Disgaea DS is a veritable gold mine for fans of the strategy RPG genre. As in most games like this, Disgaea involves three major elements -- a main base, in this case Laharl's castle, where players will heal, purchase new equipment, and take care of other business; non-interactive animated story sequences with advance the plot; and the battlefield, which is where most of the real action occurs in the form of turn-based battles across a sizable map. Disgaea veterans know, however, that this game has several tricks up its sleeves.
For one thing, based on their formation, up to four allies can work together to attack a single enemy, thus putting a greater emphasis on troop placement. Also, there are Geo Panels, in which certain items can cause various stat bonuses or other effects in colored squares. Next, you've got the lift and throw system, which can be used strategically to move an ally closer to an enemy or even to combine two foes into one single, higher-level opponent. Then there is Item World, in which players can explore randomly generated dungeons inside their own equipment in order to make it more powerful. Finally, there is the Dark Assembly, a sort of Netherworld Congress which the player must consult to create new characters, increase the difficulty of opponents on old maps, get new and improved equipment in the shops, and even unlock new worlds to explore. Combine all of that with the ability to level up characters into the thousands and you have what is easily one of the deepest video games ever made.
