Video Game Review: Disgaea 4 Complete +

Disgaea 4 Complete +

NIS America

Strategy RPG

Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4

I’m admittedly pretty late to the Disgaea party – it’s a series I’ve been aware of for years now but the chibi art style never appealed to me much before so it’s only this year I actually finally played one of the games. Just a few months back I finally picked up Disgaea 1 Complete for the Nintendo Switch after my flatmate started playing the newly released 5th installment in the series and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the game has a chibi art style which makes it look initially rather childish, but it suits the dry comedy of the series well. In Disgaea, you typically play as a demonic overlord taking part in strategic battles and there’s a lot of wit and humour throughout – it’s a series that doesn’t take itself seriously and is incredibly self-aware. Pop culture references are scattered everywhere and despite the light-hearted tone, it doesn’t skimp on the difficulty level either.

Disgaea 4 Complete + is not a complete remake – the original was only released back in 2011, but this version collects all the DLC content and marks its re-release on the new-gen consoles. There are also a few new additions which players who have played Disgaea 5 may recognize which improve the playability of the game and some network features.  Visually, there has been an increase in the resolution from its original incarnation as well which allows for it to blend well with the newer console hardware. The game follows Count Valvatorez (Val for short), a vampire former tyrant who due to a promise he made has spent his time recently… training Prinnies in the Underworld. For those unfamiliar with the series, Prinnies are cute penguin creatures who harbour the souls of evil humans and work for the Underworld to redeem their sins.

Let’s start with the cast then – Val and Fenrich are the main leads in the series and their interactions are really what drives the story. Val, despite his former role as a ‘tyrant’ is actually rather placid and content with his demoted role as Instructor of the Prinnies. The driving force for most plot points then falls to his valet, werewolf Fenrich who clearly has enough ambition for both of them – he frequently makes the decisions which instigate the rebellion though stating this is “All for my Lord”. It’s an interesting dynamic and Val despite his reputation comes across as rather naive instead, expertly managed by the servant who wants him to rise through the ranks. Fenrich instead comes across as the more demonic of the two, with his manipulative actions and frequently callous attitude, in stark contrast to Val’s more passive disposition. Other characters fall more into the realms of comedy, but given the length of the game there is plenty of time for even these one-note characters to develop eventually.

The strong point of all Disgaea games however and the one which makes it differ completely from other tactical RPGs such as the Fire Emblem series, is how versatile you can make your battle party. Aside from a few set story-specific characters like Val, Fenrich, and Fuka, you can create party members any time and as many as you want. Throughout the game as you encounter more classes and monsters you gain the ability to create those as well, essentially ‘recruiting’  creatures and people to your cause as you go. The character creation is very satisfying and keeps you wanting to explore more to see what other allies you can create.

Some elements of the game have improved over time – the Campaign world is much more diverse and realized since Disgaea 1 and the Item World (a training ground for both your team and your items) is vital to progression. Geo-blocks add extra layers of complexity to battles, which can be alternately fun and frustrating depending on the map layouts. The game isn’t forgiving but it rewards players for investing time in creating and upgrading new character classes and in submitting bills to a demonic Senate to enhance game-play. Disgaea 4 also has a very catchy soundtrack the voice cast (both Japanese and English) do a great job in capturing the vibes of the cast. Even the support units you create have voices and can be chosen from a few variants so as to allow for some personality even in those characters who have no role within the game’s story. It’s a nice touch and adds extra depth to what could just be a nameless voiceless arm that you recruit to aid Val and Fenrich in their quest to take over the Underworld.

Ultimately Disgaea 4 Complete + add some welcome improvements to the original and otherwise keeps the fun and wacky flavor of the franchise intact. Easily over 40 hours or so of gameplay is included here (and even more if you’re determined to unlock all the classes and explore the Item world fully). If you’re a fan of tactical gameplay, or even if you just want something with a light story that will still keep you invested, then this is certainly going to be a game at the top of the list to play!

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