NIS has a new PS3 RPG planned for Japan, and it may not be exactly what everyone expects. Well, from the character art at the right I guess you could say the character art at least fits in with the other series like Disgaea, Jigsaw Party and Marl Kingdom. Majo to Hyakkihei (The Witch and 100 Cavalrymen) follows Metallica the witch and her servant, Hyakkihei.

You don’t control Metallica in Majo to Hyakkihei though. You control Hyakkihei…

There are lots of Vita games playable at the Tokyo Game Show this year, and Disgaea 3 Return, the port of the PS3 strategic RPG from NIS, is among them. However, since there are a large number of people who won’t be able to be there to test out the game, NIS has decided to provide similar information and a few images from the port in a rather informative trailer.

Okay, informative and somewhat silly. Here, see the Disgaea 3 Return TGS 2011 trailer for yourself…

ClaDun x2 has you starting in a weird parallel garden world named “Arcanus Cella” with no exit, at least not one that is known of. There is a doorway to somewhere else but it leads to a stream of dungeons that are filled with monsters and treasures. So you get to meet the people who inhabit Arcanus Cella while gathering treasure and creating teammates to recruit and add to your magic circle. You also try to find your way through the endless stream of dungeons. So yeah, just be forewarned. The story is pretty bland in comparison to other RPGs although the concepts it brings in are pretty cool. It just feels like the story is filler rather than components that make up the game.

Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten is the latest and greatest in the legendary Disgaea series of strategic RPGs. It’s got all new, HD graphics, a brand new Netherworld and overlord to meet and even more opportunities to create the biggest and baddest party in Hades.

Since the theme is promises, let’s start this review with one. If you take a chance on Disgaea 4, I promise you won’t regret it…

If you really want to get technical, Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten, is all about the sardines.

Sardines are a kind of fish used as food around the world. (They’re a great source of omega-3 fatty acids!) They’re also the breakfast of champion Prinnies, and happen to be former vampire-tyrant-turned-prinny-instructor Valvatorez’s primary source of food since he decided to stop drinking human blood due to a promise made years ago. That promise made him loose his power and position, resigning him to the position in Hades he currently occupies, with his former werewolf-vassel Fenrich as his only assistant. Though if you ask Valvatorez, he’d just say he’s there working in Hades because of a promise he made the warden and would deny any loss or fall from power….

The rumors about a Vita port of the PS3 exclusive Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice were valid. Of course, given NIS’s track record when it comes to Disgaea ports, it’s not like there was really ever any doubt. The company just made the official announcement that Disgaea 3 Returns is for real in Dengeki PlayStation.

Disgaea 3 Returns is going to be the ultimate incarnation of Disgaea 3…

Fans of NIS America PS2 to PSP ports will have something new to add to their wishlists. NIS has just announced that Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome (Phantom Kingdom in Japan) will be appearing on Japanese PSPs on September 22, 2011. Yes, Lord Zetta will be able to go anywhere with you in a few months, provided you don’t mind importing.

Like all of the NIS PSP ports, Makai Kingdom will have some additional content that wasn’t present in the original PS2 release…

Two versions of Disgaea 4 are going to be released in Japan, a ¥7,140 (~$85) standard version and a ¥9,975 (~$120) limited edition. So why the ¥2,835 (~$35) difference? Fuuka!

Well, not just Fuuka, though she does play a part…

Nippon Ichi Software isn’t one of the most well known video game publishers out there – at least, outside of Japan. In Japan, it’s fairly well known for its strategic RPG, especially Disgaea. But in other regions, odds are RPG fans and PlayStation console or handheld owners are the ones who immediately know what NIS stands for. (Especially if you own a PS2 or PS3!)

So this week, we’re taking a closer look at NIS, and by extension NIS America. Read on to learn more about the company and some of its most famous games…