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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.

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

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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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