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Do Demons Dream of Horned Sheep? Disgaea 7 Complete combines the base game of Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless and all DLC into a neat package with some extras that'll go a long way for the most devoted of series fans. While available in Japan on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch for over a year, NIS America made it a Switch 2 exclusive for its western release. The system's high specs offer a smooth-as-butter experience, while the included DLC and extras make it the definitive edition of the game. With the original being a top contender for the series' best, there's no better way to jump into Disgaea now than with Disgaea 7 Complete. Demon warriors who love deceit and hate honor populate the Hinomoto Netherworld, but Hinomoto fanatic and teen billionaire Pirilika believes that the ancient code of bushido, once the honorable law of the land, can be restored by her hands. However, her journey hits a snag as soon as it begins, when a petty argument with a noodle shop owner snowballs into violence. However, Fuji, a ronin with a colossal debt on his head, steps in and offers her a pricey security detail until she finishes her quest. The problem? Fuji has a deadly allergy to empathy, and Pirilika has no shortage of it. But with Fuji's debt closing in and Pirilika being too eager to let her beloved Hinomoto lose more of itself, they get along with each other and pick up any demon strange enough to join their side. [caption id="attachment_177669" align="alignnone" width="640"] Cut down no-good shogunate officials and pesky troublemakers to restore the way of the warrior.[/caption] Quirkiness is the defining trait of this series, and the straightforward storyline gets derailed pretty quickly by dastardly villains, a hyperviolent little girl who claims to be Fuji's daughter, and other weirdos of various shapes and sizes. Even the main cast is written to be silly and unserious. The irony of a deadpan demon like Fuji restoring bushido is pointed out repeatedly, while Pirilika's obsession with Hinomoto is likened to anime fans and Japanophiles who go a little too far with their fanaticism. Ceefore, the first to join the duo on their quest, has an unhealthy love for explosives and weapons, while another party member has an endless appetite that eats through Pirilika's massive fortune in days. It's a rowdy bunch with a mission that no one else in Hinomoto cares about, but they have fun with it and players become party to their shenanigans, watching as they lose all their money in Casinomoto or try to take a dip in succubus-haunted hot springs. Those acquainted with mid-tier anime will find themselves at home, but other audiences might be put off by the humor and writing, which is self-indulgent, corny, and propped up by countless running gags. Mileage will vary, but this is a gameplay-heavy series, and, at worst, the story still serves its most basic purpose of setting up unique battles and giving characters a personality outside of combat. [caption id="attachment_177671" align="alignnone" width="640"] In Disgaea, your options are only as limited as your imagination.[/caption] Battles are strategic and grid-based, with many bells and whistles to set it apart from the rest of the genre. The first of the series' distinct mechanics is lifting and throwing. While the tower attack from previous games is absent, characters can still be stacked on one panel, and all lifted units will provide the lifter with stat boosts. Once lifted, units can also be thrown to reach otherwise inaccessible areas or to reposition them behind an enemy for a backstab bonus when they attack. The series' penguin-like mascots, the Prinnies, even explode when thrown, making them ideal for crowd control and toppling defensive enemies. Throwing also affects another unique mechanic: Geo Effects. Battlefields are adorned with prisms called Geo Symbols that add buffs or debuffs to compatible panels when thrown onto them. The Geo Effect "Counter Hits + 1" lets units counterattack once more than they usually would, while the legendary EXP +50% effect is central to certain grinding strategies. They also have serious offensive potential, as destroying colored Geo Symbols in a specific order can trigger a screen nuke and flip the script on the enemy. Disgaea 7 brings two main additions to the formula: Jumbification and Hell Mode. By Jumbifying, any unit can supersize themselves and dominate the battlefield like a Kaiju, while Hell Mode is a superpowered state only accessible to the main cast that doubles their utility in a flash. If Jumbification is a sledgehammer to be swung wildly for total destruction, then Hell Mode is a scalpel for precision and high-stakes plays. With two new tools in the toolbox, Disgaea 7 expands player options through the roof and battles are fast and free-flowing because of it. [caption id="attachment_177711" align="alignnone" width="640"] The grind to create the ultimate army is exhausting, but a worthy endeavor.[/caption] Outside of the story, players can explore the Item World and Martial Dimension to improve equipment stats and train units respectively. The former is randomly-generated on each entry, while the latter adds five grind-friendly stages to the stage select screen. The last of the main gameplay features is the new online ranked battle system which lets players pit their armies against each other. All other features have to do with breaking the game by building the most overpowered teams to walk the face of the Netherworlds, and it makes this goal as attainable as possible through the EXP and stat-distributing Juice Bar, an exploitable gacha system, simple side quests with good rewards, and the Dark Assembly, whose members can be bribed into passing bills that gift units with new and improved abilities. Once the credits have rolled, it's up to players to decide what they want to make their next goal. They can complete the postgame and DLCs and call it a day, build a level 9,999 juggernaut of a character, or go all in and shoot for 100% completion. The story is the calm before the storm, and while the game is perfectly enjoyable at surface-level, it gives back for the time and effort players put into it. The downside is that causal players may not feel incentivized to continue after the credits, and that full engagement means spending well over a hundred hours. Some may find themselves addicted, and they'll likely become series fans for life, but it is a big ask, especially with the strategizing required for an optimal playthrough. Disgaea 7 Complete adds even more content to the mix. The new Nethertime Support Force campaign sees the cast spar with characters from previous games and offers a new unit in series regular Asagi Asagiri. Also joining the fray is the superboss Rakshasa Baal. Luckily, Hell Mode can now be used by all units instead of just the main cast, and the cap on stats has been upped to an absurd 999,999,999. This is all on top of the seven DLC stories and over twenty additional characters released for Disgaea 7 throughout the years. Unfortunately, the new campaign and all of the DLC stories have no voice acting, but that's the only thing working against them. [caption id="attachment_177817" align="alignnone" width="640"] Each chapter closes with a skit full of slapstick humor and references to popular anime.[/caption] The English voice cast is high energy and filled with household names, while the Japanese is consistent and matches the Japan-inspired setting of Hinomoto. However, the English voices deserves some additional recognition because it's immediately apparent that all of the actors are having way too much fun voicing their roles, and it makes even the most elementary of jokes land well. It could be seen as excessive, but it blends seamlessly with the tone and the writing. Like the writing and acting, the soundtrack is decidedly anime, which is to say spirited and catchy. Tracks like "Hinomoto & Rock" and "Peerless Blade" stand out for their J-rock instrumentation, and the shamisen and other traditional Japanese instruments feature in almost every track, giving the soundtrack a distinct feel and making it well worth a listen even outside of the game. Disgaea 7 on the original Switch was known for poor performance and the Switch 2 version provides a much-needed upgrade by running at 60fps. Differences between performance mode and graphics mode are marginal, and visual quality is consistently high between handheld and docked modes. Other visual elements are similarly consistent, if unexceptional. The colorful and cartoony artstyle fits the series perfectly, but the story is told through static portraits and text, while battle animations, even at their craziest, won't be winning any awards. The game's difficulty stems from trying to understand the ins and outs of every mechanic, and though the main story only has three major skill checks, the first of the three comes within the first hour, which can be rough on newcomers. The hub area's Cheat Shop can adjust enemy strength and EXP gain, but it isn't enough to trivialize foes, and while tactics are important, it can't make up for low stats. Both difficulty and longevity will vary from player to player, but the average player is likely to be challenged a handful of times and spend over twenty hours on the main story. [caption id="attachment_177818" align="alignnone" width="640"] Bushido is a pathway to many abilities some demons consider to be unnatural.[/caption] The gameplay loop and humor of Disgaea is not for everyone, but for those curious about Nippon Ichi's flagship series, Disgaea 7 Complete is a demonically good time and a playground for gamers who can't get enough of seeing big numbers get even bigger. The move up to the Switch 2 remedies the ill performance of the original game, while the added content is sure to please fans who held out for the complete edition. Like an all-you-can-eat buffet, Disgaea 7 Complete will be heavenly for the hungry and hellish for those with weak stomachs, but one way or another, it's got something you can't find anywhere else. Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher. The post Disgaea 7 Complete Review appeared first on RPGamer.