Disgaea D2 is a strategy role-playing game that uses a lot of the same mechanics present in previous Disgaea games, as well as introduces plenty of new ones. The game takes place in a central hub, with the player going to individual stages to fight battles.
Combat
Combat in Disgaea D2 takes place on a grid-based maps, with there being a main base for you to withdraw your own party. The player's party and enemy party take turns, where they can move their characters, as well as input actions. Each character gets the chance to move and then input an action during each turn.
There are other aspects to combat, such as Throwing and Monster Mounting, the latter of which debuts with this game. One of the options when it's the player's turn is Throwing, allowing the player the chance to toss their other characters, or even enemies, onto another square. Previously a glitch in titles before Disgaea D2,
Monster Mounting, which replaces Magichanging from Disgaea 3 and Disgaea 4, allows a human character to ride one of the monster characters. This gives that unit access to special skills, as well as protect weaker characters, since the monster takes all damage. Also, unlike Magichanging, which only lasted a set number of turns and removed the monster used from battle, Monster Mounting lasts as long as wanted and keeps the monster in the battle.
Geo Effects/Symbols
You may notice that there are colored squares and little pyramids in battles, which are Geo Symbols and Geo Panels. These Geo Symbols will give various effects to the Geo Panels, some of which are positive (Attack +25%, EXP +25%, etc.) and some of which are negative (Enemy Stats Up, Attack -25%, etc).
These Geo Symbols can be picked up and thrown, as well as attacked like normal enemies. If thrown, it can be tossed onto another colored Geo Panel, making it so that color now carries the effect from the thrown Geo Symbol. The effects can also be stacked/removed if a Symbol of a different color is destroyed on a different colored Geo Panel (red symbol on a green panel).
This will make a Geo Chain occur, making it so the destroyed Symbol's color will replace all of that color for the Geo Panel's color. For example, you destroy a red Symbol on a blue Panel, so all of the blue Panels will now turn red, and all characters on those Panels will take damage. If there's a Symbol on a Panel during the Chain, then it will continue with that color. If the last Symbol in a Chain is a null one (clear), then an explosion will occur that will do damage to all enemies.
Bonus Gauge
During battles, using items and attacking the enemies will help fill the Bonus Gauge, which is a list of items, HL, and EXP. As it fills up, it will increase in level and upon completion of a battle, the player will receive those items/HL/EXP (experience is only rewarded to those on the battlefield). This is an excellent way to get new items, as well as some extra experience for those who don't do well in battles.
Cheat Shop
The Cheat Shop is a new addition to the series, allowing for players to modify certain attributes of the game at the expense of something. For example, players can increase the amount of experience they gain by 50%, while lowering the amount of HL they get by 50%. These options can be changed freely whenever the player feels like it.
Dark Assembly
The Dark Assembly returns in Disgaea D2, although there are a few changes to it. The Dark Assembly is a gathering of demons set up like a senate, where the player can pass bills that benefit the player. Instead of using Mana to pass bills, players will be able to use HL instead. Some examples include opening up new maps, increasing Likeability, and even unlock new items in the shops.
Once the player has chosen a bill, sometimes it won't be passed. Players can use items as bribes before the bill is passed/denied to try and get those unfavorable senators onto their side. If it is denied, then the player can even try to pass the bill by force.
Smaller Additions
Weapons Mastery is returning from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories with the ability to raise the rank of a character's Weapon Mastery when creating a character.
Skill Boosting has been removed to allow for a more balanced damage formula.
The Land of Carnage is now unlocked after beating the game as a feature in the Cheat Shop rather than being a separate world.
