Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice

Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice (魔界戦記ディスガイア3, Makai Senki Disugaia Surī?) is the third video game in the Disgaea series by Nippon Ichi. It was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The North American version was released by NIS America on August 26, 2008. Jack Niida, Localization Director for NIS America, has stated that "Disgaea 3 will have a downloadable content feature through the PlayStation Network to download new and old returning characters."

Story

The game takes place in a Netherworld school called the Maritsu Evil Academy. In this demon school, a good student is one who engages in delinquent activities such as ditching classes, or not doing homework. The student who participates the most in these kind of activities is known as the Honor Student, while demons who arrive to class early and do their homework are known as delinquents. Mao, son of the chairman, has not once attended class since the beginning of school. His ambition is to overthrow his father, who also happens to be an Overlord, and take his title. After reading a few volumes in his manga, Mao comes to the conclusion that "heroes are the ones who defeat devils". From that point on, Mao resolves to become a hero, convinced it will help him achieve his goal.

Eventually, Raspberyl, the delinquent of the school, learns about Mao's goal and begins to worry. If Mao were to achieve the title of Hero, then it would endanger her position as the school's "Number One Delinquent". She makes up her mind to follow Mao, stop his plan, and once again secure her title. However since Raspberyl is a demon delinquent, she tries to solve the problem without violence and talk him out of it instead. Seeing this from a distance, Almaz, a hero himself, misunderstands the situation and tries to save the day. Mao accepts the challenge and defeats him, stealing Almaz's title in the process. With the title of Hero, Mao believes he is one step closer to defeating his father and achieving his goal of becoming an Overlord.

Mao takes the "Hero" title from Almaz, giving him the demon title. Almaz slowly starts becoming a demon, but he sticks with Mao in hopes that Mao will tire of the hero title and give it back. They make several attempts to open up Mao's heart, where the title is buried, but are unsuccessful. Geoffry, Mao's butler, is unhappy with Almaz's meddling.

Eventually a change happens in the school- all the freshmen become delinquents, being brainwashed by the Senior class. While fighting them, Mao learns that his butler, Geoffry, was working behind the scenes orchestrating this, and is actually the Super Hero from his comic books in disguse, raising Mao to be the ultimate overloard so he could eventually destroy him.
Mao starts to get vengeance by heading to the human world to destroy it, but the words of his friends convince him not to release the evil in his heart, and he instead goes after the Super Hero, who is surprised to see Mao has not succumbed to evil. The hero initially dismisses Mao as not a challenge, but Mao defeats his goons and shows a new power- the hero power of love and courage. The hero reveals that he had absorbed the power of the overlords he defeated in the past and challenges, and is defeated by, Mao and his friends. Mao becomes the new overlord and runs the Evil Academy henceforth.

Characters

• Mao
  Voiced by: Hiromi Hirata (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)
  He has a brain with an Evil Quotient of 1.8 million, and uses it to conduct experiments and evil research. Whenever he finds a subject for experimentation, his glasses will fog over and he'll begin laughing to himself. If it is for the sake of reaching his goal, he will ignore everything and charge straight ahead.
  

• Raspberyl
  Voiced by: Chiwa Saitou (Japanese), Laura Bailey (voice actress) (English)
  Raspberyl is a childhood friend of Mao. The reason she is pursuing the path of a delinquent is because she wanted to be unique compared to other demons.
  

• Almaz
  Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (Japanese), Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
  Almaz von Almadine Adamant is a hero fanboy, who knows everything there is to know about heroes. He's very passionate about them, however he has a hard time acting like one due to his lack of confidence. Even though he lacks talent in becoming a true hero, when it comes down to it, he does his best. He has a crush on Princess Sapphire from the human world, and admires Super Hero. His dislikes involve demons because they do things like kidnap his princess. He wishes to become a great hero like Super Hero, so he can protect his princess from being kidnapped.
  

• Geoffery
  Voiced by: Gorou Kubota (Japanese), Dave Wittenberg (English)
  This old gentleman demon is very loyal to Mao. He is known to cover his failures by laughing them off and seems to be keeping a few secrets. His future goal is to watch and help Mao grow up to be a great Overlord. His dislikes involve any people who get in the way of that.
  

• Super Hero Auram
  Voiced by: Toshihiro Okubo (Japanese), Dave Wittenberg (English)
  The Super Hero both Mao and Almaz once looked up to, who went missing 200 years ago. After killing Mao's father, he despaired at how he had no more enemies to fight, but when Mao attacked him in his rage, he saw the potential in him and decided to raise him to be the ultimate demon and enemy, and became Geofferey.
  

• Mr. Champloo
  Voiced by: Keiichi Kuwabara (Japanese), Christopher Corey Smith (English)
  Mr. Champloo is a Home Economics teacher and a master of High Heat-Style Chaos-School Kitchen Sword. He has faith in his cooking and his heart. He often gives good advice, but because he frequently uses cooking metaphors, a lot of what he says is ambiguous or cryptic. He dislikes cooking without heart or those who waste food.
  

• Asuka Cranekick
  Voiced by: Natsuki Kousaka
  Asuka is a very loyal subordinate of Raspberyl and addresses her as "my lady". She also happens to be the daughter of a high-class family. Her hobby is to send 1,000 paper cranes to opponents she wounds in battle, as a get well gesture. This has earned her the nickname of "Asuka of the Paper Cranes". Asuka dislikes brutality as well as Lillian, though she will still fight for what she believes in.
  

• Kyoko Needleworker
  Voiced by: Arai Shizuka (Japanese), Lara Jill Miller (English)
  Lilian is a subordinate of Raspberyl. She is devoted to Raspberyl and calls her "big sister". A female ninja known as "Lilian of Strength", her dream is to help Raspberyl become the Legendary Delinquent. She really hates brutality and will immediately attack an offender. Her policy is to fight fair and square, never attacking during the night.
  

• Sapphire Rhodonite
  Voiced by: Akiko Hasegawa (Japanese), Stephanie Sheh (English)
  Sapphire is a princess from the Human World, and Almaz's object of affection. Though very pretty, she is said to be extremely ruthless, powerful and cold-blooded. Due to her fighting ability, she is able to protect her entire country by herself. She is also rumored to have lost or forgotten the ability to cry long ago.
  

• Master Bigstar
  Voiced by: Chihiro Suzuki (Japanese), Liam O'Brien (English)
  Master Bigstar is the charismatic leader of the Sophomores of the Evil Academy, who loves his subordinates. He likes manly men and commanding the Sophomore students as their leader.
  

• Salvatore the Great
  Voiced by: Miho Yamada (Japanese), Michelle Ruff (English)
  Salvatore is a Senior student and one of the legendary Ten Gentlemen. She is a military type of unparalleled ruthlessness, though she is not attached to any army. She is always giving out absurd orders, and has respect for opponents that are stronger than herself. Her hobbies are giving orders and forcing her subordinates to do harsh training. She dislikes jokes and any vulgar conduct.

Gameplay

Disgaea 3 is a strategy role playing game. Most of the game involves battled on square-grid maps where the player moves their characters to destroy all the enemy characters.
The bonus maps and characters cannot be accessed until the final boss is defeated, at which point an epilogue chapter opens, where the player may choose to continue to the extra maps, or to replay the entire game with stronger characters as in previous titles.

Battle System

• Two-level Toss
  After forming a tower, the character at the bottom can execute the Throw command to toss the character at the top of the tower to higher areas. Using Dual Throw, allows the character to throw any character he is holding (along with the characters they are holding) rather than throwing all characters at once.
  

• Throwing Receive
  When throwing a character to a monster-type ally, that ally can catch the tossed ally and then throw them a few extra spaces based on the second thrower's direction. This applies to both only monster type allies, human allies will catch and hold the thrown character.
  

• Throwing Environment
  Many objects in the environment can be lifted, thrown, or destroyed, primaily boxes, desks, or explosive barrels. Certain classes can created boxes or barrels to create stepping stones.
  

• Magichange
  Monsters can now morph into weapons in which a partner can use to execute a strong technical attack. To do this they must be assigned to the same group with the ally, and the change is temporary. After two turns the monster disappears from battle. Each monster becomes only a specific sort of weapon, such as prinnies becoming guns.
  

• Weapon Proficiencies
  Characters now have certain weapons that they are proficient with, much like Makai Kingdom's battle system. While characters can use other weapons, they won't be able to use the weapon's skills.
  

Weapon skills are now unlocked by purchasing them with mana. Many of the skills' effective areas have been rearranged, and each weapon now has two hidden skills from the previous game.

Customize System

• Mability/Evility
  One can incorporate a maximum of two special augmentation abilities to improve one's character's performance in battle, or allow Monster creatures to execute Magic Change skills with a partner. One skill is standard for each class, the second skill can be customized. When a monster executes the Magic Change skill, his evilitiy skills are also transferred to his partner.

Downloadable Characters

Downloadable characters have been confirmed for Disgaea 3. The current characters are Adell, Rozalin, Taro, Hanako, Yukimaru, Tink, Priere (From La Pucelle: Tactics), Kogure Souichirou (From Hayarigami), Pram the Oracle and Overlord Zetta in book form (From Makai Kingdom), and Marjoly (From Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure).

So far those are the only downloadable characters in Japan, but there will be more to come. One can also download the monster class Nekomata from Disgaea 1 and 2, and the Angel humanoid class from Disgaea 1 if one ranks in the top 100 players in one of three difficulties in "Command Attack". However the class may be available to all later. Downloadable characters have also been confirmed for the US version. Downloadable content is currently being released in Japan every month until January 2009.