Destructoid 8/10
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance may not have the best story or cast in the series, but it gets the job done, and brings a ton of advancements with it in the process. I'll probably be playing this one for years to come, and I sincerely hope NIS is able to continue this series. It's still one of the best SRPG franchises in the business.
PSNStores 4.5/5
Disgaea 5 is the best game in the series to date. I might prefer the story/characters in other games sure, but the game mechanics have never been more refined and fun to break.
RPGSite 9/10
Not only will fans of Disgaea discover something here that they can sink hundreds of hours into, but newcomers will find plenty to love about the story. There is also the charming cast of characters, the excellent writing, and that beautiful soundtrack. Not since Final Fantasy Tactics have I had this much enjoyment from a strategy RPG.
PushSquare 8/10
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is arguably the most complete package in the series. Despite an unnecessarily long campaign that's home to some surprising difficulty spikes, it's still an excellent strategy venture that will give you plenty of bang for your buck.
GodIsAGeek 7.5/10
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance doesn’t do an awful lot to differentiate itself from previous titles, but some would say it doesn’t have to. Irritating difficulty spikes, a reliance on grinding and a hit and miss narrative are pretty much par for the course, though this iteration’s storyline doesn’t feel as coherent or impactful as some that have come before. Still, it’s an absolute must for fans and a surprisingly good entry point for newcomers.
NicheGamer 8.5/10
So, should you buy Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance? Well, if you’re already a fan of the series, I’m sure you knew you were going to purchase this the moment it was announced. However, if you’re just getting into strategy RPGs, I’d still recommend Disgaea 1 over this title. While the gameplay and visuals might have been vastly improved since 2003, there’s a reason characters from the first game keep finding their way into other iterations—it’s simply as good as it gets.
High-Def Digest 4.5/5
'Disgaea 5' is one of the best strategy RPGs I've played in years. The gameplay is fun and addicting, and the rest of the package offers more than enough incentive for me to play until the ending and beyond. Not only will series fans find another enjoyable entry, but it's easier than ever for new players to get into 'Disgaea,' with the Cheat Shop making grinding quite easy and most of the extra stuff not being forced upon them. Despite my doubts, 'Disgaea 5' sees the series come to the PS4 with all due grandeur. New player or series veteran, this is a fantastic SRPG that should not be passed up.
Cubed3 8/10
This is, ultimately, exactly the game fans have waited for, but nothing more. It has all the core components needed to deliver a fine Disgaea experience. However, the story is, thanks to too much comical relief, easily forgettable. While comedy is an important factor in Saturday morning shonen-inspired works, it should never overshadow and/or trivialise the hardships or growth of its characters. Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance delivers what is promised through the brand name, but that is perfectly enough to deliver a fine game!
DarkZero 8/10
In the end, Disgaea 5 may not have evolved much from its glory days, but the latest entry proves that the tried-and-true mechanics still hold up, even if the aesthetics and characters remain somewhat antiquated. There is no other RPG that features this many options, which will undoubtedly win over the hardcore RPG crowd with far too much time on their hands.
Hardcore Gamer - 4/5 (Video Review)
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance implements some of the smartest choices the series has seen since its debut in 2003, making this not only the best Disgaea game to date, but one of the best Strategy-RPGs available.
Attack of the Fanboy 4/5
There’s always something new to do in Disgaea 5: a new strategy to adopt, new characters to recruit, new worlds to find, rare items to collect, and an army to grow. You’ll die, even struggle in some instances, but setbacks can always be overcome in a variety of ways. It has its problems, but Disgaea 5 is a fun adventure, one I’m glad I played.
ZTGD 8/10
Disgaea 5 could have easily been one of the best games in the series if it wasn’t for the missteps in the post-game content, but even with those faults, the solid SRPG foundation along with a few exciting new tweaks/additions makes it a worthwhile experience all the same
CGMagazine 7/10
At its best, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is charming. At its worst, it’s very tedious. Unfortunately, its lack of flow and terrible voice acting really hurt any momentum the game picks up from the fun and rewarding parts of the game. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll probably enjoy this because it’s just like any other Disgaea title. If you’re new to the franchise, you can probably find something better to spend your money on.
APG Nation 8.5/10
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance continues the Nippon Ichi tradition of delivering outstanding strategy roleplaying games to the West. There is a great mixture of humor and strong mechanics here that will give long-time fans of the series reason to revisit the Netherworld while newcomers will have a whole heap of content to dive into and explore.The new mechanics add a much-needed jolt of excitement to combat yet the tried-and-true components of battle never fail to amuse. It does feel like seeing an old friend again really but what a great time you’ll have. This is a must buy for strategy RPG fans.
PS Nation 9/10
Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but Disgaea 5 is a piping hot recommendation to any players who enjoy strategy RPGs. Whether they like digging into the minutia of all of the things the game has to offer or not, this is a solid experience. So get out there and start blowing up prinnies, dood.
Gamespot 8/10
The game and its numerous systems are a complete time sink that allows you to spend dozens of hours building your perfect character, and then tempt you to do it again a few more dozen times. Disgaea 5 is the biggest and most satisfying installment in the series to date, and It could easily be the last one you ever need to buy.
Game Informer 8.5/10
Disgaea 5 serves up a hearty helping of enjoyable tactical RPG combat, and lives up to the expectations established by its forerunners in the series. Games like this always face the danger of repetition as you plod through level after level, but Disgaea 5 manages keeps things interesting despite the grind.
US Gamer 4/5
This is Disgaea, warts and all. Disgaea 5 is the kind of game that will match the effort you're willing to put into it. If you've loved Disgaea before, hey... this is the biggest Disgaea yet. (Honestly, Disgaea 5 is one of those games that really doesn't benefit from a review because if you're going to buy it, you already know that.) From a gameplay standpoint, I enjoy it the most, even if there are some system cuts I could make here and there. From a story standpoint, Disgaea 4 still takes the crown for me, but this is solidly "good enough" and the cast will still make you laugh. This system with a cast as good as Disgaea 4 would be nearly perfect, but as it stands, Disgaea 5 is merely great. If your tactical thirst is real - and really, there's not much out there for you - Disgaea 5 is definitely worth a purchase.
Gaming Union 8/10
There were some minor stumbles in the process, but the series’ PS4 premier is easily one of the most complete and jam-packed entries thus far. Excluding any of the future DLC, what’s in the base game will easily last strategy RPG fans dozens and dozens of hours. The Disgaea series is back with a vengeance.
We Got This Covered 4.5/5
NIS America has delivered an incredible sequel to a series that already set a high bar in the past. Not only does it manage to add more depth, but it also makes the game much more accessible to new players. Whether this is your first Disgaea game or your fifth, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is an amazing RPG that needs to be played.