Disgaea fans, this one is a bit sus but not hopeless.
Anime News Network’s review of Disgaea Mayhem says the new action RPG spin on Nippon Ichi Software’s long-running strategy RPG series works — but only just. The game is out on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam, with ANN reviewing the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
The setup is very Disgaea: Tichelle inherits her Netherworld after her father dies, only for the old vassals to rebel against her rule. To fix the mess, she hires the mercenary N.A. to help bring everyone back under control.
On paper, turning Disgaea into an action RPG sounds like a solid experiment. The series already lives on ridiculous damage numbers, chaotic demon politics, goofy characters, and systems that let players break the game in funny ways. Mayhem keeps some of that DNA: light and heavy attacks, guarding, jumping, skills on cooldown, weapon-based moves, gear progression, and the usual chapter-by-chapter structure.
There are also some smart ideas here. The Counter mechanic lets players cancel incoming damage by timing a cooldown skill against an enemy attack, which fits Disgaea’s aggressive “hit them harder” spirit nicely. The game also has big cinematic Ultimate attacks where N.A. launches massive area damage, because of course a Disgaea game needs numbers so huge they look like someone sat on the keyboard.
The buddy and Magichange system adds another layer. Players can bring a monster companion into battle, use it for extra damage and aggro control, then shift into another weapon mode with separate cooldowns and Ultimates. Outside combat, familiar systems return too: shopping, customer ranks, the Item World, and the Dark Assembly, where players can push for better rewards, improved item access, XP boosts, and more.
So yes, the Disgaea flavour is still there. The problem is that Mayhem seems to lose too much of what makes the series properly addictive.
ANN’s biggest issue is the lack of a true party system. Classic Disgaea is not just about clearing maps; it is about building a ridiculous roster, tweaking gear, stacking abilities, grinding items, and finding stupidly efficient ways to make your army busted. Mayhem focuses almost entirely on N.A., with the monster buddy feeling more like an add-on than a real second character. For a series famous for roster management, that is a big missing piece.
The review also points out that the main story is surprisingly short, with credits reached in under six hours. That is rough for Disgaea, a franchise where players normally expect dozens of hours before even touching the truly unhinged post-game grind.
Combat sounds serviceable rather than exciting. Levels are described as repetitive enemy-clearing zones, with bosses often feeling like larger versions of regular enemies. The game also drops traditional Disgaea ideas like geo panels and special map conditions, which used to force players to think beyond pure damage.
For Malaysian and SEA players, the key question is value. ANN reviewed it as a full-price release, while actual Malaysian pricing can vary by platform, account region and promotion. That makes the short story and single-character focus worth weighing before buying.
The takeaway: Disgaea Mayhem is not a disaster, but it sounds more like a promising first attempt than a must-buy. If you love Disgaea and want to support NIS trying new things, you may still have fun watching massive attacks delete enemies. But if your favourite part of the series is deep party building and tactical nonsense, maybe wait for a discount dulu.
Reporting source: Anime News Network