Disgaea enthusiasts know the drill via now. Each time a brand new mainline access within the long-running tactical RPG collection breaks onto the scene, it’s just a subject of time sooner than it will get a re-released version that bundles within the base recreation’s DLC at the side of a collection of gameplay tweaks and additions. It’s collection custom at this level, as each unmarried numbered Disgaea recreation to this point has won an expanded model (or perhaps a couple) post-release. Now, with the Western launch of Disgaea 7 Whole handy, the newest identify in Nippon Ichi Device’s zany crown jewel of a franchise is in a position to enroll in its brethren within the Valhalla of exceptional recreation definitiveness.
D7C takes 2023’s Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless and repackages it with a plethora of brand-new additions, like a unique bonus crusade episode and a brand new superboss to triumph over. The identify doesn’t lie — that is without equal model of Disgaea 7 and it utterly supersedes the unique launch as the perfect option to revel in the sport.
For some present and doable enthusiasts, that by myself is reason why sufficient to dive in in this launch. That mentioned, others — particularly those that already picked up the bottom recreation on Transfer or different platforms — is also questioning whether or not there’s sufficient worth added to justify double-dipping. Sadly, the solution as as to whether to pick out up this definitive version isn’t slightly so definitive itself.
Simply as within the base recreation, Disgaea 7 Whole centres upon the tale of 2 not going leads. The ruthless demon warrior Fuji wanders the feudal Japan-inspired realm of Hinomoto, a land that has been plunged into a dismal technology beneath the ruling shogunate. In an opportunity assembly, he encounters Pirilika, a bubbly, ultra-rich company elite and self-proclaimed Hinomoto otaku. Spurred to motion via the populace’s abandonment of bushidō (the Eastern time period for the samurai code of honour), Pirilika contracts Fuji as her bodyguard, and the 2 embark on a wacky quest all the way through the Netherworlds to collect the Founding Guns and defeat the darkish forces in keep watch over of Hinomoto.
In Mitch’s unique assessment of Disgaea 7, he described the sport as “without equal distillation of the Disgaea revel in” and praised each its irreverent tone and its dealing with of the collection’ vintage gameplay hook of coaching devices as much as ludicrous energy ranges and working eye-popping quantities of wear and tear in turn-based tactical battles. The ones observations all nonetheless ring true for this re-release, so give Mitch’s assessment a readthrough for a deeper dive into the sport’s core.
However the crux is that this: There are only a few techniques RPGs in the market that may even cling a candle to the extent of flexibleness, intensity, and freedom that Disgaea 7 gives in its gameplay. At each flip, you’re inspired to experiment with and exploit the sport’s mechanics, all in carrier of establishing a workforce that may completely smash even probably the most absurdly demanding demanding situations. Merely put, you get out what you installed, and the sport will also be as simplistic and simple or as mind-bendingly advanced as you favor.
Disgaea 7 Whole nonetheless has that very same nice core, however what in reality units it with the exception of the bottom recreation? Smartly, now not a lot — all over the core crusade, no less than. For any person who did play the sport’s unique launch, the ones first 20 to 30 hours through which you move thru the principle tale are awfully acquainted. With the exception of all the DLC episodes and bonuses being to be had from the get-go, the principle crusade right here stays in large part unchanged.
All of its brand-new gameplay additions are locked at the back of the post-game, and a few require a not-insignificant time funding to get admission to. Returning avid gamers hoping to retain their hard earned save report development from the bottom recreation and skip proper to the brand new stuff are out of good fortune, too, as there’s no improve trail to be had between the 2 variations.
Now not having any vital brand-new content material to revel in till the post-game is a bummer, however while you in the end succeed in the ones contemporary additions, they’re lovely neat. In all probability probably the most considerable piece of recent content material is the Nethertime Give a boost to Drive episode. This mini-campaign, set after the principle tale, sees Fuji, Pirilika, and the remainder of the team crossing paths with characters from earlier Disgaea titles and attractive in a few amusing and distinctive combat maps alongside the best way.
For enthusiasts of the larger collection, those crossover cameos function a super little bit of fan carrier, even though the loss of voice appearing for those sequences is disappointing. Clearing this episode additionally unlocks Asagi — a legacy persona who many Disgaea lovers are unquestionably conversant in — as a playable unit, which is a pleasing little bonus.
With the exception of that, a number of unique post-game expenses had been added to the Darkish Meeting that provide some entertaining gameplay additions. The Freely Use Infernal Treasures! invoice, when unlocked and handed, permits any unit you must equip some of the titular guns and input the powered-up Hell Mode all over combat. Then, there’s the Take Me Past the Limits! invoice, which lifts the previously-held caps on unit stats and lets you energy them as much as a fair larger stage of madness.
Providing but extra tactics to tweak and improve your devices is Disgaea’s bread and butter, and those good additions give any unit you’ve skilled — whether or not it’s a story-relevant persona or a customized persona you scouted and constructed from the bottom up — an equivalent shot at changing into your workforce’s subsequent big-hitter.
The overall addition of be aware is the inclusion of a brand new, ultra-difficult superboss within the type of Rakshasa Baal. In line with superbosses from Disgaea historical past, this problem is meant only for many who are dedicated to spending hour after hour delving deep into the sport’s mechanics and elevating devices to a powerful stage.
Whilst it’s cool so as to add but some other lofty goal for Disgaea devotees to transparent, this remaining piece of content material hammers house a an important level about Disgaea 7 Whole: just about all the new stuff added to this launch solely appeals to pre-existing Disgaea avid gamers or individuals who intend to spend a ton (and I imply a ton) of time with the sport as soon as the principle crusade has concluded. Even then, it’s now not a modern quantity of recent content material, and franchise enthusiasts will have been hoping for slightly extra to justify selecting up this re-release.
I’d even be remiss in now not bringing up the unusual nature of Disgaea 7 Whole’s Western launch. Even supposing the sport introduced in Japan in 2024 for the common ol’ Transfer, this localisation is launching solely at the Transfer 2 with out a Transfer 1 model in sight (no less than, on the time of assessment).
It’s definitely great to play natively on Transfer 2, on which efficiency is as easy as will also be, nevertheless it’s atypical to eschew a localised Transfer 1 model when the sport can demonstrably run simply advantageous on that {hardware}. This resolution additionally signifies that Disgaea 7 Whole can simplest be bought digitally or as a Recreation-Key Card, a transfer this is positive to ruffle the feathers of quite a few would-be avid gamers.
In all probability some considerable Transfer 2 improvements would have made this bizarre launch technique an more straightforward tablet to swallow, however there are none to talk of. I’d have very a lot favored integration with the Transfer 2’s mouse controls for the map cursor within the hopes of assuaging how finicky maps can get with various elevations — my one main criticism with the moment-to-moment gameplay. Alas.
Conclusion
With how stellar a package deal the Vows of the Virtueless proved to be upon launch, the expanded and feature-packed Disgaea 7 Whole will have to be a slam dunk of a advice to any tactical RPG fan — however re-releases are hardly that straightforward. For any person who overlooked out at the unique the primary time round, this model is each bit as nice and stands tall as without equal, feature-complete iteration of the sport.
On the similar time, there’s no denying that the handful of brand-new content material additions fall at the area of interest facet and most commonly serve those that need to are living and breathe Disgaea 7 for his or her subsequent hundred-plus hours of recreation time. Even stalwart enthusiasts who cherished the bottom recreation would possibly need to consider carefully sooner than losing the cost of admission in this up to date model and ranging from scratch for a few post-game candies.
