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Nippon Ichi turn-based strategy games (Disgaea etc.)
Anyone else like these games?
I have all the American releases (which are pretty much connected in that characters do tend to crop up in more than one of the games).
La Pucelle Tactics...
Unfortunately I bought this just after starting to play Disgaea: Hour of Darkness so it really stood no chance. I will definitely be returning to it sometime. Movement was square based.
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
This game has taken up over 400 hours. I finished my third play through a couple of weeks ago. You get to restart retaining all your characters from the previous play through. There is a nice touch of humour running through the cut scenes which really ought not to be skipped. You can strengthen your Weapons or other Items by fighting your way through all the enemies in them (they have 30, 60 or 100 floors depending on the rarity). I am still trying to get to see the Good Ending (there are number of endings of which I have now seen 3). The movement was again square based.
Phantom Brave
This did away with the squares so that movement was more free form. The basic mechanics were the pretty much the same as the previous two offerings. The method of getting characters on the map made it more interesting in that they had a limited time on the maps (you main character could stay indefinitely). Characters had to be confined to objects on the map which would enhance (or even reduce) the stats of the characters when they were on the maps. As well as the main story you could create Dungeons to explore to gain more items and get more experience. As you used items you (and the item) would gain Mana which would allow the item to be levelled up from time to time. I had problems with one of the later maps and abandoned it. I recently completed the main game (after making some good use of some specially modified dungeons) and am now onto the extras which includes cameos of characters from Disgaea.
Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome.
The latest in game. It takes (in my opinion) the best bits of Disgaea and the best bits of Phantom Brave. Movement is freeform. Characters can stay on the maps indefinitely. This time there are no weapon upgrades. You just have to find stronger weapons. You can build Dungeons which can be useful for more experience. Buildings and Vehicles are introduced and the buildings can enhance characters (like getting extra experience for instance). I completed this game the other night and managed the Good Ending which meant that the game restarted with my "cast of characters" intact. I can now get further levels which should make it easier for me to take on and beat the Disgaea characters the second time around.
This must be some recommendation as I have actually finished three out of the four titiles, those three being 60% of the games I have completed in 2005.
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Linear Mode
