Review: Disgaea 7 Complete (Switch 2)

Disgaea enthusiasts are well aware of the routine by this point. Whenever a novel mainline installment in the enduring tactical RPG franchise surfaces, it’s merely a matter of time before a reissued edition emerges that incorporates the base game’s DLC along with a collection of gameplay enhancements and additions. This has become customary for the series, as every single numbered Disgaea title thus far has received an expanded version (or even multiple) after its launch. Now, with the Western debut of Disgaea 7 Complete upon us, the latest installment from Nippon Ichi Software’s eccentric crown jewel of a franchise is poised to join its companions in the Valhalla of unmatched gaming completeness.

D7C reimagines 2023’s Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless and repackages it with a multitude of brand-new features, including a special bonus campaign episode and a novel superboss to vanquish. The title doesn’t deceive — this is the quintessential version of Disgaea 7, completely overshadowing the original release as the ideal approach to experience the game.

For some current and prospective fans, that alone is sufficient reason to indulge in this release. However, others — particularly those who previously acquired the base game on Switch or alternative platforms — may question whether there’s sufficient value added to warrant a second purchase. Regrettably, the response to whether to acquire this definitive edition isn’t entirely straightforward.

As in the original game, Disgaea 7 Complete revolves around the tale of two unexpected protagonists. The merciless demon warrior Fuji traverses the feudal Japan-inspired lands of Hinomoto, an area that has been cast into a dark age under the governing shogunate. During a fateful encounter, he meets Pirilika, a vivacious, ultra-affluent corporate elite and self-identified Hinomoto aficionado. Prompted into action by the populace’s neglect of bushidō (the Japanese term for the samurai code of honor), Pirilika enlists Fuji as her protector, and together they embark on a quirky adventure through the Netherworlds to collect the Founding Weapons and overthrow the sinister forces controlling Hinomoto.

In Mitch’s initial review of Disgaea 7, he characterized the game as “the ultimate distillation of the Disgaea experience” and commended both its irreverent tone and its execution of the series’ classic gameplay mechanic of leveling up units to absurd power levels while inflicting astonishing amounts of damage in turn-based tactical confrontations. All those insights still hold true in this re-release, so peruse Mitch’s review for a deeper exploration of the game’s essence.

But here’s the crux: There are very few tactical RPGs out there that can match the level of flexibility, complexity, and freedom that Disgaea 7 provides in its gameplay. At every opportunity, you’re urged to explore and leverage the game’s mechanics, all in pursuit of constructing a team capable of completely obliterating even the most overwhelmingly challenging obstacles. Simply put, you reap what you sow, and the game can be as straightforward or as mind-bogglingly intricate as you choose.

Disgaea 7 Complete retains that exceptional core, but what precisely distinguishes it from the original game? Well, not much — at least during the primary campaign. For anyone who played the game’s initial release, those first 20 to 30 hours while traversing the main narrative will feel remarkably familiar. Apart from all the DLC episodes and extras being accessible immediately, the primary campaign remains largely unaltered.

All its fresh gameplay features are gated behind the post-game, and some necessitate a considerable time commitment to unlock. Returning players hoping to carry over their hard-earned save file progress from the original game to skip directly to the new content are also out of luck, as an upgrade path between the two versions is unavailable.

Lacking significant brand-new content to engage with until the post-game is disappointing, but once you finally access those fresh additions, they are quite impressive. Perhaps the most substantial piece of new content is the Nethertime Support Force episode. This mini-campaign, which occurs after the main storyline, sees Fuji, Pirilika, and the rest of the crew meeting characters from previous Disgaea installments and engaging in several entertaining and unique battle maps along the way.

For enthusiasts of the broader series, these crossover appearances serve as delightful fan service, although the absence of voice acting in these segments is disappointing. Completing this episode also grants access to Asagi — a legacy character with whom many Disgaea fans are undoubtedly familiar — as a playable unit, which is a charming bonus.

In addition to that, several exclusive post-game bills have been introduced to the Dark Assembly that provide entertaining gameplay expansions. The Freely Use Infernal Treasures! bill, upon being unlocked and enacted, permits any character you possess to equip one of the titular weapons and enter the enhanced Hell Mode during battles. Then, there’s the Take Me Beyond the Limits! bill, which removes the previously established caps on unit stats, allowing you to enhance them to even greater levels of absurdity.

Offering even more methods to modify and empower your units is Disgaea’s hallmark, and these clever additions provide any character you’ve trained — whether it’s a story-relevant figure or a custom character you created and developed from scratch — an equal opportunity to become your team’s next powerhouse.

The last notable addition is the introduction of a new, extremely challenging superboss named Rakshasa Baal. In keeping with previous superbosses from Disgaea lore, this challenge is designed solely for those who are devoted to investing countless hours delving into the game’s mechanics and leveling up characters to an impressive degree.

While it’s exciting to provide yet another high-level objective for Disgaea aficionados to conquer, this final piece of content reinforces a crucial point about Disgaea 7 Complete: almost all of the new features included in this edition primarily cater to existing Disgaea players or individuals who plan to invest a massive (and I really mean a massive) amount of time into the game after the main campaign has ended. Even then, it’s not a groundbreaking amount of new content, and franchise enthusiasts may have anticipated a bit more to validate acquiring this re-release.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the peculiar nature of Disgaea 7 Complete’s Western launch. Although the game debuted in Japan in 2024 for the standard Switch, this localization is launching exclusively on the Switch 2, with no version for Switch 1 in sight (at least, at the time of review).

It’s certainly enjoyable to play it natively on Switch 2, where performance is as fluid as possible, but it’s strange to forgo a localized Switch 1 version when the game can evidently run perfectly well on that hardware. This choice also means that Disgaea 7 Complete is only available for digital purchase or as a Game-Key Card, a decision that is sure to irritate some potential players.

Perhaps some significant enhancements for Switch 2 would have made this quirky release strategy more palatable, but there are none to mention. I would have greatly appreciated integration with the Switch 2’s mouse controls for the map cursor in hopes of easing how sensitive maps can become with varying elevations — my sole major complaint regarding the day-to-day gameplay. Alas.

Conclusion

Given how outstanding a package the Vows of the Virtueless proved to be upon its release, the expanded and feature-rich Disgaea 7 Complete ought to be an absolute recommendation for any tactical RPG enthusiast — yet re-releases are seldom that straightforward. For anyone who overlooked the original on its first go, this edition is just as excellent and stands proud as the ultimate, feature-complete version of the game.

Simultaneously, there’s no denying that the few brand-new content additions lean towards the niche and primarily cater to those who wish to immerse themselves in Disgaea 7 for the next hundred-plus hours of gameplay. Even devoted fans who adored the original game may want to reconsider before investing in the price of entry on this updated version and starting anew for a handful of post-game perks.