Koei announced that the strategy RPG Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness developed by Nippon Ichi for the PlayStation Portable will be released in Europe this coming December.

Based on the popular PS2 series, this game has a new story, multiplayer mode, and multiple customization options. Afternoon of Darkness revolves around Prince Laharl and his "outlandish group of misfits" making a bid for the rulership of the Netherworld.

The PSP version has an exclusive story mode which centers on Etna as she tries to become the Beauty Queen Ultimate Overlord. Gamers who finish this will be treated to "an exclusive ending."

The multiplayer mode which has been dubbed as the Duel System allows players to challenge their friends in multiplayer battles where skill and tactics will see the better player triumphant. In addition to that, connecting via adhoc gives players the ability to visit other people's shops and purchase rare and valuable items.

Disgaea veterans will probably enjoy the customization features of this game as it allows players to modify characters and weapons. The developers have also decided to give players the ability to customize the multiplayer games by allowing them to modify field conditions, win/loss conditions, and even the game rules itself.

Gamers who have become used to the old Disgaea combat system, however, should also be aware of the addition of Geocubes. If you decide to enable these items , they grant various power-ups from preventing any leveling to even getting the "ultimate weapon." At the start of a match, players choose 10 of these cubes each. Five of these will be given to the opponent while you retain five at random.

If this game lives up to the same great gameplay of the previous titles in the series, than this title will probably be well accepted by the PSP community and Disgaea fans. Sales manager for Koei Ltd. Will Curley put it best when he said:

When a game can literally swallow up over 100 joyous hours of your life then there's nothing better than being able to keep your tactical fires burning while on the go.

Disgaea's move to PSP is the perfect solution for gamers who can't wait to see what crazy twist is coming next, who are itching to try out their latest battle plan or just can’t get enough of those irresistible prinnies.