It's So Easy to Forget...

I just started playing Disgaea 2 for the first time. It's a fantastic game but I'm having some of the same troubles. Namely, time commitment to something as deep as it is.

Well I can answer #2 started at Disgaea 3 so I can see how it is and 3 is a good place to start how it has all the mechanics that 4 will but of course with more added I don't find myself grinding as much really i played through the story at a steady pace im at Ch 4 and every now and then I go to the Item World to do some leveling up but I don't find it that hard you gotta remember the tips in the tutorial and be aware of your strategy

Really enjoyed the original, the second game I found a bit tedious and couldn't really get into the characters - though the battles were fine tuned. Unfortunately that's where I stopped playing but I think you're fine to skip from 1 to 3 (or even 4) and I think the battles just keep getting more smooth with each version though a bit repetitive which makes the grinding seem all the more daunting more so than the mechanics. If you are a perfectionist like almost everyone that plays this game you will be dedicated to spending endless time in the item world to get the best weapon and 1-hit-kill everything in the game.

I haven't played any of the Disgaea games, but you and I seem to have near identical taste when it comes to games. Looks like I'll have to check them out sometime and lose another 1000 hours of my life.

i've played the disgaea series but i'm currently replaying Phantom Brave we meet again on the wii. I found that first time through, i was grinding for hours and hours just to get past certain bosses. second time through when i understood the battle system and understood confining and special weapons and powers and the black smith mechanics, i did find the game a LOT easier. only time i grinded was to level up my sp which really didn't take long.

id say look for Phantom Brave if you want to have an easier time if your willing to understand its mechanics. you seem the type that would easily figure it out there.
it doesn't have the same amount of humor as disgaea but its still fun and the confining mechanic and leveling up your weapons plus the different types of attacks i think you'd like. get the wii version (gamecube and classic controller supported) cause it does offer another mode thats not bad.

I started out with disgaea 2 which was so awesome but it does require a lot of level grinding so i'd go with number 3. i played a little of 3 but got so overwhelmed by all these new features that i kinda burned out but after hearing the news of disgaea 4 i think i'll pick it up again. from the little that i've played through disgaea 3 i think it doesn't require as much level grinding so i guess it's your best shot.

happy gaming. :D

Disgaea 1 and 2 was pretty much a grind-fest, i've played them both on ps2 and psp and they always seem to keep me entertained, but the grinding can be tedious.

Disgaea 3 on the otherhand, didn't seem to be much of a grinding experiance, by just playing the story you can easily get your characters to about lvl 100. And it's latest features such as the Magichange skill, which allows your monster-type players change into a weapon for your normal characters to use, makes it more enjoyable and easier to level up both characters at the same time. I consider number 3 to be the best one so far.

I can't wait till number 4! :D

Developers need to find a way to make RPGs as deep as Disgaea less time consuming. I want to play them, I really do. I just don' have the time.

Aww xD The graphics are so cute.

I haven't played this series, so I can't help with your questions but I'll thank you for giving me a game of interest... Maybe I'll check it out.

Ah... you know. I dislike commenting anywhere without my Frost Ace icon. But hey, I'll make do.

You wanted people to comment more? Well congratulations, you'll unfortunately get what you want out of me.

To answer your questions, my fine ninja not-really-a-friend.

1. That is unknown. The game hasn't come out yet, but a lot of information is already readily available. So, on the grinding? Don't know... Sorry.

(The following paragraphs between here and Answers to question 2 should be skippable)
This game will feature a lot of different things though that's sure to suck up your time. You can make your own custom maps and share them, you can create your own pirate ship and that enables you to "invade" other people's games and treks through the item worlds. You don't control them though, but you do set their A.I. behavior. (You do gain reward out of it. The more you kill via PVP, the stronger certain items can get, as you'll eventually have sets of items that grows in power pending on how well you perform online.)

You can capture and torture characters (You can find some pictures of an archer girl being rope bondaged up on a wooden horse. Said wooden horse in previews now replaced by a kitty plushy/statue. Blame either the CERO (ESRB equivalent) rating system or the idiotic Ishihara bastard in Japan for the changes.)

You also get two different types of magichange, but you'd be unfamiliar with that system if you didn't play Disgaea 3. It enables monsters to temporarily turn into weapons and provide new unique battle skills. In Disgaea 4, they can combine to make gigantic versions of said monster, and then further magichange to become gigantic dual-wieldable monster-weapons with a human type enemy.

There's more, but hey. I'm already talking too much so search it yourself.

2. Where is a good place to start... Well, all the games are disjointed. There's no real sequel per say, each are their own stories.

So if you want to skip Disgaea 2, feel free. Opinions on the story differs from people to people, as some are annoyed at the main character being so hero-wannabe. Disgaea 3 provides new jokes and the main character is relateable in certain comical ways. The comedy, I personally feel, is a bit stronger in the third installment. But yeah, you can skip straight to the fourth one if that one excites you more. I don't remember having to do much grinding for either Disgaea 3. As for Disgaea 2, I remember certain maps being a bit of a chore. Search out more opinions on this first if you wish, though if you've felt yourself that it was beginning to become a chore... Well, follow your feelings, maybe?

I just recently beat the 3 games that are out already and personally can't wait for 4.

I'd start at 2 again if that's where I left off. Here's some stuff I know that might help you make a decision.

I grinded a lot in disgaea 1 but at the same time I was trying to get super powered characters and kept telling the senators to raise the monster levels... With all the grinding I still finished at about 40 hours. Easily completable in 20-25 hours with very minimal or even without any grinding at all.

Disgaea 2 felt like I had to grind just to proceed in the storyline even without raising the monster levels, that took about 35 hours.

Disgaea 3 was in about the same hour range, 32 hours or something like that, did some grinding for fun but I don't know it it was needed.

Replaying the first one is more something you should do if you want to learn the story again and really enjoy the characters, although it's not necessary for understanding the story-line of 2 or 3.

If you haven't beaten 2 yet then restarting or continuing (Depending on how long you haven't played or how much you've rusted) would be a good idea.

3 felt more light hearted in the beginning so it was easier to get into although there were some extra stuff that they added that I didn't like as much.

I love Disgaea, and I'm really looking forward to 4

Also, for question 2, while Disgaea 3 is the best place to start if you're new to the series, it's still easily the worst Disgaea game, but 4 looks awesome

Oh man, the time needed for Zettai Hero Project is killing me, but I'll agree on the point of the charm and hilarity of the game. I never personally played any of the Disgaea games before hand, so if those are anything like it...I just feel overwhelmed thinking about it.

However, it's odd that I have a difficult time with these when I ran through Persona 3 and 4 like there nothing with both of those being like 60 hour+ games. Maybe it's the big picture of the grind?

Christ, the grinding in 1 was so tedious, it's hard for me to go back to it. I don't even think I finished it. I felt that with each hour I spent in my game, I would get maybe 1 or 2 level-ups, 3 if I really tried. And I haven't tried any of the others, but if what people are saying is true, Disgaea 3 doesn't sound too bad. I really like this genre, but I don't think I want to grind for hours before every boss battle.

1 and 2 are pretty cheap on psn, and this series really benefits on a hand held. But every time you turn the game on, know that you're in it for the long hall if you want any progress. I say give'em a try.

I'm not sure if I played a different game from everyone else but I barely needed to do any grinding in Disgaea 2 to beat the main story. I had to level up a few items but that was pretty much it. It's a far easier game than the original Disgaea. I found Disgaea 3 to be even easier (and shorter). It seems with each instalment more emphasis is put on the stuff you can do when the story has been completed.

Think I'm gonna look for a copy of Disgaea 3. Actually... hrmm. I DO already own 2. Is 3 generally considered a better game than 2? For the character, story, etc?

@1.55 wow, that's some stacking ability.

i've only played Disgaea 1 and all that grinding killed the series for me. and was frustrated that i didn't even get the good ending... accidentally killed my allies with giga ice SEVERAL TIMES when i meant to use giga heal-- just shows how quickly and absent-minded i was trying to get through the grinding.

and to answer your question: i don't know.

I want to play one of these games so badly, but lack the systems for them...

Those stats displayed on here for those characters are ridiculous. This is the only RPG I've seen that gives common characters HP in the 7+digit range.

Disgaea 2 has a better story then 3, though 3 has better characters then 2. As the only developed characters in 2 are Adell and Rozalin.

I never finished 3 but did the first 2 and I thought I was done with the games, but damn 4 looks great. Tower attack that you can bend to pick things up as well as some mammoth attack where the people on the bottom run to the top and keep going, geo blocks returning, Axel is back from 2, LEVEL EDITOR, and God damn mages riding sheep!? I am in. Can't wait.