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Disgaea 2
Disgaea 2
from Wikipedia
Disgaea 2
DeveloperNippon Ichi Software
Publishers
DirectorShinichi Ikeda
ProducerSōhei Niikawa
DesignersMasahiro Yamamoto
Shinichi Ikeda
ComposerTenpei Sato
SeriesDisgaea
Platforms
Release
February 23, 2006
  • PlayStation 2
    • JP: February 23, 2006
    • NA: August 29, 2006
    • EU: November 3, 2006
    • AU: November 23, 2006
    • NA: January 22, 2013 (PSN)
  • PlayStation Portable
  • Linux, macOS, Windows
    • WW: January 30, 2017[4]
GenreTactical role-playing
ModeSingle-player

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories[a] is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and was released for the PlayStation 2. It is also the predecessor to Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice for the PlayStation 3.

Unlike Nippon Ichi's previous games and the Japanese and European releases of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Disgaea 2 is on DVD-ROM and has an animated opening movie.

It was re-released for the PlayStation Portable as Disgaea 2 Portable[b] in Japan and as Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days in North America and Europe. It was re-released on PC via Linux, macOS, and Windows in 2017.

Gameplay

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Disgaea 2 is divided into 13 chapters. Each chapter begins with cut scenes to explain Adell's next mission. Players then take control of Adell in his hometown of Holt. The town serves as a gateway to story maps, side quests, the dark council, and the item world. At the beginning of each chapter, a new area is unlocked. Each area consists of multiple maps which must be beaten to advance to the next chapter. Talking to the gatekeeper of Holt will give players the option of exploring the new area or repeating any maps that have been beaten. Many maps also have cut scenes. Scenes at the beginning and end of each chapter cannot be skipped.

The gameplay in Disgaea 2 builds directly upon that of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness; players control a party of characters to do battle on a 3D isometric grid map.

The Item World game mode returns from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Players can select any item in the party's inventory and enter it. The levels within are randomly generated, and the difficulty of enemies depends on the item's rarity or power. There are two ways to descend through the Item World: by defeating all enemies on a given level, or by using exit portals located somewhere on each level. Special enemies, called Guardians, can be freed by defeating them, imparting certain benefits to the item, such as increased attack or defense values. Once they are freed, they can be moved between items freely. The further a player descends through a given item's Item World, the higher the stat bonuses it will receive.[citation needed]

Plot

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Fifteen years ago, a powerful Overlord by the name of Zenon appeared in Veldime and cursed its human population. Since then, all its inhabitants have become demons and are to remain that way if the curse was not broken. However, a young man named Adell was the only human unaffected by the curse. Wanting to save his family and return them back to their true form, Adell decides to seek out Overlord Zenon and defeat him. Adell's mother tries to summon Zenon and fails, but instead summons Rozalin, Zenon's daughter. They later go on a quest to find Zenon and return Rozalin to him, and then defeat him so that the curse would be lifted, making his family and the rest of the world human again.

Reception

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Disgaea 2 has received generally favorable reviews, obtaining an aggregate score of 84/100 on Metacritic.[6] It received a mention in Gaming Target's selection of '52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2006' [15] and won "IGN's Best of 2006" prize of "Best PS2 Strategy Game".[14]

Re-releases

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The official website for Disgaea 2 Portable opened on December 29, 2008.[16] It was released in Japan on March 26, 2009.[2] NIS America announced that they were publishing the PlayStation Portable version under the name Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days. It was released in the United States on September 8, 2009.[1]

The re-release features bonus material over the original, including an expanded playable character line-up(including three of the main cast from the sequel Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice; Mao, Raspberyl and Mr. Champloo), an 'Axel Mode' storyline, more creatable monsters and more powerful versions of existing spells. Features from Disgaea 3 are also introduced, including an enhanced Magichange system, Pass & Toss and Level Spheres in the Item World.[citation needed]

A PlayStation 2 Classic Edition of Disgaea 2 was released for U.S. PSN on January 22, 2013.[17]

A port of the game for PCs titled Disgaea 2 PC was released on January 30, 2017, and includes all content from the PS2 and PSP versions, including all three DLC characters that were removed from the western release, along with an updated interface and support for mouse and keyboard.[4]

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is a tactical developed and published by for the PlayStation 2. Released in on February 23, 2006, and in on August 29, 2006, it serves as the sequel to Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. The game's story is set in the human world of Veldime, where the demon lord Zenon has placed a that transforms its inhabitants into demons, stripping them of their memories and humanity. The protagonist, Adell—a young man immune to the —teams up with Rozalin, Zenon's sheltered daughter, to confront the overlord and lift the , leading to a journey filled with chaotic alliances and battles against other demon lords. The gameplay builds on the series' signature grid-based tactical combat system, where players control a party of up to 10 characters on isometric maps, employing strategies like geo panels, tower attacks, and combo throws to defeat enemies. Key features include over 200 customizable character classes, the Item World for enhancing equipment through dungeon crawling, and the Dark Assembly for passing bills that affect gameplay progression. New to the series are the Dark Court system, which allows characters to increase their power through "Innocents," and the Land of Carnage, an endgame area for high-level challenges. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories received positive critical reception, praised for its deep strategy, humor, and replayability, earning a score of 84 out of 100 based on 33 reviews. The game has been ported and remastered multiple times, including Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days for in 2009, which added new scenarios and Axel Mode, and a PC version in 2017 that combines content from both releases. These re-releases introduced quality-of-life improvements and additional story content, maintaining the game's within the SRPG genre.

Development

Conception

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories was developed as a direct sequel to Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, the 2003 that established the series' core mechanics of strategic grid-based combat and deep character customization. Announced in September 2005, the project sought to expand on its predecessor's foundation by introducing a narrative centered on a curse imposed by the overlord Zenon, which transforms the human inhabitants of the world Veldime into demons, thereby exploring themes of human-demon coexistence and conflict. Under the direction of Shinichi Ikeda, the game emphasized innovative storytelling elements, including multiple endings. Producer Sohei Niikawa oversaw the production, opting to leverage the 's DVD-ROM format to incorporate a fully animated opening sequence, a step beyond the more limited cutscenes in the original . The sequel drew inspiration from the broader lore, incorporating ties to secret endings and unresolved elements from prior entries to create continuity within the demonic Netherworld setting. Early development also considered multi-platform potential, with an original port announced but ultimately cancelled in favor of focusing on the core release.

Production

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories was fully developed in-house by following the commercial success of the original : Hour of Darkness in 2003, with production wrapping up for its launch in 2006. The game featured technical advancements over its predecessor, including enhanced isometric graphics with more detailed 2D sprite characters, improving visual presentation on the PlayStation 2's hardware. Additionally, utilizing the DVD-ROM format for the first time in the series allowed for expanded content, such as an animated opening movie, 13 main story chapters, and deeper randomization in the Item World dungeon crawler mode to support extended post-game progression. The was composed by Tenpei Sato, a longtime collaborator with , who shifted toward a rock-oriented style for this entry to deliver fast-paced, intense tracks that amplified the demonic themes and tactical combat sequences. This marked a departure from the more eclectic and orchestral elements of the first game's score, incorporating aggressive dynamics like thrilling riffs and Spanish guitar in key pieces such as "Sinful Rose," while emphasizing energetic character motifs. During production, the team focused on integrating new systems like expanded character classes and the Evilities framework, with internal efforts aimed at maintaining balance in the tactical RPG combat to prevent exploits in high-level play and post-game content, including the introduction of Guardians for item enhancement.

Gameplay

Core mechanics

Disgaea 2 employs a turn-based tactical combat system played on 3D isometric grid maps, where players control up to 10 units per battle to engage enemies in strategic positioning and attacks. Units move within their range limits before performing actions such as basic attacks, special skills, or spells, with the goal of defeating all foes or meeting specific objectives like capturing bases. A key element of these battles is the Geo Panel system, consisting of colored panels on the map that activate effects when Geo Symbols are thrown onto them; these can alter damage output, provide bonuses like increased attack power, or impose penalties such as enemy reinforcement, often chaining reactions across the map for amplified results. Disgaea 2 features extensive character customization depth and progression, primarily through the Dark Assembly, a legislative hub accessed in the game's base where players propose bills to summon new units from over 200 classes, including humanoids like warriors and mages or monsters like dragons. Character creation involves selecting a Capability level—from Good-for-nothing to Genius—which determines initial bonus points allocated to core stats (ranging from -5 to +10), base aptitudes, weapon proficiencies, and overall growth potential, with higher tiers providing superior starting attributes and requiring more mana and potentially senator approval via proposals. To pass proposals, players bribe senators with items to sway votes, and successful creations allow for leveling via experience gained in battles, unlocking skill trees and equipment proficiencies. Advanced mechanics include class promotions after reaching level 10 or 20, which enhance base stats and abilities, and , a process that resets a unit to level 1 while retaining aptitudes and skills based on an inheritance rate (up to 95% for Genius level). Reincarnation adds bonus points to core attributes—derived from a Total LV Counter accumulating excess levels from prior incarnations (up to 200 bonus points from 186,000 total levels), Yellow Bar boosts to base stats, and additional bonuses from the chosen Capability level—enabling repeated optimization of stats, aptitudes, and builds over multiple cycles. This system supports intricate min-maxing of character builds for endgame and post-game challenges. The town hub, known as Holt Village, serves as the central base for management, where players expand and customize facilities to support progression. Key structures include hospitals for healing injured units, assembly halls to increase senator capacity for Dark Assembly votes, and portals that generate side quests and item worlds for additional grinding opportunities. These upgrades, funded by mana earned from battles, facilitate resource gathering and troop preparation between missions. Story advancement unfolds across 13 main chapters, each comprising mandatory battles that drive the narrative while integrating optional side content for experience farming and equipment enhancement. Players progress by completing episode-specific maps, with post-battle rewards including mana for base improvements and levels for characters, blending linear storytelling with extensive grinding paths to encourage replayability. Core character stats govern performance in combat, including HP for health, SP for skill usage, ATK for physical damage, and DEF for resistance, alongside secondary attributes like HIT for accuracy and SPD for initiative order. Combo attacks emerge from the lifting and throwing mechanics, where humanoid units can pick up allies or enemies to reposition them or stack for multi-target strikes; throwing chains, for instance, allow sequential impacts that multiply and experience distribution among participants.

Unique features

Disgaea 2 introduces the curse as a core narrative mechanic, where Zenon's progressively transforms the human world of Veldime into a demonic one, altering appearances of inhabitants and enemies across chapters, while the Adell remains immune. This drives the story's escalation but does not mechanically alter party members' combat abilities. Story characters possess unique abilities that provide conditional buffs, adding depth to tactical choices. For instance, Adell's unique ability allows him to deal 25% more damage to enemies of higher level than himself, encouraging its use against stronger foes. Classes feature passive skills that can be enhanced for stat modifications. The Item World receives significant expansions, featuring randomized floors that generate procedurally for replayability and challenge scaling. Players can encounter specialist innocents—residual spirits within items—that, once subdued, enhance specific attributes like movement range or elemental resistance when assigned. Additionally, assigning powerful units as guardians to items grants permanent stat boosts to the wielder upon completion of deep dives, often culminating in battles against an Item God on the 100th floor. New to the series is the Dark Court system, where players can subject characters to trials based on in-game felonies to assign captured Innocents, permanently boosting stats such as HP, ATK, or movement. This allows for fine-tuned customization beyond leveling and equipment. The of Carnage serves as an endgame area unlocked after completing the main story, featuring maps with enemies starting at level 200 and scaling higher, offering rare items and powerful recruits for advanced play. The game expands its roster to over 200 classes, incorporating -specific variants alongside humanoid and monster types, each with tiered progressions unlocked via mastery levels and assembly votes. This diversity, combined with the deep reincarnation and Item World systems, enables highly specialized builds and extensive post-game progression. This diversity enables specialized builds, such as classes optimized for curse-related environments, and includes options to disable animations for expedited during grinding sessions.

Story

Setting and characters

The world of Disgaea 2 is set in Veldime, a once-human land that has been cursed by the demon Overlord Zenon fifteen years before the events of the game, transforming its inhabitants into demons and fostering a hybrid society where demonic traits dominate daily life. This curse not only demonizes bodies but also sterilizes memories, gradually eroding the world's original human culture and turning Veldime into a chaotic extension of the Netherworlds, realms inhabited primarily by demons. The lore emphasizes ongoing tensions between lingering human elements and emerging demonic natures, as the curse creates a society where former humans adapt to or embrace their altered states. The protagonist, Adell, is a teenage demon (appearing human) and the sole resident of Veldime unaffected by Zenon's curse due to his pure demonic heritage, driving him to protect his family from the encroaching demonic transformation. Rozalin serves as the other central figure, initially depicted as the sheltered princess and daughter of Zenon, whose powers are restricted by a binding contract that suppresses her full demonic potential and isolates her within the dark world. Supporting the protagonists is Adell's family, including his mother who accidentally summons Rozalin, his younger beastman sister Hanako with aspirations to embody demonic allure, and his younger brother , a Rozy's Slave (horned beast), who becomes Rozalin's devoted servant despite the curse's effects on their household. Recurring characters from prior Netherworld tales, such as the cunning Etna, make cameo appearances, linking Veldime's plight to broader demonic lore. Among the antagonists, Zenon looms as the enigmatic source of the curse, the God of All Overlords representing ultimate demonic authority, while Axel acts as a self-proclaimed with a cowardly yet attention-seeking personality, posing as a washed-up rock star seeking redemption in Veldime's turmoil.

Plot summary

In Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories, the story opens in the human world of Veldime, which has been afflicted by a curse from the demon Zenon for over a decade, transforming its inhabitants into demons and erasing their memories. Adell, unaffected by the curse due to his demonic nature, lives with his demonized family in Holt Village and resolves to confront Zenon directly. His mother attempts a summoning ritual on his behalf, but it backfires, bringing forth Rozalin, who claims to be Zenon's , instead of the overlord himself. Bound by the ritual's magic, Rozalin agrees to lead Adell to her father in exchange for his protection, forming an unlikely alliance amid the political machinations of various demon overlords who seek to exploit the chaos. As their journey progresses, Adell and Rozalin infiltrate the castle of Axel, a self-proclaimed "Dark Hero" and former celebrity who initially poses as Zenon to maintain his fame, leading to comedic confrontations and the rescue of Adell's siblings, and Hanako, whom Axel had captured. The duo allies with the enigmatic Pringer X, a recurring interdimensional entity, and encounters other companions like the vengeful Yukimaru and his sister Fubuki, as well as the opportunistic lord Etna from the previous . Mid-game revelations uncover manipulations by fake Zenons attempting to seize power. The climax unfolds in the Dark World, a perilous beyond Veldime, where Adell and Rozalin confront the true Zenon. Revelations emerge that Rozalin is the of the real Zenon, who sought to escape her past through into the Snow Clan. Adell learns he is a pure-blood , born to the Masked Man and Woman, loyal servants of Zenon. Depending on player choices regarding alliances and moral decisions—such as felony levels influencing behavior—the story branches into multiple endings, including a resolution where Adell's familial bonds and Rozalin's awakening to her own identity break the curse, restoring Veldime and ending the tyranny. Bad endings depict outcomes like Axel usurping control or the curse's permanent entrenchment. Post-game content expands the narrative through Axel Mode, an alternate storyline unlocked after the main campaign, which delves into Axel's as a fallen idol struggling with family expectations and his quest for redemption, intersecting with the main events from his perspective. Additional challenges in the Land of Carnage, a brutal , and the Dark World maps tie into broader lore, foreshadowing connections to the Evil Academy in through recurring characters and interdimensional threats. Throughout, the plot weaves themes of identity and family bonds against the backdrop of overlord tyranny, highlighted by humorous interactions among the mismatched party members, such as Rozalin's haughty demeanor clashing with Adell's straightforward heroism.

Release

Original release

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories was initially released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on February 23, 2006, developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software. The Japanese launch included a limited edition bundled with an artbook featuring concept art and promotional illustrations, aimed at enhancing collector appeal for fans of the series. The game arrived in North America on August 29, 2006, published by NIS America, which positioned it as a direct sequel to the acclaimed Disgaea: Hour of Darkness by emphasizing expanded mechanics and deeper strategy elements in promotional materials. Marketing efforts in the region focused on trailers that highlighted the central curse theme transforming the land of Veldime into a Netherworld, building hype through online previews and gameplay demos to attract strategy RPG enthusiasts. In , the title launched on November 3, 2006, distributed by with full localization including English subtitles and adapted content for regional audiences. The original release was exclusive to the platform, utilizing the console's DVD-ROM format to support richer visuals, higher-resolution textures, and extended storage for the game's intricate item world and character customization systems compared to prior SRPG titles.

Re-releases and ports

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories was re-released for the as Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days in on March 26, 2009, in on September 8, 2009, in on February 5, 2010, and in on February 5, 2010, published by in the latter regions. This enhanced version introduced the Axel Mode expansion, an alternate story campaign focusing on the character Axel, as well as the Magichange mechanic allowing monsters to transform into weapons for humanoid allies. It also added playable characters from , including Mao and Raspberyl, unlocked through Dark Assembly bills and boss battles. The original PlayStation 2 version received a digital re-release as a PS2 Classic on the North American PlayStation Network on January 22, 2013, playable via emulation on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. This edition preserved the core content without the PSP enhancements, priced at $9.99 USD. A comprehensive PC port, titled Disgaea 2 PC, launched on Steam on January 30, 2017, incorporating all content from both the PlayStation 2 original and the PSP Dark Hero Days edition, including prior downloadable content. It featured quality-of-life improvements such as an updated user interface, keyboard and mouse support, new shortcuts, and compatibility with Mac and SteamOS, alongside gameplay tweaks like reduced load times. Additional exclusive characters—Dark Eclair, Gig, and Miabel—were included, with enhancements to multiplayer functionality for online play. As of November 2025, no ports of Disgaea 2 exist for or other modern consoles beyond the aforementioned versions. Ports across platforms introduced new story scenarios like Axel Mode and expanded innocent specialists system for item customization, allowing for dual-stat innocents via mediators in the Item World.

Reception

Critical response

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories garnered generally favorable critical reception upon its 2006 release, achieving a score of 84/100 based on 32 reviews. Critics frequently praised the game's exceptional depth in its tactical systems, including the innovative Evilities mechanic that allowed for extensive character customization and strategic layering, as well as the replayability offered by the Item World feature, which enabled endless procedural crawling to enhance equipment. Community discussions, particularly on Reddit, have emphasized the customization system's complexity for min-maxing builds and post-game progression. The series' signature humor, blending over-the-top demon world satire with anime-inspired tropes, was also highlighted as a standout element that kept the experience engaging despite its complexity. The title earned notable accolades, including IGN's Best PS2 of 2006, with reviewers commending its evolution of the genre's tactical excellence and drawing comparisons to for its grid-based combat sophistication while surpassing it in customization options and longevity. It was also included in Gaming Target's "52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2006" list, recognizing its enduring appeal through robust post-game content and multiple endings. However, some critics pointed to a steep difficulty curve that could overwhelm newcomers, emphasizing the need for strategic foresight from the outset, alongside repetitive grinding requirements to progress through later stages. The plot received mixed feedback, with several outlets noting its reliance on familiar tropes and a relatively straightforward centered on and curses, which felt trope-heavy and less innovative than the . The 2009 PSP port, Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days, scored 82/100 on based on 12 reviews, with praise for added auto-battle features and enhanced portability that broadened accessibility, though minor bugs in the interface and occasional slowdowns were cited as drawbacks. The 2017 PC port was positively received for improving accessibility through updated graphics, keyboard/mouse support, and integration, making the deep more approachable for modern players, though some reviews suggested tweaks to the control scheme to better accommodate PC inputs and reduce reliance on controller-like navigation.

Commercial performance

The version of Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories sold approximately 330,000 units worldwide according to estimates, including 90,000 in and 70,000 in , building momentum for the series following the success of the original . This performance solidified Nippon Ichi Software's position in the strategy role-playing game (SRPG) niche, where the title's deep customization and grinding appealed to dedicated fans despite limited mainstream appeal. The port, Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days, achieved global sales of around 250,000 units, including 100,000 in and 10,000 in , benefiting from the platform's portability and added content that attracted both new players and series veterans. Its release in 2009 further extended the game's reach, contributing to sustained interest through enhanced features like new story arcs. The 2017 PC port recorded modest digital sales, with an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 owners on , reflecting steady but niche uptake among PC gamers via affordable pricing and modding support. These figures integrate into the broader Disgaea series milestone of 5 million units shipped and sold worldwide by , as reported by . In the SRPG market, Disgaea 2 performed strongly relative to competitors, paving the way for sequels like Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice by emphasizing expansive post-game content. Re-releases and bundles, such as inclusions in the Disgaea 1 Complete ecosystem and digital storefront promotions, have maintained sales longevity, while the PC version fostered a vibrant around fan mods and custom content since 2017. This enduring appeal cemented Nippon Ichi Software's reputation for grind-intensive titles that prioritize depth over accessibility, influencing the series' ongoing development.

References

  1. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Disgaea_2:_Cursed_Memories
  2. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Disgaea_2:_Cursed_Memories/Battle_basics
  3. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Disgaea_2:_Cursed_Memories/Geo_symbols
  4. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Disgaea_2:_Cursed_Memories/Reincarnation
  5. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Disgaea_2:_Cursed_Memories/Advanced_tactics
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