Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny

 Switch
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
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  1. The Games Machine
    Jun 28, 2021
    73
    Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny follows closely in the steps of the excellent Disgaea 5 – perhaps too closely, considering it shows a distinct lack of interest into innovating its formula. The new stylistic approach also fails to convince.
  2. Everyeye.it
    Jun 27, 2021
    73
    Not only did Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny not turn out to be as explosive, but the product seemed to us a listless more of the same, moreover suffering from technical deficiencies that were unjustifiable to say the least.
  3. Cubed3
    Jan 31, 2022
    70
    Poor performance mars what is otherwise a stellar Disgaea experience with some fantastic new 3D visuals. The new modes and features of Disgaea 6: Defiance of Justice paired with a nice new story and interesting characters puts this high on the SRPG recommendations for all fans of the genre; a great addition to the series and a decent Nintendo Switch implementation of the game.
  5. Starbit
    Aug 14, 2021
    70
    Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny brings the series to a new threshold - and if that can be said for the level of absurdity in the game, it's better applied to the characters' transition from 2D sprites to 3D models. The combat remains largely the same and very competent but while the performance isn't stellar and players have the option to scale down the visual quality in exchange for a smoother experience, it's safe to say this sixth chapter will be very much appreciated by long-running fans of the Disgaea series.
  6. TheSixthAxis
    Aug 4, 2021
    70
    Disgaea 6 is full of fun characters and addictive grinding, but as a package it feels like a stepping stone entry in the series - a not-quite-complete game that will hopefully pave the way for bigger and better things in the next sequel.
  7. GamingBolt
    Jul 1, 2021
    70
    Disgaea 6 is a pretty good, if flawed, game that should hopefully be the stepping stone to better ones in the future.
  8. TouchArcade
    Jun 29, 2021
    70
    Looking at it as a whole, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny makes a couple of very strong steps forward but sacrifices much in the process. It feels like it’s building a foundation for the future, but like most games of that sort it also comes off as a bit weaker than would be preferred. In some ways, it’s a game I’d like to recommend to Disgaea newcomers. It’s certainly more accessible than some previous entries. On the other hand, it runs horribly on the Switch, the story is entirely forgettable, and I think you’ll find a considerably better value overall in picking up Disgaea 1 Complete or Disgaea 5 Complete. As good as it is to see a new game in the series, Disgaea 6 feels a bit undercooked.
  9. Multiplayer.it
    Jun 25, 2021
    70
    Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is a good turn-based strategy with a couple of good additions from the team of Nippon Ichi.
  10. Screen Rant
    Jun 25, 2021
    70
    Ultimately, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny is a surprisingly accessible entry into a franchise known for its complexity and tactical prowess. It achieves this accessibility without sacrificing its depth, too, which is a major boon for veterans of the series. In spite of this, an overall lack of innovation in the user-controlled battles and some dated graphics and dialogue make for an uneven, though at times great, experience. Even with its more inviting approach to newcomers, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny will likely be most enjoyed by those who already love the franchise, and anyone who has a low tolerance for anime tropes or standard tactical fare will likely want to give this one a pass.
  11. Hey Poor Player
    Jun 25, 2021
    70
    I suppose it's fitting that Zed should be the protagonist of Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny because, much like a zombie itself, this game feels lost and incomplete. I know I've been harsh, but none of this has been fun for me. I wanted Disgaea 6 to be the best Disgaea yet. But it isn't. What makes this even more ironic is that Disgaea 6, by normal SRPG standards, is fine. It's really not bad at all. But Disgaea games have never been "normal SRPGs." They're Disgaea games. And, as far as that's concerned, Disgaea 6 can't so much as hold a candle to its predecessors. That's not something that I can overlook so easily, especially after a six-year wait.
  12. The Mako Reactor
    Jun 28, 2021
    65
    Disgaea 6 brings some interesting new features to the beloved tactical RPG series, but feels incomplete compared to prior entries while suffering from a myriad of technical issues which hold it back from being an easy recommendation.
  13. Metro GameCentral
    Jun 28, 2021
    60
    When one of the main new features of a game is its ability to play itself, it’s a hint that a franchise is beginning to run out of steam – especially given Disgaea 6’s limp script and 3D graphics.
  14. RPG Site
    Jun 25, 2021
    60
    Disgaea 6 makes a lot of changes, not all of which are for the best, leading to a somewhat unsatisfying experience. The autobattle system is useful in some aspects but could cheapen the experience for those who don’t restrain themselves. Parts of the campaign, like constantly having to fight the God of Destruction at the end of each chapter, got extraordinarily tiring. Due to streamlining, the systems in and outside of battle shouldn’t be hard to grasp for new players. Yet I feel a lot of returning players will find this entry inadequate and not just because of missing classes.
  15. Hardcore Gamer
    Jun 25, 2021
    60
    Unbalanced, chaotic and a mess, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny pushes the franchise in the wrong direction. There are glimmers of excellence, but it all comes together in such a disheartening package.
  16. Siliconera
    Jun 25, 2021
    60
    And I think this is largely reflective of what the Disgaea series is now, underdeveloped and lackluster when compared to previous entries. It feels like a lot of the production costs were cut for Disgaea 6, as the game only features voice acting during specific moments and largely isn’t present for even a bulk of the story events. Disgaea 6 isn’t a bad game, but it has definitely suffered due to the waning popularity of the series.
  17. TierraGamer
    Oct 4, 2021
    50
    Defiance of Destiny takes Disgaea's core and tries to evolve it into a game that exploits ridiculous characters and situations. However, already in its sixth installment, it does not find a balance between pleasing its fans and inviting new users, delivering a game that makes us doubt the longevity of the franchise.
  18. RPGamer
    Aug 31, 2021
    50
    Disgaea 6 ticks many worthwhile boxes for series veterans looking to chase that next stat fix; however, newcomers may find the sweet relief when the final boss is at last vanquished by the auto-battle system to be the only high worth noting, and for all the wrong reasons.
  19. ZTGD
    Aug 18, 2021
    50
    While there is some semblance of enjoyment to be had here for those who like to see numbers go up, to see a series I’ve adored and followed for nearly two decades take inspiration from garbage mobile games in the spirit of greed and becoming bastardized as a shell of former self, breaks my heart.
  20. CGMagazine
    Jun 28, 2021
    50
    Disgaea 6 is the weakest entry in the series thanks to poor performance, bland combat, and a forgettable story.

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 54
  3. Negative: 24 out of 54
  1. locklear93
    Jul 2, 2021
    4
    There is an awful lot to cover in any in-depth review of Disgaea 6, but for most readers, a single paragraph can save them a lot of time: IfThere is an awful lot to cover in any in-depth review of Disgaea 6, but for most readers, a single paragraph can save them a lot of time: If you are new to Disgaea, you won’t know what’s missing, but the game will likely feel awkward and inconsistent in its complexity. If you’re a veteran who never cared much about mechanics, but liked the setting and characters, you’ll find this a sub-par, but not horrible entry. If, however, you are a long time Disgaea player who loved it for its wide array of diverse, long running systems, Disgaea 6 will likely be a deeply unsatisfying experience. For such players, it is the worst in the series, and much of this review will be dedicated to highlighting what has been lost. The deep cuts in classes are the tip of a much larger iceberg.
    Though a very great deal was cut, what was kept appears not to have much rhyme, reason, or coherent planning, even for the purpose of making the game more welcoming to new players. One strong example of this is the removal of the game’s most basic special attacks, weapon skills. These skills, which rely on the use of a specific weapon type, have always been gained in the past by equipping the appropriate weapon and using it. Now, if you want a class to use a weapon skill it didn’t previously gain, you have to start it as a class that does get those skills, level it until it has them, then reincarnate into the class you wanted in the first place. Not exactly the friendly, barrier-reducing change it was meant to be, is it? Spells, at least, can be found on scrolls and learned.
    For whatever reason, NIS decided to build their own 3D engine in-house for Disgaea 6. This is an especially bad idea for a company as small as NIS, with no real experience in engine design. The result is a game that runs poorly on the Nintendo Switch. There are three graphics modes. At the highest quality setting, Disgaea 6 will dip to single digit framerate even just in your headquarters. It would’ve been worse if they’d had to manage more classes. Performance mode degrades the character models so badly they’re nearly unrecognizable. This is not an acceptable experience for a console game.
    So, what have we gained? NIS offered a massively raised damage cap and level ceiling. This, it turns out, is a half-truth. While the level cap has certainly gone up drastically, it’s more akin to inflation than actually raising anything. By the second chapter of the game, players will have characters with levels high enough to finish any previous Disgaea game’s main story. For years, when people asked why Disgaea couldn’t just divide its levels by 100 and cap at 99 like most games, my answer was simple: the game started with single digit numbers and worked its way up. The entire spectrum of levels was relevant. Now, there’s absolutely no reason not to cut off a few digits from the end of the numbers.
    We’ve also gained the ability to not play the game. Arguably the single most impactful addition to Disgaea 6, players can now let the game play itself like a mobile game in farm mode. In the post-game of previous Disgaeas, I could somewhat appreciate this, as power leveling inevitably meant running the most efficient map, finishing it in one attack, and repeating. While a useful sleep aid, this stopped a lot of people from pursuing the post-game. Those people are now appeased: the game will simply grind for them. It’s possible to simply have the game play itself altogether by configuring how each unit should behave in auto-battle. If you want to play the game that little, there are probably other games you’d enjoy more anyway, but for those who are content to let the maps play themselves, the option is now there.
    There are two new features that stand out as good additions: the juice bar and post-map bonus experience. The former passively collects some of the experience and mana gained to be spent as you like later, a nice headstart for a new character, or a bump for an existing one. The latter gives bonus experience or mana to characters who were number one at something on that map (damage, throws, healing, etc.) Weighed against the losses throughout the rest of the game though, these improvements are cold comfort.
    Disgaea 6 should serve as a cautionary tale about both the pace of change, and change to attract new customers to old franchises, and can be summed up nicely by an old adage: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” In chasing new players, NIS changed or removed so much that was fundamental about the franchise that they lost sight of what made it special to the customers they already had. Systems and classes have always come and gone in Disgaea, but not until this iteration has it truly lost its foundation. It is my sincere wish that NIS finds it again. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on extra copies of every Disgaea to give to others. This is the first time I regret even buying my own copy.    … Full Review »
  2. Epul
    Jul 11, 2021
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. As a hardcore Disgaea fan, as much as I super excited about Disgaea 6. For me this is the worst Disgaea game.

    OPENING.
    Every disgaea game got an anime opening except disgaea 1. Seems like Disgaea 6 also trying to follow Disgaea 1 pattern, so yeah no anime opening for Disgaea 6. I bet they are trying to minimize their budget

    STORYWISE,
    To be honest. Disgaea story started with great story for the first title and began to decline in quality throughout the series but I was expecting Disgaea 6 would fix it or make it back on par with Disgaea 1 or 4. Unfortunately no, the story were bad as Disgaea 5 or even worse (again, this is my preference storywise). Disgaea 6 got 2 arc. the first arc was rubbish. 10 chapters but the story doesn't have the flow and felt unnatural, not to mention the diversity of staging/areas aset were reused back and the story delivery were the same for each chapter, repetitive. the characters felt bland and somehow felt unrelated. 2nd arc, felt like disgaea story like previous one. The skits inbetween each chapter were horrible. imagine hearing and seeing the same skit start up "previously, on Disgaea 6" "Super reincarnated Zed and company found themselves in a BRAND NEW WORLD!" "the wheels of reincarnation never stop, and thus, a new story begins..." for 14 freaking chapters, so lame.

    Game Stage
    BORING, less challenging, no brainer stages, not optimize the usage of geo panel to make the stages more challenging, can just bulldoze all the stages using auto-battle. The most annoying thing about Disgaea 6. You fight the SAME FREAKING BOSS FOR 14 CHAPTERS. imagine it for 14 chapters fighting same boss. Post game also same with story mode. No creativity, no puzzle like previous series. just grind with auto battle and you good to go. nothing complicated and over simplify.

    Gameplay Mechanism
    Pros
    - Monster can Lift
    - Can Lifting and move at the same time

    Semi-pros? (Some would probably find this feature a good thing, some might find it the killjoy of the game)
    - Auto-battle. I would say this is a killjoy for the game. I mean, disgaea were famous for it insane grinding. I can see it be useful for post game content where as you have to keep repeating the stages for leveling. I think auto-battle should be unlock with after the story mode with some hard to get requirement. otherwise, it defeat the purpose of the game. Would it be a game if it all have been autoed?
    - Auto-repeat. same case with auto-battle

    Cons
    -They cut down so many classes
    -No more weapon skill
    -There are unique character but because of no more weapon skill and each character and classes have their own set of skill. Everyone are unique character lol. no more "generic" character.
    -No more tower attack and animation
    -No more team attack and animation
    -Countering skill, apparently in Disgaea 6 you can counter attack skill.
    -Level, character class level, weapon proficiency level all can be bought to the max using HL. again, it's defeating the purpose of Disgaea grinding system.
    -auto-battle with proper A.I set up make the item world a joke.

    Overall
    -They over simplify the game
    -too much automation. it's like disgaea now become an idle mobile game where you just turn on the game and let it play by itself. no more pleasure of grinding the game and defeating the last post game boss.

    This is what I felt playing Disgaea 6 till post game. Not gonna lie, I even felt wanna drop the games in 1st arc but thinking it would be better eventually when progress, I was wrong

    Well everyone are entitle to their opinion but this my review about the games. yes I am salty with the way the game goes.    … Full Review »
  3. katieelizabeth
    Jul 2, 2021
    3
    I really hate to write a negative review of a Disgaea game, but the 6th entry is by far one of the most disappointing releases. The biggestI really hate to write a negative review of a Disgaea game, but the 6th entry is by far one of the most disappointing releases. The biggest problem I have with the game is that it's exclusive to the Switch in the West, but also manages to run like crap on the hardware. I think it's really anti-consumer to gatekeep the PS4 version from the West when it would have played a lot better than the Switch version (which was clearly not designed with the Switch in mind, let's be honest).

    In Disgaea 6, there is 3 graphic settings, and all of them are unstable - somewhere between 40% to 70% stability, which is frankly embarassing for a game that looks like it should not be struggling on the Switch's hardware. The "Graphics" setting mostly runs at 20fps, but I've seen it dip to 11 and 14fps. This mode is unplayable imo, and I have no idea why it's there. The "Balanced" setting tries to hit 30fps, but it's very choppy as well and it can also dip to 15fps. The "Performance" mode runs mostly around 54-60fps, but it's still very unstable. The worst problem with this mode is how blurry it is. It is a huge shame that this game does not run at 1080p and 60fps like the past entries. I would have even accepted 1080p/30 or 720p/60, but we don't get either.

    I might have given the graphics a pass if this were a heavily discounted game, but this is a full price AAA game - it's unacceptable. And if the developers had a low budget, they really should have charged less than full AAA price like many indies do - there is no excuse. They set themselves for criticism here.

    On top of this, this entry really does feel rushed and lazy. For the environments, many of the areas are repeated multiple times. The gameplay is also very repetitive because you kill the same easy boss at the end of every episode, over and over again. The formula is incredibly repetitive. Disgaea 5 felt like it had many more unique episodes compared to this game.

    In terms the story and characters, I think this is probably the weakest cast that I have played. I enjoyed the characters from Disgaea 1, 4 and 5 a lot more. Melodia actually kind of got very grating to me every time she started singing, just because the delivery of the dialogue was so slow and her singing was constant.

    Ultimately, the game still is Disgaea, so it has the same progression systems and things fans love, but I honestly felt like the game wore out its welcome too quickly and the plot just never interested me at all. I was actually skipping dialogue quite a bit because I just didn't care, and I felt like I saw everything there was to see after about 20 hours, despite knowing there was so much more left to grind out.

    There are some good qualities to the game - most of the voice acting, demonic intelligence, auto-battling, but it's not enough for me to recommend the game. To be honest, the experience was completely forgettable.

    I have no desire to do the post-game - I already burnt out on it after the main story. It is what it is. Sorry I can't review that part, but I don't think it would change my rating.    … Full Review »
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