Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness

If you've got a PSP and are a fan of strategy RPGs, Disgaea is a worthy addition to your collection.

"What is different, however, is the inclusion of Etna Mode, which we were able to unlock using a preview build code (this may or may not be in the final build). Etna Mode, a guaranteed laugh, provides an alternative telling of Disgaea's story from the point of view of Etna. This perspective starts with Etna accidentally killing Laharl when trying to wake him up. Everything following that, it seems, is a spoiler for the main game, since you're suddenly privy to a great amount of information you wouldn't have known had you been playing from Laharl's perspective. Gameplay wise, the mode is very similar to the main story, granted that Etna is the main character and the plot flow is drastically different. Although your party starts at Level 1, the opening battles felt a touch more challenging than the skirmishes that Laharl faces, and no Tutorials are given during combat. This mode is clearly designed for those who have already played the main game, and want a fresh glimpse at the story. Although we only had limited time with Etna's perspective, this additional mode should certainly attract veterans of the game who want to revisit a classic title."

With a nearly flawless port of the classic title to the PSP, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is a game that any strategy RPG fan should definitely own. Even if you have the PS2 version of the game, the inclusion of Etna Mode as well as the addition of Multiplayer and Geo Cubes places enough of a spin on the game to improve and strengthen the incredibly deep title even more. While it's a bit disappointing that some of the original issues haven't been fixed, this is still an awesome game that works amazingly well on Sony's handheld. If you're a fan, or even slightly interested in the strategy genre, go out and buy this title now. Stop reading and start planning your conquest of the Netherworld.

"As you can tell, there is a lot to Afternoon of Darkness. The basics are fairly simple to learn, but there are enough nuances to keep players entertained for as long as they want to keep playing."