is the third
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
in the ''
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 D ...
'' series by
Nippon Ichi
is a Video gaming in Japan, Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. The company was founded in 1991 and has developed several role-playing video games, most notably the ''Disgaea'' and ''Marl Kingdom'' series. Its mas ...
. It was released for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...
. Jack Niida, Localization Director for NIS America, said, "''Disgaea 3'' will have a
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
feature through the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
to download new and old returning characters."
Gameplay
''Disgaea 3'' is a
tactical RPG
Tactical role-playing games (abbreviated TRPGs), also known as strategy role-playing games and in Japan as (both abbreviated SRPGs), are a video game genre that combines core elements of role-playing video games with those of tactical (turn-bas ...
; 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
Club may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Club'' (magazine)
* Club, a '' Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character
* Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards
* Club music
* "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea''
Brands and enterprises ...
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.
Story
Setting
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
Truancy is any intentional, unjustified, unauthorised, or illegal absence from compulsory education. It is a deliberate absence by a student's own free will (though sometimes adults or parents will allow and/or ignore it) and usually does not refe ...
, 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.
Plot
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
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
, 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
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
, 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.
Development
PlayStation Home
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
PlayStation Home was a virtual 3D social networking, social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was accessible from the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XM ...
. 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. 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.
Additional content
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
''Soul Nomad & the World Eaters'' is a strategy role-playing game (SRPG), developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software. The game was initially released for PlayStation 2 on February 15, 2007 in Japan, September 25, 2007 in North America, and J ...
'', 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
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'' charact ...
's mascot character, can be unlocked by completing the additional modes.
Re-release
An enhanced remake of ''Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice'' named 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''.
Reception
The game received "generally favorable reviews" on both platforms according to the
review aggregation
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
.
In Japan, ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' gave both ''Absence of Justice'' and ''Absence of Detention'' each a score of 32 out of 40.
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." ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' noted the difficult learning curve for new players but commended the same game for its overall depth.
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''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 its prime."
''
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'' 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, is almost an irrelevance. We've got numbers to think about." 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."
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 ''Disgaeas 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. 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."
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."
Later, when ''GameCentral'' was switched over to ''
Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
'', 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."
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."
References
External links
Official Japanese Page*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Disgaea 3: Absence Of Justice
2008 video games
Disgaea
Fantasy video games
Nippon Ichi Software games
PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation Vita games
Tactical role-playing video games
Video games developed in Japan
Single-player video games
Video games about demons
Video games scored by Tenpei Sato