Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten Critic Reviews

Disgaea 4 is a noteworthy edition to the popular strategy RPG series because it adds so much new content without destroying the familiar gameplay that fans have grown to love.

I honestly can't say enough good things about Disgaea 4. The game is a fantastic RPG that can be as deep as any other, yet as simple as the player wants it to be. You can easily sink 50 hours into the main story itself. It never gets too difficult, and with the visceral combat in place, there is always more than one way to take on a battle.

If you feel like the best games are those that involve combing though menus, analyzing stats, and carefully plotting out hour-long battles, then Disgaea 4 is quite simply a can't-miss title.

Disgaea 4 brings a kid-like excitement to the table, with its energetic presentation to go along with extremely deep gameplay.

In the end, Disgaea 4 is simply the finest expression of everything that the Disgaea series is.

A must-have for genre followers, that again puts NIS as the leader in strategic RPG games. We miss more options, like the possibility to save the game in the middle of a battle, and a more comprehensive online mode. The best Disgaea game to date.

It's trite but true: if you liked earlier Disgaea games, you'll like this one, but if you didn't like the rest, this one won't change your mind. If, however, you've never played the series, Disgaea 4 is a great place to start.

Exactly what it should be: an upgrade of a recognizable game that plenty of fans have adored. It's very pretty, the audio is borderline amazing, the captivating, addicting gameplay is back in full force (with even a little extra force), and player choice and customization immediately gives us a sense of purpose.

This is a game for those who like taking their time and being methodical. If you've got the patience, there are hundreds of hours of brilliant strategy gameplay waiting inside Disgaea 4.

Disgaea 4 is everything we expected out of Disgaea 3. Finally upgraded to the next generation, it's a pleasure to see the HD shine resonate throughout the Netherworld.

In other words, Disgaea 4 continues the tradition of letting us play our own ways while rewarding us for doing the same thing over and over again. As "hardcore" as these games are, developer Nippon Ichi makes them playable in lots of different ways. Perseverance, ingenuity and even failure are all rewarded.

Disgaea 4 is still Disgaea, but better, improved and with a very welcomed graphical update. Tons of systems and subsystems focused on creating a crazy sandbox where the rules exist to be broken. Add a really good story, charming characters and the, as usual, excellent soundtrack and you have a fantastic entry into the series.

The network is the only place Disgaea 4 breaks much in the way of new ground, but it's a wonderful complement to yet another iteration of an already slick design. Absent a major rework of Disgaea's foundation, this is about the best that we could ask for – even if you have to remind yourself that you're not playing the same PlayStation 2 game from 2003 once in a while.

Disgaea 4 is everything a Disgaea fan could want, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that it's an enjoyable game, a curse in that you probably won't finish it until after the holiday season.

Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten could be considered, by a new player, a traditional RPG, without any innovation; however, the older fans will appreciate the new setting and characters, and also the interesting storyline. Not a masterpiece so, but neverthless could be a good purchase for all the fans.

There's a lot to love here, but gamers with hatred for Laharl and company won't find anything to change their minds. At the very least, those who appreciate the series for all that it is will find this entry more than satisfying, as it does everything better than before.

Fans will love it for everything it is, while detractors will ignore it for all that it isn't. This is a game, and series, that isn't out to win over gamers by changing its stripes -- though its fans probably wouldn't have it any other way.

What it comes down to is this: if you have any interest at all in the strategy/RPG genre, Disgaea 4 is bound to please. It's less of a revolution than a (much-needed) evolution for the series, and it's still got a few dents in its armor, but there's just so much being offered here that you're bound to find something -- if not several things -- to explore and enjoy. And as a final note: if you see foreign minister Vanetha in your Dark Assembly, please bribe her nicely, okay?

A taste for micromanagement, high difficulty and a tactical way of battling is essential to enjoy Disgaea 4.

That said, Disgaea continues to define the pinnacle of the TRPG mechanics and Nippon Ichi is clearly the master of this genre; just don't go expecting anything shiny and brand new from this latest outing. It remains though, a must buy for any fan of the series.