Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is the latest entry in NIS America's long-running tactical role-playing series, bringing the wacky demonic antics fans have come to expect. This time around you play as Fuji, a demon hired by the naive rich girl Pirilika to protect her on a misguided quest to pursue bushido in the demonic realm of Hinomoto. Like previous titles, the story serves as a vehicle for tons of strategic turn-based combat centered around positioning your units on a grid to maximize damage. Fans will feel right at home with the signature blend of anime tropes and absurdist humor.

At its core, Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless delivers the excellent tactical gameplay the series is known for. Missions take place on isometric grids where you position your units to attack enemies. The system has tons of depth, with concepts like throwing allies across the map for strategic positioning, team attacks with adjacent units, and lifting and throwing enemies to rearrange their placement. Geo Panels that give status buffs when stood on return from previous games, adding another layer of strategy.

Creative Combat Upgrades

New features like Jumbification, which lets you combine two units into a giant version, and Item Reincarnation to power up equipped gear, offer even more ways to customize your playstyle compared to Valkyria Chronicles. The ability to unlock auto-battle after beating stages is also a great addition for grinding. And while you can play through the story solo, additional modes like online battles against other players’ teams provide plenty of replayability. The combat strikes the perfect balance of approachable yet extremely deep. This combat gameplay feels very similar to other grid-based tactical RPGs like Valkyria Chronicles 4, but with Disgaea's own unique flair and customization options.

Wacky Characters and Humor

Of course, the gameplay wouldn’t be as compelling without Disgaea’s signature bizarre characters and absurdist humor. Vows of the Virtueless introduces plenty of new demons, but fan-favorites from past games also join the party. The writing goes all-in on trope-filled anime nonsense, with characters constantly breaking the fourth wall to comment on game mechanics. The story moves between hilariously dry insights and borderline nonsensical jokes. This type of humor isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy Disgaea’s brand of lunacy you’ll feel right at home.

Visually, Disgaea 7 retains the franchise's charming anime-inspired sprite art. The UI is slick and menus are intuitive. Little touches like how graphical flourishes appear during combos and team attacks make the solid combat animations even more satisfying. The soundtrack fits the wacky tone with driving guitar riffs for normal battles and upbeat, almost dissonant jazz for story scenes. The presentation complements the gameplay well for an enjoyable SRPG experience.

Review: 8/10

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless takes what worked well in previous installments and meaningfully builds on it with new gameplay options and over-the-top humor. Fans of hardcore tactical gameplay and absurdist anime tropes will find plenty to love.

Pros:

• Addictive grid-based tactical combat with tons of depth
• Fun new mechanics like Jumbification and auto-battles
• Signature offbeat anime humor and lovable characters
• Stylish sprite art and music fit the wacky tone

Cons:

• Story relies heavily on referential humor that newcomers may not understand
• Can be a bit grindy between story missions