Disgaea 5 Complete

 Switch
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 176 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 135 out of 176
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 176
  3. Negative: 17 out of 176
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  1. Scritty
    Dec 5, 2017
    10
    This is the game I bought my Switch for. Not Zelda, not Mario - But Disgaea. Want to know something else? I already owned it and had got to end game (which is by no means the end of the game - is a bit misleading) on the PS4 version almost 18 months earlier.

    Disgaea treats you like an adult. Yes - if you play the quest lines (about 15-20 hours - and really should be considered as only    This is the game I bought my Switch for. Not Zelda, not Mario - But Disgaea. Want to know something else? I already owned it and had got to end game (which is by no means the end of the game - is a bit misleading) on the PS4 version almost 18 months earlier.

    Disgaea treats you like an adult. Yes - if you play the quest lines (about 15-20 hours - and really should be considered as only the entrée to the game proper) and do this without grinding - then it can be a moderate and balanced challenge.

    But that's not how I play it. That's not how anyone I read about or watch on Youtube plays it. In Disgaea 5 - within a very eclectic set of possible activates - you can do pretty much whatever you want whenever you want.
    Do you want to try and win the game with one character? Fine that's possible. Using only armies of Prinnies? Yes that's also possible. Create a weapon so powerful you can spend the next 3 days cleaning half a map of enemy mobs in one shot Yes - if you spend enough time levelling that weapon in the item world - you can do that.
    But you could also level... A curry... if you wanted Why would you do that? I have no idea, but the game lets you do it if you want.
    You can play the first few quest worlds then never go back to finish the quest at all and still have 500 hours of never to repeat tactical action in this game.
    Yes it's turn based (A bit like Like Final Fantasy Tactics or "Let's Cling Together" on steroids)

    Looking back the learning curve "could" have been a monster, but it isn't. Like most JRPG tactical JRPG games, elements are spoon fed to the player so after about 4 hours play you know a lot of the mechanics without realising it.

    But don't think for one minute at that point that you know them all. Not until you've made new laws, interrogated prisoners, visited the Item worlds, sent teams on missions.
    Gone to Char world (the weirdest pseudo dice board game you'll likely ever see) morphed your classes into new classes - made a tower of all the characters you have on the map and hopped from one side to the other in a single turn. Worked out how to place the gems to turn every coloured square on a map to every variation of colour - damaging your foes as you do it - and of course - thrown an exploding penguin at a Netherdemon.

    You see in Disgaea you CAN do all of these things - you can do one of them forever, dip in and out of some and never touch others - it's entirely your choice - If you do balance your activities you can create some superbly powerful team mates with some ludicrously awesome skills that work through some mega tricked out weapons and armour... but that's entirely up to you.

    You can set out to do your DARNDEST to break the game - and the game will give you the tools and scope to try.
    All these systems interlock. Your characters special abilities can gell into the weapons awesome stats
    which you can improve in the item world and give yourself an advantage making new ridiculous laws to play under; Like "Give all the XP to one character for the next map" or "Create a sequence of maps full of things like fish I need to carry and milk bottles I need to smash to give me better weapon stats". or my favourite "Make the curry much more powerful"

    Really I could go on and on and on.
    The tactical main game is colourful and rewarding.
    The meta game on your craft is so varied and forgiving.
    You can't actually do anything "wrong". You can decide to not bother to learn whole aspects of the game play, because they bore you or you just prefer doing something else - and that's just fine - no problem

    Disgaea is what a grind should be. Because you the player are treated like an adult - given a play box full of interconnecting aspects you can grind or ignore at your hearts content, and told to get on with it.

    No other game anywhere - ever (and I've looked long and hard) is anything even remotely like Disgaea
    It's Disgaea - go on break it. Go on, don't be scared - try and break it... it's daring you.    … Expand
  2. ekolite82
    Jun 7, 2017
    10
    I have played several other tactical strategy rpgs and always lost interest, but I am loving this one. I love that it doesnt take itsslf too seriously. It runs beautifully and has loads of content. Love the combo systems and wacky dialogue/story.
  3. Kyalpha
    Jun 1, 2017
    9
    One of the best strategy game, only shame is no Chinese language support like PS4. I've spent more than 60 hours on PS4 (free from PS+), and not even hesitated to spend $60 on switch. It's just built for this platform. No need to turn on TV or AV system, you can level up wherever you are.
  4. NBMTX
    May 30, 2017
    9
    Great game for the Switch's handheld functionality. It's a lot of grinding, but there's way more reward as you go, so it doesn't feel too grueling. There's never really a set strategy for winning and there are times when you'll seemingly have to try some outlandish ideas to succeed. The characters and story are fun and full of spoofs, though not exactly the most serious.
  5. chester0334
    Dec 2, 2017
    9
    Disgaea 5, a great game that has been ported over to the Nintendo switch, brings plenty of enjoyment and several hours of gameplay. I often find myself playing in short bursts in handheld mode. Thus, Disgaea 5 could easily create a “pick-up and play” experience which separates the Switch version from the PS4 version. However, Disgaea offers so much more than a great “pick-up and play”Disgaea 5, a great game that has been ported over to the Nintendo switch, brings plenty of enjoyment and several hours of gameplay. I often find myself playing in short bursts in handheld mode. Thus, Disgaea 5 could easily create a “pick-up and play” experience which separates the Switch version from the PS4 version. However, Disgaea offers so much more than a great “pick-up and play” experience.

    In terms of gameplay Disgaea 5 provides sweet honey that satisfies even the hungriest of gamers. Additionally, Disgaea 5 will provide you with hours upon hours of endless gameplay. However, the fighting mechanics create an addiction that surpasses the addiction of a boy and warm delicious chocolate. Disgaea 5 has a library of different techniques you must master. Combination techniques, different special attacks, different abilities, class changes, Disgaea 5 offers several different battle mechanics and techniques one should become acquainted with. The variety of battle techniques however, creates additional enjoyment within the game and allows the player several choices on how to dispose of certain enemies. Want to watch a combination attack, with a cheesy cutscene of people jumping into space to bone-rush the crap out of an enemy? You can do that. Wanna beat the sh*t out of someone with an eight-man tower? You can do that. Wanna be that guy that just uses nothing but strong broken characters? Well you can do that if you really want to…
    The ability to constantly rotate and try out different characters allow the player to try different flavors and discover how to create the perfect recipe for success. The constant mix and matching in combat sequences never bores the player and creates a fresh and unique experience for each battle. Thus, in terms of combat Disgaea 5 offers a great experience.

    Disgaea 5 offers several great gameplay experiences outside of combat. Leveling up your class, upgrading weapons to crush withering opponents, buying and purchasing items to create advantages before combat sequences, Disgaea 5 allows the player to customize characters with ease. However, the council meetings offer interesting gameplay experiences. Council meetings help the player pass bills that normally benefit the player. You can bribe members of the council to sway a few votes in your favor. However, you also have the option to duke it out with council members if everything fails (would not recommend doing). You can also recruit characters that you can customize and take along with your main party. Additionally, the switch version includes all the DLC thus, you have access to all the side quests and additional characters. With the variety of customizations, the player forms a special connection with the playable characters. The multiple customization options make the characters feel unique and makes the customized character feel like special in their own aspects.

    The characters provide a unique experience that provide simple yet comical humor that makes each character likeable. Watching the characters interact with each other allows the player to feel a connection with each character. Additionally, while each character may have different reasons, each character pursues the same objective. Having the same objective allows each character to form relationships with each other and makes the player have a stronger understanding of the plot. Disgaea 5 revolves around Killia and the rebel army that want to defeat Lord Void Dark, an overlord who currently has captured several Netherworlds. Each character within the rebel army has different motives like being driven by revenge, driven by wanting to become the strongest overlord, and simply not wanting to follow through with a marriage. However, each character has the same end goal, to defeat Lord Void Dark. Thus, the different motives allow each character to stand out and, help the player grow attached to the different characters within Disgaea 5. Do you enjoy watching soap operas? Do you like cheesy skits? Yes??? Then you probably will enjoy the dialogue in Disgaea 5. Watching the dialogue and interactions of different characters provide laughter and enjoyment. Overall, in terms of story Disgaea 5 has a solid story that makes the player want to progress through the game.

    Graphically Disgaea 5 does its job and not much else. The colors however, have a cute little charm and the characters have great detail. Some stages however, look very similar. These similarities unfortunately, make a few stages lack in special value.

    Overall, Disgaea 5 provides several hours of entertainment which provides a great on the go experience. If you like JRPG’s and want a game that will last a while, I would recommend Disgaea 5. The great gameplay, plot, and character development creates an enjoyment within Disgaea 5.    … Expand
  6. Psynthesist
    Jan 13, 2020
    10
    Disgaea is the series that keeps on giving!

    Giving hours over the top grid based tactics RPG! Great Story! In Depth Character Creation & Customization. Switch Version worth it for Portability and DLC Alone. Its one of those games you can pick up and play for 15 minutes on a lunch break or binge a whole rainy day on. That set Aside. Being a long time fan of the series. Disgaea 5    Disgaea is the series that keeps on giving!

    Giving hours over the top grid based tactics RPG!
    Great Story! In Depth Character Creation & Customization.

    Switch Version worth it for Portability and DLC Alone. Its one of those games you can pick up and play for 15 minutes on a lunch break or binge a whole rainy day on.

    That set Aside. Being a long time fan of the series. Disgaea 5 really improved on the classic formula to deliver a fresh story with a new spicy flavor "pun intended". The Character Class system and rewards you for having spare characters. The Music still top notch with its quirky diversity. Animation is as always overtop well directed. Voice Actors I have to say are the best yet.

    Only game I would really compare it too as a contender on the switch console would be fire emblem 3 houses. And both are not competing against each other. if you like one you will like the other and just be a swap of play based on your mood for the day. Of course there is Disgaea 1 on switch now too which would be a simpler less feature based still epic story and combat system.

    And Prinny's DOOOOOD!    … Expand
  7. ryanmahaffe
    May 23, 2017
    9
    Having played this game for a few hours i can say it is simply one of the best srpgs I have ever played, a fun story (so far) fun, interesting gameplay, cool character designs, and appealing visuals make this a must have for any rpg fan with a Switch
  8. HeavyGamer
    May 28, 2017
    9
    if you liked previous disgaea or you love tactical rpg then this can be easy purchase for you since this is best disgaea til date and its pretty decent tactical rpg.
    but if youre not in these 2 catagorie here is some pros and cons
    pro:very lenghy this can be both pros and cons, even with out doing any grinds.. you rush straight to story. it can easily hit that 100hours mark and if you    if you liked previous disgaea or you love tactical rpg then this can be easy purchase for you since this is best disgaea til date and its pretty decent tactical rpg.
    but if youre not in these 2 catagorie here is some pros and cons

    pro:very lenghy this can be both pros and cons, even with out doing any grinds.. you rush straight to story. it can easily hit that 100hours mark and if you play to develop your favorite characters and want to strong elite team.. it can mark 500hours...

    pro: disgaea 5 is very funny. I often see my self smiling and sometimes I actually laugh out loud.
    but sometimes it gets little silly since the dialog trys to be funny almost all the time haha

    pro: comes with disgaea 5 season pass. season pass include about 20to 50hours lengh gameplay scenarios (depends how grindy you wanna play) and entire main protagonists from previous disgaea series (disgaea 1,2,3,4) i love how i can play as valvator (disgaea4 vampire) plus some other main protagonist from other NIS games such as 100 white witch and more. hero character is overflawing with this complete version and you will never have to raise regular units.

    pro: graphic and sound quality is amazing. this game is originally build for ps4 and the quality is there. all scenes are fully voice acted not the mention the graphic detail is best in trpg till date on your handheld

    pro:straight up 60fps never drops like ever for you entire gamplay.

    pro:probly most indept trpg til date.

    now for Cons

    cons:again it can be pros and cons its super omg lenghy. if your student that doesn't have alots of money to spend on video games or only have switch console and there no other games to play until
    next triple A title to come out, this game will take you there. this game will consume your next few months of video gaming. but if you have large backlog of video gaming or you just don't have time because of work.. skip this.. you will never able to finish the game.

    cons: story sucks. ok to be more accurate, the big story is there and its quiet good (main protagonists past, revenge, motivation,etc) but the small storys or happening on the way is dam silly... like fighting over curry, and chase the curry thief to other nether world etc.. story is enough to get you frustrated sometimes.. at least its funny so its not boring..

    cons:game balance is not so perfect as all disgaea in my opinion. good balance is like fire emblems. this game is quiet balanced but sometimes it gets out of hands, sometimes youre too strong compare to enemy, sometimes enemy is way too stronger than you.

    overall I give 9 out of 10. its great srpg and crazy time consuming game. if you love srpg you will love this couple of hundred hours journey and it have potential to be your favorite game of all time. but iff you don't like srpg... or just this game.. you wont be able to even finish the game and you will not like it.    … Expand
  9. PlayorNaygames
    May 31, 2017
    7
    Digaea 5 is a solid strategy/tactical RPG for the Switch. Don't be fooled by the "complete" in the title of this game as all it includes is the free day 1 DLC from the PS4 version. I think non-hardcore strategy RPG /anime fans will have trouble getting into this game, as it is full of anime cliches and many complicated interconnected systems.

    A game, like a movie, needs to be aware of    Digaea 5 is a solid strategy/tactical RPG for the Switch. Don't be fooled by the "complete" in the title of this game as all it includes is the free day 1 DLC from the PS4 version. I think non-hardcore strategy RPG /anime fans will have trouble getting into this game, as it is full of anime cliches and many complicated interconnected systems.

    A game, like a movie, needs to be aware of how much is too much. All the systems are cool from a value standpoint, but is it fun to trudge through them over and over again on over 50 characters? No, probably not.

    It can be fun at times, like the new Revenge system that gives your character the ability to have a "limit break" of sorts and some are very powerful. The odd thing is some characters can use their revenge abilities right away, while others have to wait until they reach a certain point in the story, sometimes very late in the game. This causes confusing as you'll still fill your "Revenge" meter and be wondering why the game would let you fill it if you can't use it.

    Item world (you can go inside a randomly generated level dungeon inside an item to level it up) has been revamped as well. It's a lot more forgiving and enjoyable than past iterations IMHO. There's also a new board game "Chara World" that can be used to give your characters some awesome boosts as well.

    You have so many characters in Disgaea 5 that doing all these activities for each character can get overwhelming and exhausting. You do have to do at least some of it to get a high enough level/stats to progress the story. It can get monotonous.

    Disgaea 5 is a time sink. The story and characters you've seen before so I'm not sure if many people will like this game unless you have A LOT of time to devote to grinding and min/maxing your characters, which is the least fun it has been, simply due to the needless layers of complexity. The game scales in such a way the prior Disgaea games were much slower to progress too throughout the main story.

    The story is about anime and Disgaea cliche as it gets. Some people will love this, but I think many people will be bored by it. The voice acting is great, albeit the usual crew (personally I'm getting tired of Lucy from "Fairy Tail" being in almost EVERYTHING games and anime, but that won't bother you if you don't play many games/watch anime). The writing however is just okay. You have the main character that eats a lot (see every anime ever), the Etna clone from Disgaea 1 who uses people and mistreats Prinnies, a monster-servant penguin in the game, demons in the game not acting like demons should ect. I wish they mixed up the story a lot more personally, as it is too similar to prior games.

    The game runs super smooth on Switch docked or in handheld mode, so there is no technical problems with the game. I did have one "an unexpected error occurred and the game has to close", but it was just once, so I'm not going count that against Disgaea 5. The resolution looks good as well on a big screen, no jaggies, textures look good.

    Again I love tactical RPGs and have played a good portion of them. Disgaea 5 is solid, but veterans of the series may be bored, while newcomers may be overwhelmed by all the systems, even if the game introduces them gradually. I think the game would have benefited from some streamlining. As it stands, this game will probably just appeal to fans of strategy RPGs and JRPGs.    … Expand
  10. Oudekerk
    May 28, 2017
    9
    do you like throwing penguins? do you like it when said penguin explodes when it's thrown?
    than 10/10 get this game right now!
    But in all seriousness, this is a really elaborate tactical RPG with systems within systems for you to figure out and get to grips with. the characters are colorful, the story (for as far as i've played it) is good old silly JRPG fun and the systems for this    do you like throwing penguins? do you like it when said penguin explodes when it's thrown?
    than 10/10 get this game right now!

    But in all seriousness, this is a really elaborate tactical RPG with systems within systems for you to figure out and get to grips with.
    the characters are colorful, the story (for as far as i've played it) is good old silly JRPG fun and the systems for this game, while overwhelming at first, become second nature pretty fast.
    this game also allows you to play however you want.
    want a team of main characters? no problem.
    want to battle a dragon with a penguin? sure go ahead.
    want to make a human tower out of your teammates and slam an enemy across the face with it? yes, that's an option.
    explore this game's options, discover countless ways to play and just enjoy the silly ride you've begun
    9.2 from me    … Expand
  11. marcostoso27
    May 23, 2017
    10
    disgaea num portatil nintendo é a melhor combinação.Jogo excelente com personagens carismaticos e um gameplay complexo e rico.Espero que a nis traga seus titulos anteriores numa coletania pra que a biblioteca do switch fique completa.
  12. ganoncrotch
    Oct 1, 2017
    9
    A damn near perfect port of a PS4 game onto a portable device in the Switch, this is an even better task than getting to play the original PS2 game on the PSP years ago as this is coming from the beast console PS4 into the tiny Switch form factor.

    Absolutely great from NIS and hoping to see more love like this on Switch, perhaps we could get to see some of the older Disgaea titles    A damn near perfect port of a PS4 game onto a portable device in the Switch, this is an even better task than getting to play the original PS2 game on the PSP years ago as this is coming from the beast console PS4 into the tiny Switch form factor.

    Absolutely great from NIS and hoping to see more love like this on Switch, perhaps we could get to see some of the older Disgaea titles making their way onto the lil Nintendo machine.    … Expand
  13. Reivilo85
    Oct 12, 2019
    0
    It's been released 2 years ago and is still full price. Reallyv unforgivable
  14. TheGeekLantern
    May 30, 2017
    8
    No hace falta llevar décadas jugando videojuegos para saber que los Tactics no son el género favorito de los usuarios. Sin embargo, Disgaea llega con un tono descomplicado en el que a veces sientes que no hay límite para las horas de juego que le puedes invertir. Con una historia y personajes divertidos, así como mecánicas que parecen nuevas y clásicas a las vez, creo que es un juego alNo hace falta llevar décadas jugando videojuegos para saber que los Tactics no son el género favorito de los usuarios. Sin embargo, Disgaea llega con un tono descomplicado en el que a veces sientes que no hay límite para las horas de juego que le puedes invertir. Con una historia y personajes divertidos, así como mecánicas que parecen nuevas y clásicas a las vez, creo que es un juego al que hay que darle la oportunidad. (Si igual tienes dudas, dale una oportunidad a la demo)… Expand
  15. menace101
    Jan 5, 2020
    1
    Pointless and directionless. Seriously a lot more rpg style games on switch to consider before buying this trash.
  16. BMO
    Sep 4, 2017
    7
    Veterans of the old Disgaea series can expect the same thing with a batch of new characters (along with a bunch of old characters to boot). The gameplay hasn't changed much, but for newcomers of the series it may seem quite fresh. There's no need to worry about story, as each disgaea is more or less contained within itself (although they're all part of the same universe). Music is alright,Veterans of the old Disgaea series can expect the same thing with a batch of new characters (along with a bunch of old characters to boot). The gameplay hasn't changed much, but for newcomers of the series it may seem quite fresh. There's no need to worry about story, as each disgaea is more or less contained within itself (although they're all part of the same universe). Music is alright, however the biggest issue with the game is how blurry it is. The game definitely doesn't seem like it's outputting at 1080p which is strange as it's mostly a 2D game with simple 3D geometry. I compared it with the PS4 version that I own and the sprites and text are softer on the switch. I double checked online and it does seem lower quality. I do hope they plan to patch it some day, but the dev's have made no mention of it to my knowledge. Either way, a solid game with plenty of replayability for those with a grinding itch.… Expand
  17. VideofulJoe
    Dec 17, 2019
    7
    No hace falta llevar décadas jugando videojuegos para saber que los Tactics no son el género favorito de los usuarios. Sin embargo, Disgaea llega con un tono descomplicado en el que a veces sientes que no hay límite para las horas de juego que le puedes invertir. Con una historia y personajes divertidos, así como mecánicas que parecen nuevas y clásicas a las vez, creo que es un juego alNo hace falta llevar décadas jugando videojuegos para saber que los Tactics no son el género favorito de los usuarios. Sin embargo, Disgaea llega con un tono descomplicado en el que a veces sientes que no hay límite para las horas de juego que le puedes invertir. Con una historia y personajes divertidos, así como mecánicas que parecen nuevas y clásicas a las vez, creo que es un juego al que hay que darle la oportunidad. (Si igual tienes dudas, dale una oportunidad a la demo).

    Lo Bueno:

    - El humor del título le da mucha personalidad.
    - Un universo de posibilidades de ataques y combinaciones.

    Lo Malo:

    - El gameplay puede ser demasiado complejo para el propio bien del juego.    … Expand
  18. Nintendist
    Jun 30, 2022
    0
    the game lacks really good chracters, the gameplay is not good and very repetitive
  19. drewezbreezee
    Apr 3, 2023
    0
    What a stupid game. Grindy as hell The game itself tactically may be ok but wading through the dumb dialogue is awful. Awful. Background music is awful, story is awful, erased it off my switch immediately for fear that the mind numbingly dumbness would spread to me. No thanks. A waste of money. Glad I got it on sale. I have currently bought 3 of the 4 disgaea games on the switch thinkingWhat a stupid game. Grindy as hell The game itself tactically may be ok but wading through the dumb dialogue is awful. Awful. Background music is awful, story is awful, erased it off my switch immediately for fear that the mind numbingly dumbness would spread to me. No thanks. A waste of money. Glad I got it on sale. I have currently bought 3 of the 4 disgaea games on the switch thinking maybe I will get a good one and I haven't found one I like. Not that I don't like tactics games or roleplaying games, I just don't like THESE tactics and roleplaying games. What are you guys smoking to give this game a 8-10… Expand
  20. vahn
    Apr 10, 2018
    7
    I decided to revisit this game after nearly a year of its release because the switch game library is still utter s--t, filled with overpriced ports of year old games that deliver nothing new except for a new price tag. As much as I love this game, I think I should only be fair.

    If you own Disgaea 5 on ps4 with all dlc, don't bother: you're essentially rebuying the same exact game with    I decided to revisit this game after nearly a year of its release because the switch game library is still utter s--t, filled with overpriced ports of year old games that deliver nothing new except for a new price tag. As much as I love this game, I think I should only be fair.

    If you own Disgaea 5 on ps4 with all dlc, don't bother: you're essentially rebuying the same exact game with literally nothing new on it (they even copied the trophies from the ps4, it's THAT lazy): you should only buy it if you never played disgaea 5 before, and even then I'd recommend to wait for a discount considering the ps4 is 40 bucks (without dlcs)

    If you DON'T own disgaea 5, then add 3 more points to the score: it's probably the best (Tactical) Jrpg on the console to date - even better than Xenoblade Chronicles 2 if I may add - with hundreds upon hundreds of contents to achieve, lots of battles, many classes to unlock and pretty much anything you can think of given enough time: I only played roughly 200 hours and I didn't even scratch the surface of Carnage Dimension (the true postgame).

    But as I said, with its pricetag of 60 euros/dollars for a 3 year old game - when you can buy it cheaper by now - it's hard to fully recommend it. The only upgrade I can mention is the dlc that it includes, giving you about 40 euros worth of dlc included within the pack and that is "okay" at least...too bad that they're not really required and I barely used any of the dlc characters myself (Petta is probably one of the best because of her Overload, allowing the use of everyone's Overload a second time, but that's about it).

    A shame but considering that I still haven't got a reason to get any of the thousands of ports on the switch because of their insane price tags - and no, portability is not a reason for purchase because 3DS trumps it, or any single portable laptop in existence ever - so I think it's just fair to lower this one just like I lowered my other two reviews.

    And Hyrule Warrior's next...    … Expand
  21. Zeriel
    Jun 14, 2018
    9
    This game is amazing for the sheer amount of content, customization and strategy involved. If you like Quirky and colorful anime characters, Level up, grinding, strategy RPGs (Like FF Tactics or Fire Emblem) then this game is a must have! That being said the game is not for everyone, the story is very anime / tongue in cheek, don't expect to take it seriously but it's still entertaining.This game is amazing for the sheer amount of content, customization and strategy involved. If you like Quirky and colorful anime characters, Level up, grinding, strategy RPGs (Like FF Tactics or Fire Emblem) then this game is a must have! That being said the game is not for everyone, the story is very anime / tongue in cheek, don't expect to take it seriously but it's still entertaining. There's TONS of old school grind you can literally level up to 9999, level up your gear and literally play for 1000 hours and still not run out of stuff to do.

    Switch Performance, the game looks amazing, don't listen to people saying it looks bad. With full RGB on my 4K TV it looks so colorful that you'll need sunglasses. Still it's a bit crisper on PS4 but it's not noticeable unless they're side by side. It also loads faster on Switch, has all the DLC and it's PORTABLE. This game was MEANT for portability. This is the best version of the game hands down!    … Expand
  22. ricklongo
    Oct 17, 2017
    7
    Making its debut on Nintendo platforms, Nippon Ichi's premier franchise is beloved for its turn-based gameplay and its pretty much infinite replayability, thanks to some of the very neat ideas it has on display. It can also border on the obnoxious by just never knowing when to stop and take a breather, and the complete version of PS4 original Disgaea 5 is no different.

    The game features    Making its debut on Nintendo platforms, Nippon Ichi's premier franchise is beloved for its turn-based gameplay and its pretty much infinite replayability, thanks to some of the very neat ideas it has on display. It can also border on the obnoxious by just never knowing when to stop and take a breather, and the complete version of PS4 original Disgaea 5 is no different.

    The game features an anime storyline, and when I say that, I REALLY mean it in the most literal sense. I mean, think of the most cliché anime story you possibly can, and chances are you won't be too far off Disgaea 5's storyline. Somber, scarred main character? Check. Giddy girl who constantly makes advances towards him? Check. Big, dumb allied warrior? Check. Annoying but cute little critters? Check, check, check. Late in the game, I just stopped caring about the story and resorted to button-mashing my way through the way-too-long dialogue sequences.

    Gameplay itself fares a lot better, thankfully. Disgaea's turn-based combat is absolutely insane, with plenty of over-the-top movements and a lot of nuance for those looking for it. It can be very intimidating if you're dipping your toe in for the first time, but the game does a good job of introducing new mechanics on a steady but fair pace as you progress through the campaign.

    It should be said that the game doesn't really know when to stop, though, as the amount of side-mechanics introduced border on the insane. Only a few of them pull their weight, but those that do are a treat.

    Case in point: the 'Item World', which allows you to enter mini-universes included in every single item you can get, from equipment to healing objects. Once inside, you force your way through randomly-generated battles; the longest you remain, the more powerful the item will become.

    To give you an idea, I had an item that gave +5 to every stat of its holder; after I was done with it at Item World, it gave +120 to each stat instead. This means you can grind to your heart's content to end up with some pretty busted equipment setups (with the downside of making the campaign a veritable breeze). It also means that the game can go on as long as you want, as the plethora of items you come across offer pretty much infinite Item World replayability.

    As far as production values go, Disgaea 5 isn't really anything to write home about. The graphics are cheap, offering an isometric view which often gets in the way of battles, while the music is pretty bad. The track that plays during every single second you're in the game's main hub is especially grating with its cheesy vocals and repetitive nature. I can't imagine most people liking it, even if they're J-Pop aficionados.

    TL;DR:
    Disgaea 5 is definitely a niche game, as its extremely deep mechanics, along with the fact it isn't particularly easy on the eyes or ears, will probaby put off a lot of players. That said, if you manage to persevere through its more inane sections, you'll be left with a very competent turn-based RPG, and even with the odd genius idea (like a mode that lets you enter items to grind and increase their stat boosts). If you're on the market for a turn-based RPG that offers an uniquely unhinged take on the genre, you could do much worse.

    Rating: 7.0    … Expand
  23. MatthewRock
    Jun 19, 2017
    9
    The humour is a bit dry and the controls could have probably be a tin better, but overall it's a really great strategy game. The amount of actions you can take, classes you can choose and fun you have is really nice. It also lasts for long.
  24. MajinWamu
    Sep 11, 2017
    10
    One of the most in depth turn based game I have ever played. This game is excellent is almost every way. The story, at least for me, was interested and exciting to play through. There are plenty of characters to pick form. There are tons and tons of stages. The art style is beautiful. There are countless amounts of items, and the characters level cap is so high, I have no problem worryingOne of the most in depth turn based game I have ever played. This game is excellent is almost every way. The story, at least for me, was interested and exciting to play through. There are plenty of characters to pick form. There are tons and tons of stages. The art style is beautiful. There are countless amounts of items, and the characters level cap is so high, I have no problem worrying about maxing out. The game requires lots of time, so this is really a game that you can play in pieces, especially if you go to the item world. At first the game can be intimidating, but if you give it a chance and slowly learn what all the features do, you end up having tons of fun, but there is a large learning curve, so I imagine that may scare people off.… Expand
  25. Ferregano
    May 6, 2019
    7
    This is a great game that any hardcore SRPG fan would love. Positives include music, sheer amount of content, and absolutely gorgeous art and animations.

    The main issue I have with this game is that the strategy portion takes a backseat to grinding, stats, and making overpowered characters. The story can be breezed through with little effort and as a SRPG I wish it focused more on the    This is a great game that any hardcore SRPG fan would love. Positives include music, sheer amount of content, and absolutely gorgeous art and animations.

    The main issue I have with this game is that the strategy portion takes a backseat to grinding, stats, and making overpowered characters. The story can be breezed through with little effort and as a SRPG I wish it focused more on the strategy and less on making characters with insane stats and grinding characters to unlock skills.

    This game is pretty complex for newcomers of the SRPG genre, and I would suggest you play Fire Emblem first to see if you like this genre before jumping into this game.    … Expand
  26. WCM320
    Feb 6, 2021
    10
    One of the two best games of its kind really ever made. It's kind of the perfect answer to the simplicity of Disgaea 1.
  27. zdemigod
    Apr 24, 2018
    9
    Amazing game, completely takes the Disgaea experience and upscale it once again, after 3 the series seems in a bit of a down curve with 5 the series is back strong again! love the characters and all the systems in place, also very glad i got it for switch to play on the go.
  28. Luahanseng
    Dec 26, 2020
    7
    After 2 years and 100+hours of of playtime i finally finish it. Comparing it to its predecessors that i completed (Disgaea 3 and 4), this is my least favorite. I like this game but its not even close to 3 and 4 is better. Most of its dialogue and narrative are boring until i got to the ending i think its fairly good. The stuff that makes disgaea 3 excellent were improved but not in a goodAfter 2 years and 100+hours of of playtime i finally finish it. Comparing it to its predecessors that i completed (Disgaea 3 and 4), this is my least favorite. I like this game but its not even close to 3 and 4 is better. Most of its dialogue and narrative are boring until i got to the ending i think its fairly good. The stuff that makes disgaea 3 excellent were improved but not in a good way in my point of view. I hope they return what is addictive in 3.… Expand
  29. nightstroller
    Apr 30, 2020
    7
    I found this game based on forums recommending this, and gave it a try. I'm glad I did play it! It was a good bit of fun and I love the aspect of very high limits of character leveling, item leveling, and damage number output. But there is a bit of grind involved and the story I didn't find all that engaging. The character stacking mechanic is very cool/fun though. You can also change yourI found this game based on forums recommending this, and gave it a try. I'm glad I did play it! It was a good bit of fun and I love the aspect of very high limits of character leveling, item leveling, and damage number output. But there is a bit of grind involved and the story I didn't find all that engaging. The character stacking mechanic is very cool/fun though. You can also change your character model and their archetype, so yay!

    Disgaea 5
    Gameplay Enjoyability (0 - worst, 10 - best)

    Story - 5
    Character selection/variety - 9
    Voice acting (in Japanese) - 10
    Looting/equipment finding - 8
    Questing/variety - 4
    Combat - 9
    Side quests/activities - 5
    Music/soundtrack - 8
    Visuals - 6 (for a switch title, pixel-art based kind of game, not too bad)    … Expand
  30. Piglet
    Jan 25, 2021
    7
    I played this a lot. But mostly 'cause I got addicted to it. I'm not sure I'd call it satisfying. I often feel empty after playing it for too long. But it can be a lot of fun, and it does hold my attention well for long plane trips. It's a great Disgaea game with tons of content if you need something to help you pass the time.
  31. Cywor
    Apr 4, 2021
    9
    It was my fist game for Switch. And i'm still playing, because this game is huge. So much content to enjoy. The campaign has sooo many missions, and there is a lot more to do, thanks to optional missions, Item world, all the Netherworld stuff and Research. It's a classic Disgaea game, with all the cool tactical stuff, towering, overpowerness and garbage dialogues.
    But honestly, the Cast    It was my fist game for Switch. And i'm still playing, because this game is huge. So much content to enjoy. The campaign has sooo many missions, and there is a lot more to do, thanks to optional missions, Item world, all the Netherworld stuff and Research. It's a classic Disgaea game, with all the cool tactical stuff, towering, overpowerness and garbage dialogues.
    But honestly, the Cast is far more lovely than in most serious RPGs.

    They're Demons and you will love them, Ohohohoho.

    You won't regret buying this game. It's just on of the best sRPG Games for your Switch. No performance issues, no Frame drops. Just a lot of fun, plip.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best Switch Game of 2017
50
#50 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
17
#17 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 20, 2017
    80
    The story could’ve been more engaging but I intend to come back to D5 regularly for months. [08/2017, p.65]
  2. Switch Player
    Jun 26, 2017
    82
    Disgaea 5: Complete was like finding a hidden gem for me personally and even if you’re not normally a fan of tactical RPG’s, I highly recommend that you give it a try. Beautifully simple yet complex over time, Complete is a game worth owning.
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  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Jun 23, 2017
    80
    That's not something to double-dip for if you already own Disgaea 5 on PS4, but if you don't, get the entire base game on the go here! [Issue #28 – July/August 2017, p. 76]
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