In a not-at-all-surprising move, Nippon Ichi's annual Tokyo Game Show press event centered entirely around the announcement of the fourth Disgaea game. What was surprising, however, was the event's scale. Normally NIS hosts a modest gathering in lieu of a show floor booth; today's press conference was attended by more than 100 people and included, among other things, a live radio broadcast of a discussion panel by the game's Japanese voice actresses.

But then again, the production was appropriate. As NIS president Souhei Nikawa admitted, the company's future is riding on the success of Disgaea 4. And certainly they're giving the game plenty of attention, with a number of media and product tie-ins to help boost awareness and appeal to the series' devoted fanbase. Everything from manga and weekly radio programs to customizable card games and Disgaea trading cards packed in with Bikkuriman chocolate wafers: If you can name it, NIS is probably branding it with Disgaea 4 promotions.

But how's the game itself? Fortunately, Disgaea 4 itself looks as enthusiastic as its marketing. Although the game wasn't playable at TGS, the trailer for the game looks like much more of a step forward than Disgaea 3 was. Most obviously, its graphics finally look like they were made for high-definition rather than like up-rezzed PS2 visuals. Series artist Takehito Harada has worked with the development staff to create large, animated characters packed with detail and respectable animation. Still character portraits appear to be a thing of the past as well; while in-game cut-scenes still look to play out as conversations between character portraits, the images now animate, which should help set Disgaea 4 apart from the countless scores of RPGs that rely on static images to convey their narrative. It's still a far cry from full, cinematic cut-scenes, but it's a step up from the baseline nevertheless.

The game's improved artwork is the first of what Nikawa describes as the game's three main features. The third feature was translated simply as "stupidity," which in this case doesn't mean an actual lack of intelligence but rather the ridiculous, over-the-top nature of the Disgaea games. The series initially made its mark for its unique combination of tongue-in-cheek humor and insanely hardcore difficulty level, and it's this dichotomy the developers hope to play up. For example, one of the main characters, Fuuka, is a schoolgirl who ended up in hell for undisclosed reasons, and while she's supposed to have been turned into a penitent Prinny, she ends up looking more like a Prinny cosplayer instead -- apparently the human world has become so corrupt that too many souls are being sent to the underworld and they've run out of Prinny skins for them.

It's evident from the game trailer that standard series features such as the ability to stack characters one on top of the other is in play as usual but more excessive than ever; at various points, a stack of characters nearly a dozen high spin around a high parallel bar, travel across the level like a Slinky, revolve above a chasm like a human jump rope, and reach over a high wall to collect a treasure hidden within. And, of course, insanely high attack damage values are the order of the day in combat.

But what of the second of Disgaea 4's new features? By far, it has the most potential to change the way people approach the game: network features. Although no mention was made of head-to-head online combat, NIS is nevertheless building passive multiplayer into the game. The basic concept is that party data can be shared with other players, who can then take on your leveled-up band of warriors as a special challenge. It sounds similar to the online component of Demon's Souls, though of course adjusted to better fit the tactical RPG format. Nikawa was quick to assure players that the entire game can be completed without ever going online, but the network features are available for those who want to drill down into Disgaea 4 and get the most from their investment.

NIS will be launching Disgaea 4 in Japan on February 24. No specific date has been announced for the U.S. version, but we're told it will arrive "about six months" after its Japanese debut. Though, one assumes, without all the promotional tie-ins. 

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3181462

US release pretty much confirmed for Summer 2011!!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!