The Hyperdimension games have gone through a variety of installments in the past few years. Cyberdimension: 4 Goddesses Online was an action RPG parodying the world of online MMO’s. Super Neptunia RPG took the world of a side-scrolling RPG and turned it on its head. A variety of free-to-play games made their way to smartphones everywhere, and the Goddesses even got their own exclusive bullet-hell shooter. Hyerdimension finds its inspiration from Marvel’s Deadpool and anime such as Gintama in breaking the fourth wall and finding humor in the real-life gaming industry. In Neptunia Virtual Stars, the Goddesses find themselves entering a world not explored in the franchise, and that is the world of streaming and video content. Neptunia Virtual Stars is the latest installment in the Hyperdimension franchise, and while nothing’s perfect, Neptunia Virtual Stars puts on a great show to be their greatest adventure yet.
The Story So Far…
The Goddesses of GamesIndustri are at it again on their latest adventure. In another dimension, the planet, Emote, falls under attack by a vicious enemy, the Anis. Using the last of her energy, the Goddess sends out a distress signal for heroes that are not just strong and powerful, but good of heart. The distress signal makes its way to the Goddess, currently attending a massive video game convention. When trying an advanced deep-dive VR system, the Goddesses find themselves transferred to Virtualland and the planet Emote, alongside virtual VTubers Me and You. With new weapons and crazy outfits, the team sets off to save the planet Emote from certain destruction.
A Slow Start
Gameplay and combat are where things become an acquired taste for players. The earlier chapters of Neptunia Virtual Stars are rough. Every small moment of gameplay is interrupted by a visual-novel story sequence or a tutorial. For players eager to dive into the action sequences of Neptunia Virtual Stars, the earlier chapters break the pacing, stopping the player at multiple moments during the first moments of gameplay and combat. This would be mitigated if the pacing was better, or if the story sequences of Neptunia Virtual Stars were more animated, perhaps with a cutscene. However, as it is the early moments can be difficult to plow through for those hoping to jump into the game. This is further hampered by the constant tutorials Neptunia Virtual Stars constantly presents to the player, which level off by Chapter 3, but still hamper easing into the game. Granted, Neptunia Virtual Stars does feature plenty of systems that should be introduced, though, it would greatly help if these tutorials were more padded out instead of bunched together.
Controlling each character in Neptunia Virtual Stars, the first impression is fidgety and loose. Switching between characters and special abilities can be cumbersome as well. Looking and aiming can be adjusted, but deploying the V-Idol powers and switching characters requires holding the shoulder buttons, then the face buttons. Why character selection wasn’t tied to the D-Pad is baffling, but isn’t game-breaking. Initially, it can be a fumble at points, especially when the player initially begins playing the game. By Chapter 2, players should gain a handle of the controls for Neptunia Virtual Stars.
3rd Person Hack/Slash Action
Neptunia Virtual Stars is a 3rd-person action game that combines elements of a third-person shooter and a hack-n-slash. As an action game, players set off across the various arenas of Virtualand, all in an effort to defeat the malevolent forces of Antis. Players play as any of the four Goddesses of GamesIndustri: Neptune, Noire, Blanc, or Vert. Neptunia Virtual Stars has each character wielding an entirely different weapon. Neptune carries an all-purpose assault rifle, good for general fire. Noire fires a quad-barreled disc launcher that is slower-firing but more powerful. Blanc has a short-range charge shotgun for delivering mammoth power up close. Vert uses a laser sniper rifle for eliminating targets from long distances. The VTubers, Me and You, make a special appearance in each level. Me uses a sword to fight enemies up close, and You uses a bow and arrow to eliminate targets from long distances. During gameplay, the two groups can be switched at any time, though the player can only control one character at a time. Players are given a variety of tactical options with this large range of abilities and weapons. Complimenting the weapons assortment is the ability to dash. Players can dash swiftly aros the arena, and a properly timed dash allows for a parry and counterattack.
Additionally, each group has its own unique powers and abilities. Throughout each stage, players collect VTubers to rescue and utilize in combat. The VTubers provide items and special abilities, especially through the comments section. Other abilities, such as the Emotion Drive, activates the Goddess’ CPU forms, to fight stronger enemies in unison. In addition to their primary weapon, the Goddesses and VTubers can activate Idol Powers, which allows for a special blast or melee move. Though powerful, they require a cool down after every use. At the end of each level, players can buy supplies and outfits, as well as help rebuilding sections of Virtualand. All options can be spent with points earned in-game.
Anime-Inspired Boss Fights
The purpose of each level in Neptunia Virtual Stars is to fight the Antis, which come in a large range of shapes and forms, many parodying the real-life internet utilities, from “Fake gamer accounts” to “LOL Snakes.” The smaller enemies do hold up a challenge, and players will need to be swift in eliminating these foes. Combat is fast-paced and players must use quick thinking to avoid damage and deliver immense firepower to enemies. Each level contains at least one primary boss. The boss fights are where Neptunia Virtual Stars switches the action formula.
Anime-fans will find the boss fights of Neptunia Virtual Stars to be pulled right from the iconic moments of their favorite shows. Boss fights become a sort of grand finale to each chapter, with a J-pop anime track playing in the background. The boss acts in tune to the track, with high and lows. A gauge at the bottom indicates when the boss will attack and when the boss is vulnerable, all the to the emotions of the song. Boss fights are not rhythm-based and all action occurs in real-time. At certain moments, damage a boss releases gems that build up the Finish Drive! The Finish Drive sends players and the boss to a digital plane in the VirtualLand. If layers properly damage the boss and shoot the gems at the right time, they may time a massive finisher to the boss, in sync to the ending beats of the anime track that is playing.
Self-Aware Comedic 4th Wall Breaking
Neptunia Virtual Stars wears its YouTube and VTuber influences on its sleeve and greatly goes in on the parody. Making humorous and comedic references and parodies has always been a franchise staple. From bringing up the plot of Sword Art Online to Sony’s censorship policies to the mean-spirited attitudes of random internet users; Neptunia Virtual Stars is spot-on with its social commentary while combining that with sharp writing and self-awareness. Neptunia Virtual Stars is a parody of a very real set of behaviors occurring in the grand sphere of video games. It doesn’t hold any punches, holding comedic criticism of streaming and stream platforms, such as YouTube. It’s a bizarre world that is observed and a strange ecosystem, but Neptunia Virtual Stars does a great job keeping the mood light, enjoyable, yet firm enough to make a point about the state of gaming and streaming in the current day and age. The trademark breaking of the fourth-wall is present, as Neptune constantly references her role as the main protagonist of the game we are actively playing. Even the loading screens of Neptunia Virtual Stars feature actual VTubers, promoting their channels.
Not Without Downfalls
Visually, Neptunia Virtual Stars is aesthetically pleasing, giving the sensations of fighting in a virtual world and The only criticism that can be made to Neptunia Virtual Stars’ presentation is the fact that Neptunia Virtual Stars has no English dub, marking the first time in franchise history that an English Dub is not provided. This can be a dealbreaker for long-time fans that have been drawn to the incredible English dub of the franchise, but considering the fact Neptunia Virtual Stars arrives during the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict restrictions, this is a passable demerit.
Closing Thoughts
Neptunia Virtual Stars is exciting, colorful, and action-packed! Slaying a variety of enemies across digitally-realized landscapes is fun and thrilling, all to the tune of upbeat music and flashy visuals. Seeing the Goddess in action is always exciting and utilizing their unique YouTube-inspired skills is tremendous fun. At times, Neptunia Virtual Stars feels like it should be a Musou game, as the action locks players into arenas. However, the combat is still strong, with plenty of fights and a multitude of enemies to slay. Boss fights are the biggest highlight, as they truly give the sensation of being in the grand epic anime episode, and with multiple tracks to choose from Neptunia Virtual Stars lives up to its goals.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is another great spin-off of the Hyperdimension games. It’s a tremendous combination of humor, action, and commentary on the colliding worlds of video games and youtube. While it may take getting used to, and the lack of English dubs may seem disappointing, Neptunia Virtual Stars is a great experience to rock out to.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is now available on PlayStation 4, with a Steam edition launching March 29th, 2021.
A key was generously provided to Marooner’s Rock for the purpose of review by iDEA FACTORY
