Disgaea 7
- October 3, 2023
- Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
- 67h median play time
Not only is this a great Disgaea game, but it is also the best introduction to the franchise or even the genre.
"Disgaea 7" is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with an interesting plot, exceptional game mechanics, pretty visuals, and a good soundtrack. The game takes place in the demonic realm of Hinomoto, where you'll protect the bushido fan-girl Pirilika and uncover the secrets of your contract. With new features like Jumbification, Hell Mode, and Item Reincarnation, plus over 40 character classes to choose from, this SRPG adventure promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Reviews
- Disgaea 7 is a significant improvement over Disgaea 6, bringing back beloved mechanics and characters while introducing new features like Jumbification and improved auto-battle.
- The game features a charming story with engaging characters, and the humor is reminiscent of earlier entries in the series, making it enjoyable for both new and returning players.
- The graphics and animations have improved, making the transition to 3D models feel more polished and visually appealing compared to previous titles.
- The pricing for the game and its DLC is considered excessive, with many players feeling that the cost does not reflect the value of the content provided.
- Some players have experienced technical issues, such as crashes when switching to fullscreen mode, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The story and character development may feel lacking compared to earlier entries, with some characters being perceived as one-dimensional or overly reliant on tropes.
- story195 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of Disgaea 7 has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its humor and character dynamics, while others criticize it for being shallow and predictable compared to earlier entries in the series. Many noted that while the narrative is entertaining and retains the franchise's signature zany style, it lacks the depth and engagement of previous titles like Disgaea 1 and 4. Overall, the game is seen as a step up from Disgaea 6, but still falls short of the storytelling quality that long-time fans expect.
“The story is the fun ridiculous anime that one expects from the series, and the gameplay is rock solid.”
“The story is interesting enough, and certainly better than the boring story that 5 and 6 had, but it's still nowhere near as good as Disgaea 1.”
“The story is also as zany as ever, even with the samurai/Japan theme, which I don't care for in a game like this.”
“And honestly the story and characters were always babby's-first-anime tier, which was fine twenty years ago, but now I cringe every time I forget to skip the story between battles.”
“Finishing this game story made me realize that the writers ran out of ideas or just don't care anymore, and that the devs don't care about improving the series gameplay since it barely any different than 5.”
“The story is a copy-paste from the stories of the past games but it doesn't have the character development that previous games had, every villain becomes a good person and the party of the protagonist are all good and never changed.”
- gameplay119 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Disgaea 7 has been described as a solid evolution of the series, incorporating new mechanics like jumbification and item reincarnation while maintaining the core tactical RPG elements familiar to fans. While many players appreciate the improvements and the engaging gameplay loop, some criticize the lack of depth in strategic options, feeling that battles often boil down to overpowering enemies rather than employing tactical finesse. Overall, the game is seen as a better iteration than its predecessor, Disgaea 6, with a mix of enjoyable mechanics and some lingering issues that could benefit from further refinement.
“It's a really well put-together tactical RPG, and like with previous iterations, they've made significant improvements in the gameplay and features.”
“With fun and fresh new mechanics and gameplay throughout, new and returning players will seriously enjoy this Disgaea.”
“Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless might just be the best game in the series, with engaging tactics gameplay and a whole lot of charm.”
“The problem for me is that there is little to zero focus on strategic or tactical gameplay; the entire formula of the game comes down to inflating your numbers so that you can one-shot the enemies on the map, or else they one-shot you.”
“There is little 'tactical' gameplay, just mashing your numbers up against the enemy numbers.”
“Finishing this game's story made me realize that the writers ran out of ideas or just don't care anymore, and that the devs don't care about improving the series' gameplay since it is barely any different than 5.”
- graphics43 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the improved visuals and smoother animations compared to previous entries, particularly Disgaea 6. However, some fans feel that the transition to 3D has resulted in a loss of charm and expressiveness, with the chibi art style being a point of contention. Overall, while the graphics are considered a step up from the last installment, they still fall short of the high standards set by earlier 2D titles in the series.
“The graphics are clean and crisp, and the attacks are over the top as usual.”
“Loving the game and the new 3D graphics.”
“The graphical overhaul looks great, animations are funny and pure eye candy!”
“The graphics are still a huge downgrade from 5 (it will clearly still take some time before NIS learns how to make 3D as expressive and detailed as their godly 2D), but they are a big step up from 6.”
“Unfortunately, the animations and overall graphics aren't charming at all.”
“It's an obvious step down graphically.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is highly praised by fans, offering satisfying progression through massive stat increases and damage numbers, with improved quality of life features that make the process more enjoyable. While the endgame grinding can be tedious and RNG-heavy, the game provides various tools and community support to optimize the experience. Overall, it's recommended for players who enjoy deep character customization and the thrill of building powerful teams through extensive grinding.
“Particularly the final endgame grind for good items, as well as equipping and stat maxing an entire team is incredibly RNG heavy and mind-numbingly tedious.”
“You can spend tons of time grinding out perfect weapons and traps, but you can just get millions of base stats way faster not doing any of that.”
“The item reincarnation is a good addition but could use some improvement; the process to get the properties you want is a bit too grindy for the standard nowadays.”
- music31 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise the soundtrack as fantastic and a highlight of the experience, others find it basic and forgettable, with only a few tracks standing out. Many appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of older titles, but some express disappointment over the limited variety and repetitiveness of the music throughout gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant aspect, with some calling it the best in the series, despite criticisms regarding its length and reuse.
“The music in this game is absolutely incredible; they really did a fantastic job with it.”
“The soundtrack, story, and voice acting were far better than what Disgaea 6 displayed.”
“The OST is a banger.”
“The music is also an important point for me in games, and somehow I can't really say anything about the music in this game. It's not that it's bad; it's just so basic that the only track that stuck with me is the Nether Shrine theme. The others are so forgettable, which is sad if I look back at the older games that had some really good music in them.”
“Only thing I didn't like is that the music has been kind of a downgrade.”
“The OST is a banger, but sadly short. Most of the new music is really good, but it's so reused during the game that it starts to be annoying. I am not sure of the OST count on other titles, but this game felt really repetitive in that aspect.”
- humor27 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its blend of light-heartedness and engaging storytelling, featuring quirky characters and clever banter that often elicits genuine laughter. While some reviewers note a slight decline in the wackiness compared to earlier titles, the overall comedic elements, including memorable gags and fourth-wall breaks, remain a strong highlight. Fans of the series will find the humor both nostalgic and entertaining, making it a great entry point for newcomers.
“If you haven't played a Disgaea game, they are pretty funny and have at least a laugh-out-loud moment every chapter.”
“The story line is excellent and will keep you laughing throughout, along with some serious moments thrown in.”
“Not even 4 hours in and the game made me laugh so hard several times; definitely an easy recommend and a great place to start if you're new to the series.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed feedback. While many players note significant improvements in performance and visuals compared to previous entries, some still experience stuttering issues that detract from immersion. On platforms like the Steam Deck and Switch, performance is generally stable, but certain gameplay elements, such as the Item World, have been criticized for feeling less optimized.
“Way better than 6, good systems, greatly improved performance/visuals, the post-game/real-game feels a bit more accessible.”
“No performance issues to speak of (even on Switch if anyone is curious), characters are great, and this probably has the most player-friendly postgame of all the entries.”
“I feel like it went very fast to reach peak performance.”
“The game stuttering takes me out of the immersion of the game. I love Disgaea and will probably finish D7 even through the performance issues because I want to play Disgaea.”
“I've tried adjusting the settings to reduce the stuttering, but as of right now, this is my review: the game stutters.”
“Item world feels like a downgrade. While it's nice that you can get higher tier items way faster, the end goal will be way slower than any title (outside of D6, but that game assumed you were using DI anyway). I think in order to mitigate this, items overall are useless for all the game content. Perhaps if you are aiming for ranked, that optimization will make a difference.”
- stability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game generally runs well on PC and Steam Deck, with users appreciating the seamless save transfer feature. However, several players have reported occasional crashes and freezing issues, particularly when casting spells, which can last from 5 to 20 seconds, indicating some stability concerns.
“It is totally worth buying and runs great on Steam Deck.”
“Runs great on PC and Steam Deck, and being able to seamlessly transfer your save between the two with cloud saves is great.”
“At any rate, if you're a new or returning player - this game is terrific, but it does have a few crashes and glitches that can be troublesome.”
“Game sometimes freezes for 5-20 seconds when someone casts a spell (Intel + Nvidia hardware).”
“My problem is the game freezes up when I cast spells.”
- character development7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the character designs and the nostalgic elements reminiscent of earlier titles, while others criticize the writing and lack of depth compared to previous installments. Many players feel that the characters lack meaningful growth, as villains quickly become good and the protagonist's party remains static throughout the story. Overall, while there are new ways to focus on character development, the execution feels rushed and less impactful than in earlier games.
“Character designs are great, and all the characters have significant development.”
“It adds more content while providing many new ways to focus on character development that aren't quite so random.”
“It is an absolute throwback to the first game in the series in terms of humor and character design, which brings back memories of the hundreds of hours I spent in Hour of Darkness as a kid.”
“This game, in a vacuum, is a very solid TRPG, but having skipped Disgaea 6, I've been baffled by the subpar quality of the writing and character design during the story. I have been pretty disappointed with the game mechanics as well, and for once, I also felt that the balance was whacky. Even Carnage Dimension doesn't pose any threat once you get your baseline early postgame grind done.”
“I was expecting way more depth gameplay-wise and a much more tasteful character design and writing; instead, everything felt bare-bones and rushed.”
“The story is a copy-paste from the stories of past games, but it doesn't have the character development that previous games had. Every villain becomes a good person, and the party of the protagonist are all good and never change.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of heartfelt moments and humor, with unique characters that evoke genuine feelings, though it falls short of the depth found in earlier titles like Disgaea 1. While some players appreciate the wackiness and emotional beats, others express disappointment over the narrative's decline and technical issues, leading to a sense of heartbreak regarding their investment in the game.
“The story is completely different from the more serious likes of FFT and even Fire Emblem, but just as heartfelt in its own ways, as wacky as the setting is.”
“More unique characters with touching moments and great humor.”
“The plot is the usual fare of anime nonsense and continues to stray ever further from the genuinely touching tale of Disgaea 1.”
“The story is interesting enough, and certainly better than the boring story that Disgaea 5 and 6 had, but it's still nowhere near as good as Disgaea 1.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling misled by the advertising regarding the number of classes available. Overall, the monetization strategy is deemed excessively exploitative.
“Definitely a major cash grab.”
“The monetization is absolutely horrible.”
“They didn't really add as many classes in the advertising as they claimed.”
Critic Reviews
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless review
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless might just be the best game in the series, with engaging tactics gameplay and a whole lot of charm.
85%Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Review
Not only is this a great Disgaea game, but it is also the best introduction to the franchise or even the genre.
90%Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Review
83%