Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny Reviews
While I feel like I’ve had more negative things to say about Disgaea 6 than positive, I definitely enjoyed my first foray into the Netherworld. The characters are great fun and make up for a rather well-worn plot by quite simply being well presented and entertaining. The combat is a little long-winded for my tastes but once you’re in the thick of battle there’s really a lot to like, and I can see why the series has so many admirers. There’s plenty to enjoy for returning fans and newcomers alike, though I warn first-timers to be aware of the emphasis on grinding to a ridiculous rate, and to be ready to have AI completing more battles than you in the long run. If you’re someone who enjoys fine tuning party management and are happy to leave the hands-on battle management to the robots, I think Disgaea 6 is definitely one for you, dood!
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny features the most changes in the series so far as stripped mechanics linger everywhere despite the signature humor and large numbers remaining as solid as ever.
Despite stumbling with performance in the transition to 3D, Disgaea 6 brings a lot to the table in its move to be more beginner friendly.
Although bursting at the seams with content, it is clear that Disgaea 6 is not meant for all audiences, with performance issues that are pleasing to no one.
If you're a series fan who simply wants more then Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is sure to delight with its charming game world, solid sense of humour, and familiar battle system. With that being said, I can't help but wish it did more to make it stand out in the genre.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with the game. It has a consistent quality that has remained interesting over the years. It may not be the best tactical RPG, but the Disgaea name still holds weight within the genre, and this entry is no different.
As an existing fan of Disgaea, this new one is, despite the incredible focus on big numbers, more of the same, and that is fine by me. The extended level cap is hugely indulgent and entirely unnecessary to the tactics JRPG format, but at the same time it's part of Disgaea's inherent self-awareness and genre-transgressive humour.
Disgaea 6 isn't a massive change for the long-running series, but the substantial improvements it brings means it doesn't have to be either.
It’s easy to recommend Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny to series fans, especially if they plan on playing in handheld mode which alleviates most of the performance issues. Thanks to some efforts to streamline certain aspects of the game, and the new auto-battle mode, however, it also serves as a great entry point for those keen to find out what the fuss is all about. It may not have the best story in the series, and some gameplay changes might not seem so favourable, but overall Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny continues the series’ legacy of providing enjoyable strategy gameplay alongside plenty of laughs.
Switching from 2D perspective to 3D doesn't affect Disgaea 6 that much, as it pretty much feels the same and it can be both good and bad. Good for the original fans of the series but bad as it shows lack of development throughout the years.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Poor performance mars what is otherwise a stellar Disgaea experience with some fantastic new 3D visuals. The new modes and features of Disgaea 6: Defiance of Justice paired with a nice new story and interesting characters puts this high on the SRPG recommendations for all fans of the genre; a great addition to the series and a decent Nintendo Switch implementation of the game.
Whether you work out how to play optimally, or choose to, the game is still fun on a basic level. You may even want something less taxing, as big numbers tell you you’re number 1. Even so it won’t take much to be too smart for your own good; including when you think you can waltz through the post-game like you did the main story.
As Disgaea: Hour of Darkness was the first game I ever reviewed nearly two decades ago, I have had a long and beloved history with Nippon Ichi's franchise, so it breaks my heart to play Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny. The story is bland with few jokes that actually hit, and the cast of characters do not help the cause with uninspired backstories and personalities.
NIS America played it safe with Disgaea 6 Defiance of Destiny, with the only real change being the transition from 2D models to fully 3D ones. This is astill a solid 60 hour turn based JRPG, but maybe what the series needs is a twist for the near future.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Disgaea 6 is the weakest entry in the series thanks to poor performance, bland combat, and a forgettable story.
Disgaea 6 isn't the total misfire fans were afraid it would be, and in spite of several stumbles, still comes out as a solid, compelling game that will hopefully serve as a foundation to better, more fleshed out games in the future.
As a huge fan of Disgaea, I’m simply disappointed in the direction Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny took. It went from a charming RPG that had larger than life bosses with equally impressive stats to numbers so inflated it’s legitimately hard to know what exactly your stats are. Add in auto play that will literally grind while you sleep, various mechanics that make the mechanics irrelevant and it’s literally just a pointless grind until the next pointless grind. For some that might be fun, but that simply isn’t what Disgaea is for me.
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is the latest entry in the long-lived strategy RPG series and there have been quite a few changes and not just the leap from 2D sprites to 3D models. Using the Super Reincarnation spell, Zed reincarnates into different worlds taking the most optimal path to success until he achieves his wish of defeating the God of Destruction.
It’s unmistakable that Disgaea continues to be genuinely unique – there really isn’t anything else like it. Nothing really comes close with such a zany story, beyond ridiculous levelling, and an extreme amount of systems within the game. Every entry tries to change enough to warrant its existence, making improvements but creating new flaws. The 3D modelled characters will be hit or miss, and the current level balancing issues and lack of classes will certainly annoy fans. Yet the chaotic isometric tactical gameplay will always reign supreme over these issues, providing hours upon hours of complex mechanics and charming characters to tinker with. Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is a delightfully addictive game packed with personality and content.
If you weren't allured by the distinctive style and crazy in-depth gameplay of previous entries in the franchise, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny certainly isn't the game to change your mind. Like its predecessors, Disgaea 6 is still a goofy and staggeringly intricate SRPG that will take hundreds of hours to see through to completion. However, this is easily the most streamlined and enjoyable entry in the series yet, as the developers have doubled down on everything that makes these games great and made some improvements, too. It can be intimidating to get into as a newcomer, and the performance is frequently disappointing, but we would still absolutely recommend that you add Disgaea 6 to your library.