Disgaea 2 announced by Nippon-Ichi

According to the latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation magazine, Nippon-Ichi Software is developing a sequel to its hit strategy role-playing game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. The sequel will be titled Makai Senki Disgaea 2 in Japan and is slated for release in 2006.

Disgaea 2 takes place three years after the original, and it features new main characters. Producer Souhei Shinwaka told Dengeki PlayStation that he had originally planned to take the characters from the first game and make them Disgaea 2's heroes. Instead, he created a new world and cast for Disgaea 2 and gave the characters from the original Disgaea, including heroine Etona and the Prinny penguins, supporting roles.

The main character in Disgaea 2 is Adel, a red-haired, hot-tempered 17-year-old. All the people in Adel's world were turned to devils 15 years ago, when the dark lord Xenon appeared and cursed the populace. For unexplained reasons, Adel is the only person unaffected by the curse, and he sets out to fight Xenon and turn his family back into humans. Despite the demonic setting, Disgaea 2 stays true to the series' comedic tradition, often employing dark humor.

Gameplay systems from the original Disgaea are once again featured, such as combination attacks and the unified attack system using nearby party members. It will also bring back the original Disgaea's congress and court systems. Shinwaka told Dengeki PlayStation that his staff is also adding new elements to keep the game fresh.