A year after the initial launch, Disgaea 6 returns with a complete edition for PCs and PlayStation 4 and 5. Was it worth the wait? We played it on a PS5 to find out.
When Disgaea 6 was announced, it was a Nintendo Switch exclusive, which felt like a tough nut to swallow after playing parts 3 and 4 on the Vita and then number 5 on the PlayStation 4. Luckily, a PlayStation version was eventually announced, and it’s come in the shape on a complete edition, so that’s an instant reward for a year of waiting that’s very welcome. What’s also nice is that the performance issues that we kept hearing about surrounding the Switch version are nowhere to be seen this time around – at least on a PlayStation 5, but we assume the PS4 also fares well in this sense.
The core protagonist of Disgaea 6 Complete, which originally launched as Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, is a zombie who goes by the name of Zed. For a member of the undead – usually cannon fodder in most games – he has a pretty epic quest ahead of him, as you’re looking to take down the God of Destruction. It’s a fun core premise, and the writers clearly had a good time exploring it through Zed and a big supporting cast full of colorful characters, as per the Disgaea norm.
Some of these characters are brand new and/or were originally DLC characters, but you’ll also run into plenty of familiar faces from older Disgaea titles that are being reintroduced here for an eclectic mix of old and new. When you head into the game’s strategic turn-based gameplay, that’s a good combination to have, as you’ll be comfortable with the basics and some character-specific tricks already, making it easier to fit in new faces and abilities.
But while the look and feel of these battles is a familiar one, Disgaea 6 also brings the series to the third dimension for the first time, with 3D visuals for both the characters and backgrounds. The characters look fantastic, retaining their colorful anime look even now that they’re 3D models. While we loved the old style, this really brings Disgaea’s cast to life in a new way and we can’t imagine going back anymore.
Despite the new 3D look, Disgaea retains its grid-based combat, and doesn’t deviate too much from what longtime fans will be familiar with. You’ve got all the usual movement and attack commands, as well as some of the special tricks that are more unique to this franchise, like the ability to pick up and toss other characters. And speaking of characters – each one, partly based on class, has special abilities of their own that you can use in battle. There appear to be fewer classes to unlock than in previous Disgaea games though, which is a shame if you – like us – enjoyed tinkering with those.
As always, position matters a lot in Disgaea, and this one’s no exception. Geo panels provide boosts and debuffs when you’re near them, and with the ability to destroy or move them they become an integral part of almost any battle scenario. Without becoming overwhelming, there are a ton of game mechanics at work here, and they open up the game to a multitude of possible winning strategies. And that’s just in-battle, as you can also tweak the experience further by changing out your equipment, applying upgrades and completing side quests for even more items to play around with – there’s an incredible wealth of content here, so this release is worthy of that “complete” moniker.
New for Disgaea 6 is the ability to auto-resolve battles if you feel like a regular game is too much of a grind. You can even “train” this auto-battle option later on in the game, which is a great middle ground for resolving battles quickly while still feeling like you have an effect on them. At the same time, it’s a major time-saver, which I’m sure some people will definitely welcome even though it does take away from the strategic battles that are at the heart of the game. Luckily, long time fans don’t HAVE to skip anything, and with this complete edition they have a ton of content that will keep them happy for months to come. It looks and plays great, and was worth the wait.
Score: 8.1/10
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