Worse story/characters than Disgaea 1?

[Mrrshan68]

Anyone else think the story and cast in this game is just worse than the first?
laharl was a protagonist worked really well cause it was a nice change and the wacky characters allowed for an equally wacky plot.
This game has a very stock standard rpg plot and a very standard rpg protagonist.
Seems like a shame, i mean there are about a million rpgs out there but disgaea was quite unique then they go and make the sequel so plain.

[XpanD]

Having finished all the main series games except for DD2, I'm still partial to D2's story myself. The characters start off a bit generic, but I feel like they really come into their own later on in a way that none of the other games pull off. I love the whole spoiled princess meets straightforward but oblivious guy thing, too.

With all that said, Disgaea 2 definitely had one of the more serious stories in the series. D3 was super silly, D4 reminded me of D1 a lot, and D5 was a bit D2-ish with how it all came together though not quite as serious. If you're in it for the wacky stories, I can definitely see D2 being a weaker entry (though helped somewhat by some of the D1 cast returning).

[matthew]

I am liking Adell better then laharl, the problem with laharl, he acts really silly for most of the story, sure he is a super powerful charactor once you invested in him a lot. But I personally thought the story was OK, but nothing specail. D2 for me, seems to have a better main char, and overall, the game does have some improvements over D1.

Plus there is a lot more to do, in D1, it was really easy to get a high level char, and blast through all the content. At least in 2, its a lot harder to do the content, and takes time to unlock it.

Then again, I only played 1 and 2 so far, not played any of the other games in the series, so can't comment on them.

[Raikuri Hirei]

Each to their own.

Personally speaking, I prefer Adell over Laharl just for the difference in their attitude. I'm the type of person that enjoys Adell's type of personality (and him getting stuck on keeping promises and gets downed because he couldn't fulfill them is just plain sweet). Oh, and I just love it whenever Adell gets morally depressed. Don't ask why.

On the contrary, I can't really connect to Laharl, because he's just way too brittle in term of personality, and have wackiness beyond that I can cope up with. It's like a shaky, made-out-of-straw bridge that's waiting to collapse. Or maybe his 'brat' kinda personality is not really my cup of tea.

The story is generic, I'll say that. Anyone could be like, "Oh, this is totally what going to happen next" or be like, "I have read/watched something similar to this before" kinda feeling, but then again, it's at an acceptable level of uniqueness, they did tried to make it a little different, and I enjoyed the story nonetheless. It's basically like a side dish served to you, as you go on and try to complete everything in the game.

[Nito]

Well it is super generic but Disgaea was never meant to be a golden oscar of the best VIP ultra beast mega sonic winner of story telling it is meant to be decent and funny

Since all MC are just dumb(on some scenes) or obessed with something(don't know about killia)

Laharl = being an overlord ( and better than his father) and being savage
Adell = Promises and Fighting fair/head on
Mao = Experiments
Valvatorez (my favorite of the series) = Sardines and promises


the disgaea always been the puzzle of the story maps and the endless grinding of post game

[matthew]

I would agree with that, if you want a better story, then some of the final fantasy games would be worth while playing, (especailly 7) But yeah, disgea isn't about the story, but grinding, and lots of grinding, and even more lots of grinding.

[Nito]

I love a good laugh and RPG so to me it is one the best games ever played if i want a good story i watch a movie

like laharl asking what killed his father(dark humor at its best)
Etna talking about prinnies working conditions
When Fenrich starts to hallucinating of old time valvatorez and the hallucination tells him he is hallucinating but he gives 0 ♥♥♥♥♥
i love this moments.

[Prinny]

Disgaea 2 is my favorite of the serie. I agree that it is very lacking when it comes to in-depth story and character's personality. Fell kinda bland when compared to the first game. The humor is okay-ish, the story is your average mindf*** with cliché. and previsible plot twist. Voice acting is definitely the worst of the serie. it lacks emotion, depth, relevance... dialog drag on when the player already know what's coming.
still, Disgaea 2 is my favorite. Despite its flaws, it love this game more than any other NIS title... and i've played almost all of them.

[Bob of Mage]

One of the major differents is that Adell is always a good guy where as Laharl is a good guy pretending to be evil to deal with his painful back story. I never really liked that fake evilness part of the story, and he really seemed to be pretty dumb in an unfunny way.

Adell also varies from many other RPG heros in that while he is the tough guy he isn't stupid. Yes he is naive and trusting, but that has more to do with him living up to his own moral code in a world where no one else has one. It's sort of his own personally way of sticking it to Overlord Zenon turning everyone into demons. By the very act of being a good person he is fighting the changes Zenon is imposing. And then when shown with the geo puzzle he can firgure stuff out pretty fast. The average RPG tough guy is dense where as Adell seems to be better at geo puzzles then the average person.

Laharl really does live up to the brat nickname. He whines when things don't go his way, and he refuses to deal with painful personal issues. I mean who suffers pain when they hear people say nice things? No other demon does, and he can't even firguare out to cover his ears on his own.

[paugus]

Originally posted by Bob of Mage:

One of the major differents is that Adell is always a good guy where as Laharl is a good guy pretending to be evil to deal with his painful back story. I never really liked that fake evilness part of the story, and he really seemed to be pretty dumb in an unfunny way.

Adell also varies from many other RPG heros in that while he is the tough guy he isn't stupid. Yes he is naive and trusting, but that has more to do with him living up to his own moral code in a world where no one else has one. It's sort of his own personally way of sticking it to Overlord Zenon turning everyone into demons. By the very act of being a good person he is fighting the changes Zenon is imposing. And then when shown with the geo puzzle he can firgure stuff out pretty fast. The average RPG tough guy is dense where as Adell seems to be better at geo puzzles then the average person.

Laharl really does live up to the brat nickname. He whines when things don't go his way, and he refuses to deal with painful personal issues. I mean who suffers pain when they hear people say nice things? No other demon does, and he can't even firguare out to cover his ears on his own.

I think you're missing the most important thing, which is that Laharl is terrified of boobs.

[Holammer]

I just finished replaying both games and I still think D1 is the better story. Several scenes in D1 still managed to move me a decade later, while D2 never came close.
It's a silly story, but it establishes the character far deeper than D2 ever does and has a more consistent tone. D2 on the other hand feels like a shonen manga complete with a tournament chapter and endless Yakusoku babble. Meta humor where characters are aware it's a game and discuss their titles and levels don't help the story either.
"Zam" was still bloody annoying.

I haven't played any of the games on PS3. So I have plenty to discover once they port 'em. Disgaea D2 in particular looks interesting.

[Rogue]

Virgin experience is like that. The nostalgia never wear off and your rose colored glasses are always on.

[Sephiroth]

i tend to relate to any character but i mostly like oblivious positive thinkers. i liked flonne in d1 for example.

[Raikuri Hirei]

Originally posted by LV99 Vivi:

i tend to relate to any character but i mostly like oblivious positive thinkers. i liked flonne in d1 for example.

Well, in contrast to the other character casts in D1, she's literally the most 'normal' person in that chaotic mix of personalities. Instantly one of my (if not only) favourite character in D1, other than the Prinnies.

[The Ranch King]

An interesting pattern I've noticed is that the odd numbered disgaea's and the even disgaeas have 2 different focuses for their story.

The odd disgaeas are focused on individual development. 1 had Laharal learning to be a leader and overcoming the scars of his mother's death, and Flonne learning that love is more than just fluff and sweetness and kindness. 3 Had Mao overcome his guilt, and Almaz's growth into a respectable human being. 5 had all of its main characters overcome their own flaws, achieving a certain balance between their desires and responsibilities, and gaining power from it.

Meanwhile, the even disgaeas have been more focused on the growth of relationships and group dynamics. (2 is centered around Adell and Rozalin together, as they try and work through the fact that their goals are almost directly opposed, and they end up clinging to any common ground they can find. In 4, the characters basically don't change in the slightest (Except Emizel, who has a bildungsroman side plot), but the common ground they find and the way they interact does.

I will say I liked disgaea 1's story more (Even though overall I like 2 more than 1), which may have something to do with the way the plot was constructed. it was unfocused, the main cast had no primary goal that carried them through the game. Instead disgaea 1 was an exploration of the cast and the world around them, and was stronger for it.