The Disgaea series is one of Nippon Ichi Software's most popular franchises, having spun off into multiple manga, light novels, and anime, with the games earning critical acclaim for their story telling and intricate strategy gameplay. With the last entry, Disgaea 6, released on most major consoles in 2021 and 2022, Nippon Ichi Software is developing the next game in the series, Disgaea 7.
The Disgaea games are set in an over-the-top and anime-esque version of the Netherworld, where players typically take on the role of a demon to lead their conquest. There is also incredibly silly and humorous dialogue, with complex and incredibly high stats that players can reach and other unconventional elements that fans have praised the series for. Unlike the setting of previous entries, Disgaea 7's Netherworld is inspired by Japanese culture, as seen in the very first trailer.
This reveal trailer shows the duo of protagonists the player will be in control of, a wandering samurai named Fuji alongside an otaku girl known as Piririka, making this a mix of traditional and modern Japanese culture. From there, they will fight through this Netherworld to restore the code of Bushido, which has been lost to time. They will encounter several demons with anachronistic designs, only adding to the over-the-top nature and silliness of the game.
Several new features are also highlighted for Disgaea 7, such as its "Dodeka MAX" system, where player and enemy characters will grow huge and can wreak havoc on the map or open giant treasure chests, a likely parody of Pokemon's Dynamax mechanic. There's also a reincarnation mechanic where players can turn their weapons into stronger variations, with some weirder ones being an edible sword that heals a player when it is eaten. This reincarnation also applies to player characters, where their army can reincarnate to a different class to learn several new skills. This development system allows for a variety of character builds, boasting 45 generic characters to shape in a player's army.
The other new mechanic for Disgaea 7 is the introduction of Auto Battles and Ranked Player battles. The auto battle mechanic can help players grind to level up their characters and clear through stages they've already completed. Ranked Battles is a PvP mode where players can take on computer controlled versions of other players and their armies, where the AI's difficulty level can also be modified.
Disgaea 7 will launch in Japan on PS4, PS5, and Switch on January 26, 2023.
Source: Gematsu
