Disgaea 5. The best RPGs available in PS Plus
Table of Contents
- Year: 2015
- Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch
- In a nutshell: accessible jRPG full of satire
What is Disgaea 5 about?
Disgaea 5 is, as the title suggests, the fifth installment of the Disgaea series, which includes strategic RPGs published for almost twenty years. The number five in the title should not be discouraging, as the story here is almost completely separate and doesn't require knowledge of the previous installments.
In the game, we play the role of a young demon named Killia. The main antagonist is a Dark Void – as befits a typical villain, he intends to take over the world.
Of course, not everyone likes these plans – a resistance movement quickly forms, led by none other than Killia. The gameplay focuses on traversing dungeons and fighting turn-based battles. Both the character classes and the possibilities of developing them are definitely the most extensive in the series, and fans of upgrading and expanding characters should be thrilled indeed.
Why is it worth playing?
The entire series is famous for its brilliant humor, often satirical references to pop culture and breaking of the fourth wall; these elements are of course also present in Disgaei 5. In order not to overwhelm the player with odd and perhaps outlandish humor, the creators toned down the dialogues a bit compared to the previous parts.
The game is extremely accessible not only in terms of the story – it also lacks the ubiquitous grind that was present in the previous installments of the series. Progress in Disgaei 5 is smooth, and the options for building the character are almost endless. This is one of the best games to play if you're interested in Japanese RPGs but have never had a chance to play them.
ZANKI ZERO
Several other PS Plus games are kept in a similar, anime-inspired convention. Zanki Zero: Last Beginning, an obscure gem that's an exclusive title for Europe, deserves a special mention. This is a production of the Spike Chunsoft studio (responsible, among others, for the Danganronpa series), set in a post-apocalyptic reality – while exploring the dungeons, we try to understand what happened to the world we knew.
A unique feature of Zanki Zero is that the game encourages having our heroes killed, because, according to the plot, they will be reborn again and return stronger. The authors very neatly weave the game mechanics into the story they tell, creating a coherent product that's incredibly pleasant to experience, with all of its twisted story.
