For a fan of the Disgaea franchise, one of the best things that could have happened to the franchise is the new release of previous games on Steam. Disgaea PC was a rather large success (and allows PC gamers to get in on the Disgaea series) so NIS America is at it again with Disgaea 2 PC. Disgaea 2 PC offers content from both Disgaea 2 and Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days, while adding characters that never released in the West such as Gig, Dark Éclair, and Miabel. The Disgaea games are always full of content, and Disgaea 2 PC is no exception. In this release, fans are treated with hilarious and deep gameplay. If you are new to the Disgaea series, but love Tactics and grid-based RPG’s then Disgaea 2 PC will offer plenty for you to sink your teeth into.
The tale of Disgaea 2 PC begins with the Dark Overlord Zenon. The land has been cursed by Zenon, slowly turning the world of Veldime into a dark Netherworld filled with demons and monsters. The only one unaffected is Adell, a man who vows to destroy Zenon at any cost. Things never quite go as planned in Disgaea games though, so Adell’s adventure becomes more wild and ridiculous as time goes on. Disgaea 2 PC offers 200 different character classes that you can acquire over the course of the game. This depth of character creation (combined with the reincarnation mechanic from the Disgaea franchise) makes for a near endless amount of party customization.
Along with created characters, Adell is joined by a cast of strange (and mostly hilarious) characters such as Rozalin, the daughter of Overlord Zenon and Taro and Hanako, Adell’s demonic siblings. These characters have unique abilities compared to created characters, thus making them valuable for difficult fights. Characters from the original Disgaea return as well as characters from Disgaea 3 and Makai Kingdom (another NIS game.) These characters were available in Dark Hero Days and can be unlocked in Disgaea 2 PC as well.
The Item World from the Disgaea series returns, as well as Axel Mode from Dark Hero Days. The Item World allows you to strengthen your characters AND items by going through as many floors as you can to increase an item’s level and stats. Axel Mode is an alternative storyline that revolves around Axel, a formerly famous demon action hero and rock star. Item World and Axel Mode aren’t the only mechanics that return from the series, though. The Dark Assembly also returns, allowing you to submit bills into legislation to unlock new classes, get stronger or weaker enemies, or even get better equipment in shops.
The Assembly also makes the Reincarnation mechanic available. Reincarnated characters start at level 1, with a new class (if you choose) but retain some stats, abilities, and weapon mastery from their previous levels. Reincarnation and the Item world are what make the game so very immense. You could spend hours grinding, getting better equipment, making new characters, and then grind some more. You could also do the bare minimum of grinding to get through the story, though part of the fun is enjoying endgame content like The Land of Carnage which has some of the strongest enemies and bosses in the game.
Disgaea 2 PC offers similar combat as previous Disgaea games. Combat plays out on a grid, with your characters taking turns with the enemy team. This is just the bare bones of combat, though, as common Disgaea mechanics like geo panels can change battles drastically. Geo panels are colored points on the battlefield that provide positive or negative effects. Examples of Geo Effects are EXP+ 50% or Enemy Stats 50% but there are all kinds that can change the way battles unfold. The Item World is a great way to get a crash course on Geo Effects and managing them, as almost every map in the Item World deals with Geo panels in some form.
Placing your units next to each other enables things called Team Attacks, which may result in multiple characters attacking the enemy at the same time. Chain attacks are also possible if multiple characters attack the same enemy in a single turn, increasing damage dealt. Disgaea 2 PC becomes a much more tactics and strategy-driven game with these things in mind, especially in more difficult fights.
Disgaea 2 PC has quite a bit of grinding involved in it. Fans of the series know this and don’t necessarily mind, but if you dislike grinding then the Disgaea franchise is probably not for you. Grinding actually serves a purpose in the Disgaea franchise. For those who are unaware, leveling classes will unlock new versions of those classes, not to mention getting to higher levels allows you to access more difficult areas which can lead to new classes, content, and even entirely new gameplay modes such as the previously mentioned Axel Mode.
The DLC (which comes standard in Disgaea 2 PC) requires characters of a high level, so investing time in Disgaea 2 PC only benefits you. The DLC includes fan-favorite characters that can provide valuable skills and capabilities with which you can face the toughest bosses that Disgaea 2 PC has to offer. There are hundreds of hours of gameplay in Disgaea 2 PC for fans of the series to enjoy, especially if you are a completionist.
I am a little disappointed in the fact that you can’t save in battle, though this is a complaint with the series as a whole more than in Disgaea 2 PC. The Item world is a daunting task if you want to play in short bursts for that very reason. It seems strange that you can’t save in battle when most gamers are used to the modern mechanics of auto-saving and quick-saving. The only other issue I have with Disgaea 2 PC is the occasional crash to desktop. The crash seems to only happen upon removing and reusing a gamepad, but it doesn’t happen every time or even all that often.
The crisp visuals of Disgaea 2 PC are very pleasing to both new players and fans of the series. Disgaea 2 PC’s graphics and art still are largely the same as the original game, while getting an HD makeover for character art as well as refinements to the sprites and characters. In-game story content is voiced over (though the dialogue in hubs is not) which adds a layer of polish to the already ridiculous and entertaining conversations between the characters.
Fans of Turn-Based tactics RPG’s will find themselves at home in Disgaea 2 PC whether you are a fan of the series or not. I greatly encourage people new to the series to give it a try, mostly because of how hilarious the storyline and dialogue tends to be. If you can live with the grinding, there is a lot to love and enjoy.
A Steam Product Key for Disgaea 2 PC was provided by NIS America for the purpose of this review