Disgaea 5 Complete brings absurdly large numbers to PC on October 22nd
Squad goals finally within sight
I'm still unsure sure what happened to the PC version of goofy strategy-RPG Disgaea 5. Maybe an ancient curse? Maybe developers Nippon Ichi fell down a hole? Either way, it disappeared at the eleventh hour, after being initially planned to launch in May. Now (bar any further disasters) it's due out next Monday, October 22nd according to publisher NIS America on Twitter. In an odd cross-promo deal with Alienware Arena, you can pick up a Steam key for a demo here.
If you've never played a Disgaea game before, 5 is as good a place as any to start, as it's canonically a prequel, but also because the story doesn't matter one jot outside of a few goofy anime jokes. This is one of the most gleefully excessive strategy RPGs ever made, with dozens of unit classes, wildly complex interlocking systems, a huge main story and an infinity of procedurally generated dungeons beyond that. Intimidating as it sounds, you also don't have to engage with more than its most superficial elements to win, but it's fun (and encouraged) to break the game and yourself.
A fun review of the game from former RPS'er Quintin Smith, now a Cool Ghost.
The PC version of Disgaea 5 will include everything from the original console release, plus all DLC, which is mostly cameo characters from other Nippon Ichi games and a few extra battles. It's a cherry on top of an ocean of ice-cream - infinity plus one. There's every chance players can easily sink over a hundred hours into the game without touching the bonus content. I spent far too long trying to find how to best optimise for my bananas strategy of stacking my entire party into a human (demon?) totem pole then using them as a melee weapon. Disgaea rewards rule-bending.
Disgaea 5 Complete launches next week, October 22nd. It's available on Steam and Humble for £22.49/$29.99/€29.99. You can grab the demo on Alienware Arena here, although keys are limited for some baffling reason.