System: Playstation 2

Publisher: NIS America

Developer: Nippon Icchi Software

Players: 1

ESRB: Teen (Language; Mild Fantasy Violence; Mild Suggestive Themes)

Memory Card: 523 KB

Released: Febraury 23, 2006 (Japan); August 29, 2006 (US); November 03, 2006 (Europe)

So, how do you follow up with what many fans consider to be one of the best RPGs of all time?! It took pretty much 3 years for Nippon Icchi Software to follow up the original, but they finally answered the call in 2006 with Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories. Not too much has changed in this installment, although several gameplay refinements have been made from the original. Nethertheless, it doesn’t make the sequel any less legendary than the original.

The overall plot seems a little cliché, initially. A world has been conquered by the evil Overlord Zenon, and he’s turned the populace into demons. One human, however, by the name of Adell, is somehow unaffected by the curse. He hopes to kill the overlord once and for all. Of course, after that, the clichéd nature of the plot stops. The mother decides to summon the overlord to Adell so that he can kill him. Unfortuantely, the summoning goes wrong and they accidentally summon the Overlord’s daughter, Rozalin. Bound by the ritual, Rozalin has to guide Adell to Zenon. The plot then goes further into weirder territory when you meet up with more off kilter characters; Tink; a bipolar demon frog, Yukimaru: a ninja that says “zam” after every sentence, Axel; the former Dark Hero who is desperately trying to get back on the scene, and many more. Some of the characters from the previous Disgaea also return in this installment (Etna being the forefront of the returning characters, and she’s even on the cover art!). The dialogue will leave you laughing, as the same humor that made the series a hit is back and in full effect!

The deep and rewarding gameplay that made the original a hit returns. You have all the stuff from the first game, all intact. New to this installment, however, is the ability to have a large tower of people when you lift. It’s minor, but it can also lead to devastating blows to your enemies. Another new addition is the felony system. In this one, committing felonies actually REWARDS you, how about that? The felonies are determined by not following set rules of combat. Of course, don’t give any to Adell if you want the “good” ending. Some new classes are also present, as well. While the new additions don’t affect the gameplay all that much, it doesn’t really matter, as it’s still the same fun, great gameplay that has tons of addictive qualities!

Not much has improved graphically, however. The sprites are larger, and are a bit more detailed, sport more frames of animation, and there’s better special effects, but some will still complain that it looks too similar to the original Disgaea (which most will argue it looks like a Super Nintendo game). Of course, I do like the style, though, and it is quite cool. I do understand why most would complain, though.

Like the original, this game is NOT for newbies of the strategy RPG genre. Those that dig the genre, though, dive into yet another dish of strategy RPG greatness!! Now what will happen with Disgaea 3.….?!