Disgaea 5 Complete (Nintendo Switch) Preview

Does it actually utilise the touch screen for gameplay? It surely does? Giving these types of games a new movement option would be a big bonus, since touch makes so much sense in these games.

I didn't get round to playing this on PS4, so even though I probably won't pick this up on Switch, it might make me get around to my PS4 copy sooner. Metallia is a DLC character, which I assume will be packed in for free in the Switch version.

Hmm, the only report I can find is NLife's from the US event where they say it wasn't working...but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't be in the final version. I've sent a Tweet to NISA about it. Would be a crazy omission...

I'm so glad this was announced. Easily my favorite Disgaea, just because of how accessible post game was.

Still debating on that limited edition though...

Tempting!

I am pretty hyped for this! Not because I am interested in getting the game as I have already beaten it, but because it looks like Nintendo is finally getting the JRPG makers interested in their home consoles. If this holds up and keep delivering new releases when they arrive I might not get the next Sony system as I personally get those almost solely for the JRPGs...

Thankfully, Nippon Ichi has already said that this isn't the only game it's bringing to Switch, which might be a blessing as it looks like the Switch version isn't doing too well in Japan, going off early pre-orders. You do have to wonder what sort of sales will be deemed "good enough," though. 20-30k lifetime? In Japan, the Day One offerings are:

- Zelda,
- 1-2-Switch,
- Bomberman,
- DQHI+II,
- Disgaea,
- Nobunaga's Ambition,
- I Am Setsuna
​- Puyo Puyo Tetris
​
...and I might be forgetting something. From what I've been reading, those first four are the strongest sellers so far. It's interesting that reportedly 80% of console stock is sold out in Japan, although how that's been figured out, given we don't know the allocation for Japan, is beyond me.

( Edited 28.01.2017 15:49 by Adam Riley )

Yeah, I do not expect Disgaea 5 nor Nobunaga's Ambition to reach any huge sales numbers as everyone who are interested in those games have them already, and many JRPGs have terrible replay value as they are long and story dependent. I know I am not going to use my sparetime replaying a 100 hours game anytime soon as my backlog of games I want to play is pretty long already. So I hope they do not go by this when deciding if it is worth it or not to deliver new games on the Switch.

It'll be the same sort of situation again, with these launch games available on other platforms not really shifting many units on Switch. NIS games' home is well established on Sony platforms too, but the hope is that once the Vita eventually drops off, the Switch will be the next logical step for JP devs to bring their JRPGs to. It really would be amazing to turn the Switch into a JRPG machine, and NIS has already stated that they will likely be bringing their games to both PS4 and Switch going forward.

Even if it doesn't get great Western third party support, there is hope on the JP side. I think the fact devs have the opportunity to make their games portable is a big enough temptation, personally, so it's a shame more Western devs haven't jumped on and are declining to bring their games to it. Portable Mass Effect would be ruddy awesome.

The problem is that portable gaming does not exactly have the same status in the west as in Japan. I have sincerely seen people arguing that the fact that the Switch can be used portably makes it a worse console and that the games for it HAS to be cheaper to buy because of that... That alone says a lot about how portable gaming is viewed here in the west, and that mentality will affect the decisions of western AAA developers...

The Switch has all the potential in the world to turn into that JRPG machine though as that is a genre that benefits heavily from being portable and does not have to pay too high of a price for it. The problem is that most who want to play JRPGs already own the PS4 and/or PSV. The Vita is not that much of a problem as it is likely singing on its last refrain atm, but the PS4 might be a hard nut to crack. The advantage is that some people into JRPGs are not that heavily into western AAA titles that losing those would be a dealbreaker when buying a system, the disadvantage is the already HUGE instalbase of the PS4 and the fact that those who are also interested in western AAA titles are not going to switch to the Switch.

Nintendo really have to push that market as I think they can make a great profit long term if they can gain the long term loyalty of that market, and with that crushing Sony in Japan. Sony's biggest asset atm is that they sell great both in Japan and the west.

I agree on a number of things there.

Definitely true that the JRPG fan base is basically at home on the PS4/Vita, but what Nintendo should be hoping to try and do is not try to become the number one JRPG machine, but coexist with Sony's systems as another place to play JRPGs.

Become what Xbox is in the West, and let consumers take their pick between which JRPG machine they want based only then on which exclusives they each have.

PS4/Vita = Sony exclusives and JRPGs
Switch = Nintendo exclusives and JRPGs

If Switch can get that JP dev support to be near the same level as what Sony is getting, people only then need to pick which one they want based on which exclusives they both have. But this is assuming Nintendo works to get that support. Releasing a console in the middle of a gen is always making things difficult for themselves, so it is understandable that they simply will always lag behind on support.