REVIEW

Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance Review

by Luke Walsh, October 9th, 2015

The Disgaea series has never focused on changing its formula but rather improving upon what it has been doing for years, adding a few new parts to the mix to keep things fresh. Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance does not take any risks but it does offer some fresh new additions which breathe life into the franchise.

Disgaea 5 is, for better or worse, the same old grind fest that the series is known for. You can customise your party and gear in a number of ways but all require an investment in time. The more time you pour into Disgaea the more you can get out of it. Even after levelling up my party, I was still finding new ways to build out my team by reincarnating some of them into new classes, grinding up some new gear in the item worlds and setting out on another adventure. This replayability and depth has always been one of the best parts about a Disgaea game.

More additions have been added with some new monster types and character classes. The first new class you are introduced too is the Maid class, whose special passive allows them to attack and use an item. Disgaea veterans will know that it’s always been one or the other and it was always a tough choice, with items feeling like a wasted turn. Later down the line the Maid can be upgraded to increase the range and effectiveness of items, making her a key member to any parties.

Adding extra layers to existing core mechanics is what Disgaea 5 has set out to achieve. Some of these include a map editor which allows you to create and share with other players, assigning sub-classes to your characters and a Squad system which groups characters together for specific bonuses and abilities. One such squad is the capture squad which allows anyone in it to capture enemies in battles to bring back and interrogate. Another squad, Interrogation, improves your chances in the interrogation room and another does more damage to giant monsters. All these new systems add more depth to an already expansive game and gives you more choices on how you build out different characters and parties for combat.

Speaking of the Interrogation room, it is one of the new features which falls short of making an impact to the game. You can bring enemies back to your camp and bend them over to your side by choosing one of four options which changes based on the leader of the Interrogation Squad. The problem lies in the amount of integration you have to do to turn them and the amount it takes to capture the high level enemies. Another system is Quests, which gives you certain goals to achieve that unlock new classes and rarer items. Its issue lies in being able to check your quests, in battle some enemies are highlighted with a quest above their head but detailed information requires you to head back to the hub and speak to the NPC. This makes useful items and additional classes become a chore compared to an exciting mini adventure. These new systems feel as if they have been tacked on, rather than a thought out process in the design.

Revenge is sweet.

The Magichange system has been returned to its former self which is a shame as Disgaea D2’s monster mount system added a nice layer to the relationship of human and monster character. Going back to the older system makes monsters a tool to throw away after a few turns, which is a step backwards. During combat as you get attacked or an ally falls, a revenge meter builds. When it fills your character enters Revenge mode which boosts stats and allows each Overlord to use a Demon Arts which produces a more devastating attack. This system is a nice addition to the combat, it allows you to turn the tide of a battle by using your revenge as a trump card.

Graphically, Disgaea 5 on the PlayStation 4 is the sharpest and cleanest looking entry yet. It does not make the most of the PlayStation’s hardware but everything looks much better than it ever has, including animations and effects. The increased hardware has also improved the quality of audio, making battle music and background music sound crisper and cleaner.

Most franchises could not get away with producing a similar game over and over without backlash. Disgaea 5 on the other hand focuses on its depth within each iteration, meaning you have to work to understand each character stats, equipment attributes and class abilities more than other RPGs. This allows fans of the series to get more refined game they love, but new players might find it hard to stomach. With the improved look, new and tweaked gameplay and fun and over the top characters and story Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is one of the better additions to the franchise, let down by a few new systems.

Crisper visuals, improved gameplay mechanics and more to delve into Disgaea 5 won’t disappoint its fans. New players to the franchise thought, may find it hard to get into.