This game has so many versions i don't even know wich one to start with.
I originally discovered Disgaea thanks to the DS port and i didn't really like because it looked like shit and every move turned the screen black wich was annoying. I was really interested in the characters so i ended up watching that one cursed anime instead.

Anyways a few years later i find the ps2 version and decided to give it another chance, and this time it clicked. It became one of my favorite videogame series when i was a teenager, my top 2 after the SMT franchise, and to be fair it's still pretty high up, top 10 materal at least.

Anyways, don't play this version, get Disgaea 1 Complete or Disgaea PC instead, it's the same game with more content and some more QoL. The only thing this one has that the others don't have is a Tsunami Bomb song they used for two stages because of some really weird collab.

After an entire year of trying my hand at this fucking game, grinding through Item World, trying and failing to break the Dark Assembly, and completely ignoring post-game content after realizing I'd already dumped 200 odd hours into this game, I cannot say I'm mad. Disgaea's been with me through a lot of shit, and while it's pissed me off plenty of times, I feel like 3 distinct phases of my life have passed before I got around to finishing it if I'm being honest. I started seeing a therapist on the regular, I played and wrapped up an RPG campaign that I was finally happy with, and I got to making actual progress on writing a book.

It's not that it's a special game that came at a special time, just that it's the game I was constantly playing in that time. Helps it's a pretty fun game, too. A unique take on the SRPG/TRPG setup already, complete with an absurdly cute take on it's contextualizations. For a 200 hour game, though, I'd have expected a bit more....content to it's storyline? It all wraps up assuredly, and goes a lot of places in it's last 30 hours, but I wish it was more than a cartoon episodic thing with how it's made and all after all that. Knowing that a lot of these characters won't receive further development in it's sequels, too, is a tad disappointing.

That's all to say, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness isn't a game I could ever recommend in good faith. There's too many annoying aspects I don't mind a bit, and I know all my friends hate their grinding in their RPGs and shit. Disgaea is all about grinding, grinding, grinding all day all nite. And I don't think any of the generally unfunny jokes are gonna save that for the average player.

a damn great strategy rpg that's unfortunately outclassed by its later installments. i'd recommend starting with D2, D4, or D5 since they added various quality-of-life enhancements to help with the grind that this series is (infamously) known for.

if you absolutely want to start with D1 as your first Disgaea game, might be a good idea to pick up one of the ports since there's extra scenarios and characters, alongside some QOL updates. the "Complete" version available on switch and mobile is the preferred go-to, though the PC, PSP, and DS ports are okay in a pinch.

despite its age, D1's still a fun time for those with the patience to sink into it, with an enjoyable story and cast, and a TON of mechanics to exploit. it's not a "serious" SRPG series by any stretch, but it's one that's a ton of fun to break once you figure out how to do so.

(also lil tip: use reincarnation/transmigration. yes, it does reset your level to 1, but your stats will stack as you progress, and it makes the trip to the level cap of 9999 far less painful.)

Charming in the very specific ways that late 90s/early 00s parody anime are (think Di Gi Charat or Excel Saga). The game being structured into episodes with goofy preview segments is cute. The characters are well defined and fun to watch blabber about random shit (with the exception of the humans). It's really chill and has a clear unity of purpose in its mechanics and story that few games have. The Innocents and item world systems layer to give the game a soft modular difficulty where you can either engage with them to breeze through the story in like 20 hours or take it slow. If the main game is too easy the post-game offers a massive grind with optional dungeons. Disgaea doesn't overstay its welcome if you don't want it too, which is rare for RPGS which are usually well paced until you have to spend hours grinding to beat the final boss.

I love Disgaea 1, I played it on a whim after finding it on the PS2 in a second hand store and fell in love with the franchise since. The cast and story of D1 are arguably still the best in the franchise to this day.

While I love D1 and the memories I hold with it, Oh my god this game is a nightmare to go back to after playing later enteries. This game is hard, and not in terms of difficulty (It is also really difficult), but in terms of the quality of life introduced in later enteries.

The Item World's random generation is one of the most fun aspects to play with, as it gives a unique challenge every single time you run through it, but any run in the item world can be very suddenly and abruptly screwed over by terrible RNG, the exit being unreachable or enemies just being too far away to kill is a extremely common occurance that set me back hours sometimes. I'd love to say D1 Complete fixes this issue but I'd be a liar if I did.

This is ignoring other QOA improvements made later in the franchise, like making turns go by faster or generally making post game grinding more enjoyable, but fun the first attempt at this you have to give it some level of slack (Again wish I could say D1 complete fixes any of this)

This game set a great foundation for the rest of the series, and even now they love to bring the D1 cast back as much as possible because of how likeable and iconic they are.

This is one of my all time favorite games, and I'll fully admit there's a nostalgia bias. The balance is terrible, the post game is lacking in some content and certainly the pacing can be a little slow (Though since you can't skip animations they didn't get too carried away with them in this game) but I love it warts and all. Being able to build up your units into certified badasses is super satisfying, the Lift and Throw mechanics give it a super unique play style that most strategy games don't have, and the story is the perfect blend of comedy and tragedy, hitting the right notes at all the right moments. If you love PS2 RPG's, check this one out, I highly recommend it.

Nippon Ichi's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness combines the cheeky attitude of Marl's Kingdom with concepts from Tactics Ogre and maybe even Shin Megami Tensei - but supercharged with an impish acumen and a charming artstyle that had few equals, forming a hyper-eclectic, hyper-irreverent amalgam. Each chapter is conducted in episodes, each one indulging in comical, sometimes narratively pointless ventures that beat Working Designs at their own game - if only in terms of sheer amusement. However, there's a surprising maturity in its writing that leaves enough room for more serious avenues within the plot. Silly sketches, sarcastic wit, and raunchy humor may dominate the show, but in reality are just preludes to the brief flashes of genius contained in its character-building. Despite all the hilarious excesses going on - occasionally the party (and player) gets blindsided by quite poignant, powerfully tragic scenes, thus betraying a soul beneath its sophomoric guise. Moments like these help graduate characters like Laharl, Flonne and Etna (easily the standout) to some of the most memorable in the genre.

Disgaea's tactical RPG combat counterfeits and somewhat updates Tactics Ogre's mission design, class progression, and grinding-as-a-metagame attitude. However - plenty of unique, thematically appropriate features surrounding that format, such as the Dark Assembly, the Item World, etc. Plus inside the format (Geo Panels, Throwing) separate it from its peers. In some ways, it even surpasses Tactics Ogre's training mechanic by placing the emphasis on player-controlled efficiency instead of party balance, boosted in large part by its use-based EXP system and a gradual rollout of skill/spell upgrades. Grinding here is no longer about repeating the same attacks, but around making microscopic adjustments to strategies as characters gain levels and unlock miniature yet meaningful changes. On the downside, a few features like the Item World fall flat in their execution, and the repetition can get a little excessive.

The result is a formidable synthesis of the most amusing, intricate and heartbreaking extremes in JRPGs, that can be as complex as it is flippant, mischievous, and touching.

the story and art style are very intriguing but the gameplay is not it. waste of 30 dollars.

not horrible by any means, i would recommending looking into this game (or the whole series) before getting this.

also why did they design etna like that.... gros.

O primeiro Disgaea me ofereceu uma experiência tão cheia e tão impactante que eu jamais quis jogar outros jogos da série.

Suas mecânicas de aumento de números tende a níveis de grandeza absurdos, o que sempre foi visto como um atrativo pra jogadores ultra-hardcore que perseguem seus valores astronômicos.

Eu não curti tanto esse design mais cíclico de progressão de poderes, mas me diverti bastante jogando a campanha com foco em terminar a história, especialmente pelo humor, personagens carismáticos e a bela direção de arte.

Algumas mecânicas como a de empilhar pessoas e arremessar objetos dá dinâmicas bem divertidas, incomuns ao gênero tático.

Dificilmente voltaria para outros jogos da série, entretanto.