10 Gaming Franchises You Didn't Realise Are Still Around

4. Disgaea

Disgaea 7
Nippon

Even though turn-based games are renowned for their larger-than-life battles, nothing compares to Disgaea. 

Released by Nippon in 2003, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness made an immediate impression, with the over-powered heroes able to unleash billions or trillions of HP damage on enemies. The extravagant title also stood out for its cheeky humour, flexible strategies, and focus on puzzle-solving in combat. It wasn't a mainstream hit, but Disgaea built a passionate following that allowed the developers to crank out numerous sequels and over a dozen spin-offs.

But after 2015, the zany property apparently vanished into thin air. Ports and remasters continued but nothing new came of the over-the-top saga for a long time. When the underwhelming Disgaea 6 was finally released, it made a strong argument to retire the brand for good.

Rather than giving up, Nippon released a new instalment in 2023. It didn't get much fanfare, but this entry was a welcome return to form. Disgaea 7 recaptured the spirit of the original while incorporating awesome new mechanics, including the ability to turn your party into giants. It also featured a competitive multiplayer, which was a first in the series. 

With Disgaea 7 soon to be re-released with all the DLC, now is the perfect time to check it out.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows