Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Disgaea 2 - Dark World
I figured I would be nice and warn people against doing what I did with this game...Because I didn't realize that I was really screwing myself over, I just thought I was awesome because I beat a level 100 enemy when I was only level 27.
In addition to the regular maps, you can also play the Dark World versions of them (they're a LOT harder), if you're able to unlock the Dark World. You're probably thinking, "Well, what's so terrible about that? I can just play the Dark World maps when I level up more." Yeah...That's apparently not how it works.
I'm very over-confident when it comes to certain games...This was one of them. I was level grinding for a while and I hadn't saved my progress...Then I was automatically drawn into a Dark World stage in the middle of one of the maps I was trying to complete. There was no way for me to win. I got a game over and lost all of my progress. Saddest story ever, right?
In fact, this whole Dark World thing is so evil that even though I'm close to being finished with the main part of the game, there's a REALLY good chance that I'll have to restart the game. That is, if I can automatically get drawn into Dark World maps of regular stages that I've never cleared before. I'm still not sure how that works. (Edit: As it turns out, you cannot be drawn into the Dark World of a stage you've yet to clear.)
Here are the stages that are out to screw you over, and the requirements you need to meet on the regular maps in order for them to automatically draw you in, taken from the strategy guide (in case you don't GET it, these are things you DON'T want to do until you're like...Level 100, at least):
Dark World 1-3: Take at least 1 damage from enemy attacks on Episode 1-3.
Dark World 1-4: Defeat a Green Skull on Episode 1-4 (you can defeat your own as well).
Dark World 2-4: Make a tower of two characters on Episode 2-4.
Dark World 3-1: Spend 11 turns on Episode 3-1.
Dark World 3-2: Defeat any Geo Symbol Monster on Episode 3-2.
Dark World 3-3: Make a tower of 5 characters on Episode 3-3.
Dark World 4-1: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 4-1.
Dark World 4-3: Fuse all enemies together on Episode 4-3. (They even screw you out of being able to power level on that map. Bastards.)
Dark World 4-4: Spend 30 turns on Episode 4-4.
Dark World 5-1: Let 1 ally be killed on Episode 5-1.
Dark World 5-3: Make a tower of 8 characters on Episode 5-3.
Dark World 6-1: Make a tower of 10 characters on Episode 6-1.
Dark World 7-1: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 7-2.
Dark World 7-3: Throw an enemy to a character that is already holding one up on Episode 7-4.
Dark World 8-1: Change the colors of at least 6 Geo Panels. (It's not stated whether you have to do this in world 8-1, or just throughout the entire game.)
Dark World 8-2: Defeat the Geo Panel Monster on Episode 8-3. (It says 8-3, that's not a typo. At least on my part.)
Dark World 8-6: Throw an enemy to a character that is already holding one up on Episode 8-1.
Dark World 9-1: Move a character to the highest point (64dm) on Episode 9-1.
Dark World 9-4: Move a character to the highest point (84dm) on Episode 9-4.
Dark World 10-2: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 10-2.
Dark World 10-3: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 500 on Episode 10-3.
Dark World 10-4: Increase the Bonus Gauge up to Level 3 on Episode 10-4.
Dark World 11-3: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 1000 on Episode 11-3.
Dark World 12-1: Fuse all enemies together on Episode 12-1.
Dark World 12-3: Make a tower of 9 characters on Episode 12-3.
Dark World 12-4: Make a tower of 3 characters on Episode 12-4.
Dark World 12-6: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 2000 on Episode 12-6.
Dark World 13-2: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 2500 on Episode 13-2.
Dark World 13-3: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 13-3.
Dark World 13-4: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 3000 on Episode 13-4.
There are other extra stages that you can unlock, but you actually need to enter them yourself, they won't just pull you in like the Dark World stages will. :(
In addition to the regular maps, you can also play the Dark World versions of them (they're a LOT harder), if you're able to unlock the Dark World. You're probably thinking, "Well, what's so terrible about that? I can just play the Dark World maps when I level up more." Yeah...That's apparently not how it works.
I'm very over-confident when it comes to certain games...This was one of them. I was level grinding for a while and I hadn't saved my progress...Then I was automatically drawn into a Dark World stage in the middle of one of the maps I was trying to complete. There was no way for me to win. I got a game over and lost all of my progress. Saddest story ever, right?
In fact, this whole Dark World thing is so evil that even though I'm close to being finished with the main part of the game, there's a REALLY good chance that I'll have to restart the game. That is, if I can automatically get drawn into Dark World maps of regular stages that I've never cleared before. I'm still not sure how that works. (Edit: As it turns out, you cannot be drawn into the Dark World of a stage you've yet to clear.)
Here are the stages that are out to screw you over, and the requirements you need to meet on the regular maps in order for them to automatically draw you in, taken from the strategy guide (in case you don't GET it, these are things you DON'T want to do until you're like...Level 100, at least):
Dark World 1-3: Take at least 1 damage from enemy attacks on Episode 1-3.
Dark World 1-4: Defeat a Green Skull on Episode 1-4 (you can defeat your own as well).
Dark World 2-4: Make a tower of two characters on Episode 2-4.
Dark World 3-1: Spend 11 turns on Episode 3-1.
Dark World 3-2: Defeat any Geo Symbol Monster on Episode 3-2.
Dark World 3-3: Make a tower of 5 characters on Episode 3-3.
Dark World 4-1: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 4-1.
Dark World 4-3: Fuse all enemies together on Episode 4-3. (They even screw you out of being able to power level on that map. Bastards.)
Dark World 4-4: Spend 30 turns on Episode 4-4.
Dark World 5-1: Let 1 ally be killed on Episode 5-1.
Dark World 5-3: Make a tower of 8 characters on Episode 5-3.
Dark World 6-1: Make a tower of 10 characters on Episode 6-1.
Dark World 7-1: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 7-2.
Dark World 7-3: Throw an enemy to a character that is already holding one up on Episode 7-4.
Dark World 8-1: Change the colors of at least 6 Geo Panels. (It's not stated whether you have to do this in world 8-1, or just throughout the entire game.)
Dark World 8-2: Defeat the Geo Panel Monster on Episode 8-3. (It says 8-3, that's not a typo. At least on my part.)
Dark World 8-6: Throw an enemy to a character that is already holding one up on Episode 8-1.
Dark World 9-1: Move a character to the highest point (64dm) on Episode 9-1.
Dark World 9-4: Move a character to the highest point (84dm) on Episode 9-4.
Dark World 10-2: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 10-2.
Dark World 10-3: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 500 on Episode 10-3.
Dark World 10-4: Increase the Bonus Gauge up to Level 3 on Episode 10-4.
Dark World 11-3: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 1000 on Episode 11-3.
Dark World 12-1: Fuse all enemies together on Episode 12-1.
Dark World 12-3: Make a tower of 9 characters on Episode 12-3.
Dark World 12-4: Make a tower of 3 characters on Episode 12-4.
Dark World 12-6: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 2000 on Episode 12-6.
Dark World 13-2: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 2500 on Episode 13-2.
Dark World 13-3: Destroy all Geo Panels on Episode 13-3.
Dark World 13-4: Get the "Total Damage" counter past 3000 on Episode 13-4.
There are other extra stages that you can unlock, but you actually need to enter them yourself, they won't just pull you in like the Dark World stages will. :(
Disgaea 2 (I can talk forever about things that I don't like)
This will probably seem overly critical...Okay, this will DEFINITELY seem overly critical.
[MASSIVE SPOILERS for all three games.]
[MASSIVE SPOILERS for all three games.]
Disgaea (Still not very in depth)
First I would like to say...I prefer Disgaea 3, but Disgaea IS an amazing game (and its story is just as complex as the third game's).
Again...There's a clipping issue. Laharl's head tends to disappear into the walls. I've also noticed that when I walk up the stairs in the castle, he'll sometimes get stuck, and I'll have to make him walk back down the stairs and climb up in a different spot. However, as I rarely ever go up/down those stairs (except for when I go to check Etna's diary), it's not too terrible.
I would attempt to explain the story here, but it gets so complex...Let's see. After a two-year-long nap, Laharl wakes up to find that his father, King Krichevskoy, has died. The demons of the Netherworld are now fighting for the title of Overlord, which belongs to Laharl. There's betrayal and a huge conspiracy involving the Netherworld, Celestia and the Human World...I'm trying not to spoil the entire game.
With that said! MASSIVE spoilers.
Again...There's a clipping issue. Laharl's head tends to disappear into the walls. I've also noticed that when I walk up the stairs in the castle, he'll sometimes get stuck, and I'll have to make him walk back down the stairs and climb up in a different spot. However, as I rarely ever go up/down those stairs (except for when I go to check Etna's diary), it's not too terrible.
I would attempt to explain the story here, but it gets so complex...Let's see. After a two-year-long nap, Laharl wakes up to find that his father, King Krichevskoy, has died. The demons of the Netherworld are now fighting for the title of Overlord, which belongs to Laharl. There's betrayal and a huge conspiracy involving the Netherworld, Celestia and the Human World...I'm trying not to spoil the entire game.
Disgaea 3 (I've never gone into less detail about this game)
This isn't a "review" because I'm not qualified enough for that.
The only complaint I have about Disgaea 3...And it's not even a complaint, really, because it doesn't ACTUALLY bother me...Is that there's a door that clips Mao's head in the Academy. Minor detail, really, and you have to be standing RIGHT next to it for it to happen. Who cares.
When you first start the game, you're introduced to Mao, an Honor Student at Demon Academy, and the Overlord's son. You learn that Mao wants to defeat the Overlord because he broke a video game he had spent 4 million hours playing. (Who WOULDN'T be upset in that situation??) The story progresses from there, and you're introduced to a bunch of new and equally interesting characters.
If you think it sounds stupid...Give it a chance. Disgaea 3 has a very deep story. No, that isn't a joke, nor is it sarcasm. In fact, I'll even say I prefer Disgaea 3's story to Super Mario RPG's story. Whether or not that makes Disgaea 3 my new favorite game or not, I've yet to determine. Super Mario RPG has held a special place in my heart since I was a kid, and I'm not ready to let a "new" game come in and take over. I do love it though.
I completed the main story...I'm going to say in about 47 hours. On my save file, it says that I've played for 59 hours so far, but that's 2 hours of post-game play, and I also left the game running several times while I got distracted by other things. The 47 hours I played it includes a lot of level grinding as well. Mao is still only at level 92...Out of 9,999.
That time also includes time spent in the Item World, Class World and trying to pass topics in Homeroom. Post-game, there are extra maps you can play through as well, if you can get the representatives to pass the topic, either through bribery or force. There are many other features of the game that I've yet to try, as I did a blind run of the game. I'll be looking through a guide soon so I can go back and try everything I missed, and from what I can tell...There's a lot that still needs to be done.
As I understand it, you can also play through the game again with the characters you've already acquired if you talk to the Time Traveler. (I haven't attempted this yet, so don't hold me to it.) Regardless, you can play through the maps in chapters 1 through 7 anyway. It's probably worth it to talk to him, though, because Disgaea 3 has several different endings.
Overall, it's a fun game with an amazing story and if you have a PS3, it would be the first game I would recommend to you. And if you don't have a PS3...I would suggest getting one for Disgaea 3 alone.
The only complaint I have about Disgaea 3...And it's not even a complaint, really, because it doesn't ACTUALLY bother me...Is that there's a door that clips Mao's head in the Academy. Minor detail, really, and you have to be standing RIGHT next to it for it to happen. Who cares.
When you first start the game, you're introduced to Mao, an Honor Student at Demon Academy, and the Overlord's son. You learn that Mao wants to defeat the Overlord because he broke a video game he had spent 4 million hours playing. (Who WOULDN'T be upset in that situation??) The story progresses from there, and you're introduced to a bunch of new and equally interesting characters.
If you think it sounds stupid...Give it a chance. Disgaea 3 has a very deep story. No, that isn't a joke, nor is it sarcasm. In fact, I'll even say I prefer Disgaea 3's story to Super Mario RPG's story. Whether or not that makes Disgaea 3 my new favorite game or not, I've yet to determine. Super Mario RPG has held a special place in my heart since I was a kid, and I'm not ready to let a "new" game come in and take over. I do love it though.
I completed the main story...I'm going to say in about 47 hours. On my save file, it says that I've played for 59 hours so far, but that's 2 hours of post-game play, and I also left the game running several times while I got distracted by other things. The 47 hours I played it includes a lot of level grinding as well. Mao is still only at level 92...Out of 9,999.
That time also includes time spent in the Item World, Class World and trying to pass topics in Homeroom. Post-game, there are extra maps you can play through as well, if you can get the representatives to pass the topic, either through bribery or force. There are many other features of the game that I've yet to try, as I did a blind run of the game. I'll be looking through a guide soon so I can go back and try everything I missed, and from what I can tell...There's a lot that still needs to be done.
As I understand it, you can also play through the game again with the characters you've already acquired if you talk to the Time Traveler. (I haven't attempted this yet, so don't hold me to it.) Regardless, you can play through the maps in chapters 1 through 7 anyway. It's probably worth it to talk to him, though, because Disgaea 3 has several different endings.
Overall, it's a fun game with an amazing story and if you have a PS3, it would be the first game I would recommend to you. And if you don't have a PS3...I would suggest getting one for Disgaea 3 alone.
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