Disgaea 7 Complete is the latest re released edition of a Disgaea game with all content included, continuing a series tradition. But this is not just a re release of the game with existing DLC included, no this release has plenty of new content that makes this an experience worth replaying, at least for those on Switch. The new content includes a new bonus campaign episode and superboss, but there is a bit more to it.
Before I go any further, I am going to include my original review of Disgaea 7 here, and then will pick up after.
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Disgaea is a revered tactical RPG series, and while Disgaea 6, was not the best in the series ( it was actually quite a bit of a speed bump), fans of the series still had faith the series would bounce back. Fortunately, it turned out those hopes were not unfounded when it comes to Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless. Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless gets the series back on track, and while it may not be the absolute best in the series, it is a great return to form.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is set in a different Netherworld than one we have seen before, this time having a samurai setting. As the game begins, we meet two characters, Fuji, a wandering samurai with no honour and Piririka, who is a Bushido-obsessed fangirl. Piririka is on a quest to find the seven legendary weapons, and after noticing how much money she has, Fuji decides to help her in order to get money to cover his debts. The rest of the characters are just as zany, and the antics are classic Disgaea fun.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is, like the rest of the series, a tactical RPG, where you have a team of various warriors, mages, and demons to control, and who will learn new skills as they level up. These new skills will range from healing to powerful attacks, and each character type will play a different role. One aspect of the Disgaea series is the lifting and throwing of characters and here any character can pick up and throw every other character to move them around, such as to get your most powerful unit deeper into enemy territory passed enemy units or throwing enemies away from healers. There is a new type of throw as well in the form of monster throws, where monster units will launch automatically when something is thrown on top of them, adding a new level of strategy to the game.
Another returning element is the Geo Panels, where Geo Crystals placed on Geo Panels will apply their effect to all panels of the same colour. This can lead to both helpful and unhelpful actions such as boosting your stats or making your enemies more powerful. Just like before though, you can lift, throw, and destroy Geo Crystals to remove their effects or get a new one. One new mechanic is the Jumbify ability that allows one of your characters to grow bigger than an entire stage to cause mayhem and much damage. It is difficult to pull off, but can achieve a great result, but your enemies can do it as well, and that can be a deep challenge.
The 3D art style has gotten an overhaul from Disgaea 6 and this is for the better. It may not be a return to the classic style, but it looks much easier on the eyes and feels much more in line with what came before. The music is also great and Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless has some of the best sound in the series so far.
Overall, Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is excellent and with over 40 classes this time around, this feels like a best-of-game in some ways. The fan-favourite classes return from prior games, and the new additions stand out very well. The one issue Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless has is that it really ramps up the difficulty, and can be an extremely punishing experience, especially with increased costs for healing between battles.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is a good step forward for the series, even with the steep difficulty and is an easy game to recommend, both for long-time fans and for fans of tactical RPGs. This is a fun experience and an excellent new entry to play.
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Now then, what makes this worth playing again? Well, as mentioned all the previous DLC is included, but the game also runs far better on the Switch 2 than it did on the original Switch. The upgrade in system power is definitely noticeable and does affect the experience.
But aside from improved performance, the new content is locked behind the postgame and there is no upgrade path for those who owned Disgaea 7 on Switch 1. That said, if you go through with the gameplay, you will get a new campaign that sees the protagonist encounter characters from previous titles and take part in some of the best fights NIS has come up with for a Disgaea game. The crossover content is great for fans of the older games, who will love the nostalgic trip and bonus characters who appear.
There are also new items to unlock that will affect battles such as by allowing any one of your units to equip a powerful weapon and enter a Hell Mode, where they become extremely powerful, while other items will lift the cap on unit stats. There is also a new superboss that is one of the most challenging encounters in a Disgaea game so far and will require many hours to try and beat. But is this new content worth it?
Well, it depends. Are you a hardcore Disgaea fan? Then the new content will be very appealing, even if you already owned the game on Switch 1. If you are just a casual fan though, the new content may not be enough to bring you back for another go. It would have been nice if NIS had incorporated the Switch 2’s mouse controls, because that would have been enough to say the game is worth a replay for all.
As it is, if you are a Disgaea superfan, then Disgaea 7 Complete is worth checking out. But if you are just a casual fan, then it may be worth passing on.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
