than a revealing red bikini top, though the character model wears short shorts. She questions Laharl whether demons probe inappropriate places, and tries to draw him into discussions on his eventual puberty. He, for his part, regularly mentions his aversion to any well endowed woman, and demands that Jennifer not stand any closer than five feet. And other characters will discuss any topic they desire, including a male Zombie's privates.

But the game doesn't doesn't descend to stereotypes, but subverts them as best it can. Each of the characters have hidden depths and reversals of fortune which reveal developing and changing attitudes. Jennifer, though drawn as a blonde bimbo, is a braniac, having invented a robot at age five, and of course Laharl (is bound to) overcome his cruel demonic (and childish) nature, and demonstrate patience, fortitude, and heroic behavior.

Yet, in spite of the idiosyncrasy of Hour of Darkness, it seems oddly familiar. One imagines it was unique upon its release in 2003, but the best parts have been incorporated into other media, and today they seem redundant, overused, and stale. While the character developing dialogue delivers the laughs, the plot is pedestrian and without any conflict or memorable, threatening enemy (so far). But like Thief: The Dark Project, it's possible the developers are reserving a sustained conflict oriented plot for the last third of the game.  

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