In Asia Tokyo Clanpool will set you back HKD 318 with a 10% launch discount available for a limited time. The GOG release will cost US$39.99/€39.99 for the digital standard edition and US$49.99/€49.99 for the digital deluxe edition, which includes the game, digital artbook, original soundtrack and 7 wallpapers. This release will also have a 10% discount available for 2 weeks following launch.

Those that want to go physical for the Nintendo Switch can do so at PlayAsia. Just note only 3000 Limited Editions will be produced. These include the game, manual, soundtrack CD, art book, sticker sheet, poster and numbered certificate in a collector’s box for US$59.99 plus shipping, A standard physical edition is also available.

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Being a fan of the Neptunia franchise, I was pretty excited to finally get around to Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution. I had some health problems earlier in the year, so I missed out on the previous releases, so I was more than happy to take a look at this on Xbox Series S. Let’s see if I created fantastic video games with the girls, or if the entire game is just one big bomb.

The story here follows Big Neptune as she has once again wandered into a new dimension. This time games rule everything and the makers keep the world in balance. She soon finds herself as the CEO of a defunct game studio run by some failed Goddesses. Can she help restore this studio to its former glory and help these Goddesses on their road to redemption?

Overall, I really had a blast with the story this time around. The new characters Jagaa, Pippih and Reedio were all great additions to the fantastic Neptunia cast. In case you can’t tell from their names, these girls are based on failed consoles in Japan. Jagaa is the Jaguar, Reedio is the 3DO, and Pippih is the Apple Pippin. They bring this front and center throughout the story as Jagaa says “Do The Math” constantly, which was an old ad for Jaguar even here in the states. The girls interact with each other very well and Big Nep adds a great dynamic to this foursome. Which is good since we see a lot more from them than our beloved Consoles Goddesses and their Sisters. Though that is kind of a shame since I think those girls playing off each other is always the best.

Graphically, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution looks pretty good. All of the character models are nicely done and stages have plenty of details, as well. Though, you will notice a lot of these have been reused from the Sisters VS. Sisters game that released a while back. Personally, I don’t have an issue with this, but some folks that don’t like reused assets may take issue with it. The game ran great on the Series S with no frame drops on my 4K TV.

Now, let’s dig into the gameplay. The first thing you will want to do as the new president of this company is make some games. This is where disc development comes into play. You will choose some developers based on their skills in the genre you’re trying to make and create game discs. The more skilled these creators are and the more upgrades you’ve unlocked, the better the game is you create. These will be packed with skills that can be used in combat if equipped on the girls just like in previous games, so it pays to make a few good ones as soon as you can.

Next, you will want to explore dungeons in each area to establish trade routes to increase your shares. This is pretty simple, just explore each one to the fullest, and I would suggest clearing out all the treasures while you’re in there as well. Once fully explored, you unlock time trials for Big Nep on her bike or races against one of the enemies in the stage. Winning these will grant you some rewards that help you develop better discs.

Combat is a lot like what was found in Neptunia: Sisters VS. Sisters. Players can equip moves to either the X or A buttons and thrash your enemies to pieces. There are a bunch of different moves to choose from and you will unlock these as you level up. You can tag in other party members after so many moves to continue the combo by pressing one of the four directions on the D-Pad. Doing this will get you a lot of bonus damage and help you defeat even the toughest foes, but if you ever need more, each girl has a big EXE Drive they can use when the Link Gauge is full and can also transform into their Goddess mode for even more damage during attacks.

Overall, I had a great time with Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution. The story was great, I love the new characters, and even if the combat hasn’t changed from the last game, it’s still a lot of fun. I spent about 30 hours with this one and completed the main story. You could invest a lot more time in this if you wanted to do both of the towers and all of the fights in the battle arena, so I feel like it is well worth the $49.99 price tag. I do think it’s a bummer the swimsuits are once again locked to the Special Edition release at $69.99, they should allow you to purchase these separately and I hope they do at some point. Still, Neptunia fans will find a lot to love here, and this is also a good jumping in point for new fans on the Xbox as well.

Review Score
Overall

Game was provided by the publisher for review.

The post REVIEW: Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution appeared first on oprainfall.

The Magazine Edition ($69.99) includes:

• Physical game
• Nepbike Magazine Art Book (64 pages)
• Poster set (5 fold-out posters)
• Nepbike Sticker Set (28 stickers)
• Official Soundtrack (10 tracks)
• Download code for the Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Costume Set* (1x costume per set for Uzume Neptune, Noire, Blanc, Vert, 15x total)
  * Swimsuit Costume
  * Apocalyptic Costume
  * Race Queen Costume
• Reversible Cover Sleeve
• Exclusive Trading Card

Fans can also grab the Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Deluxe Edition for PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch upon launch.

The Deluxe Edition ($49.99) includes:

• Digital game
• Digital Art Book (35 pages)
• Soundtrack (10 tracks)
• Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Costume Set* (1x costume per set for Uzume Neptune, Noire, Blanc, Vert, 15x total)
  * Swimsuit Costume
  * Apocalyptic Costume
  * Race Queen Costume

The Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Costume Set ($6.99) will also be available as a standalone DLC on launch.

The post Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos – Magazine Edition Announced appeared first on oprainfall.

Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos is coming to the West January 2025. The game will arrive both physically and digitally for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. A Deluxe Edition for PS4, PS5, and Switch upon launch.

This Deluxe Edition will include:

• Digital game
• Digital Art Book (35 pages)
• Soundtrack (10 tracks)
• Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Costume Set (Swimsuit, Apocalyptic, Race Queen)
  • Costume Sets (1x costume per set for Uzume Neptune, Noire, Blanc, Vert)
    – Swimsuit Costume
    – Apocalyptic Costume
    – Race Queen Costume

However unlike the last few releases the costumes will be able to be purchased as separate DLC this time around.

Key Features Dogoo Day Care — Choose from 6 playable characters, scour the land on your trusty bike, and collect as many variants of Dogoos as possible to win! As players progress through 15 Dogoo-filled stages, Uzume must find a way to snap her friends out of their weird fascination with Dogoos!The Dogoo Bounty Hunter — Collecting Dogoos can be a cinch, but stealing Dogoos is a whole ‘notha ball game! Certain characters shine more in close combat, while others excel in long-range attacks. Find the strengths (and weaknesses, of course!) to become a true Dogoo bounty hunter! These Dogoos Do Bike Back — As squishy and adorable as these Dogoos are, some can be quite the menace. Each Dogoo has specific types of behaviors, as well as positive/negative effects when collecting them. By learning the positive and negative effects of the Dogoos, you can use them to your advantage and even throw the nasty ones to your opponent! Stunt Your Bike — Want to show off your ride in the next bike meet? Impress (or scare?) Dogoos by altering the bike’s body, muffler, tires, and other accessories! These customizations can give the Goddesses increased defense, max speed, acceleration, and even maneuverability. These upgrades can ultimately give you the winning edge!

The post Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos is Coming West in January appeared first on oprainfall.

After a long time, it’s finally time to review DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia. Following the release of Rio Reincarnation out west in 2019, this writer has been eagerly awaiting the next entry in the DATE A LIVE visual novel series. The reason for this being that in terms of presentation, I would argue that the visual novels have amazing storytelling moments that you just wouldn’t get from the anime. Here we are, five years later, and the question that I’ve asked before is back: How does it all hold up after all this time?

Right off the bat, I have a warning for curious onlookers. I highly recommend you play the first three visual novels prior to this. Thankfully, this is all available in one purchase via Rio Reincarnation on all storefronts as it is a triple pack. That means you can play Rinne Utopia, Arusu Install, and Rio Reincarnation. Sadly that’s not the only check on this list. I do recommend that you watch the first three seasons of DATE A LIVE, and the movie Mayuri Judgement. If you meet all these requirements, read on!

Repeating what I said earlier, it’s been five years since the last DATE A LIVE visual novels came out. Back then it felt like a novelty to be able to finally forge your own path with your favorite girl in the series. The sheer joy I personally felt being able to see Kurumi in a wedding outfit for an ending was immaculate. Not only that, I could do it three times across the aforementioned titles. Each ending then felt like a culmination of fan desires to love their girls even more than Shido could. It’s because of this that I felt renewed excitement for Ren Dystopia, coupled with the recent success of the series as it got its fourth and fifth seasons.

While that was the initial allure of the visual novels, if you dare to dig deeper (and you should), you’ll find something even better. I’m talking about the visual novel exclusive scenes with new girls that pack more emotional depth than anything else in the whole package. It’s how characters like Rinne, Marina, and Maria specifically climbed to my top girls list in the series. Those girls made the journey to achieving the true end all worthwhile. More fuel for the Ren Dystopia hype train.

That’s all well and good, but now we have to talk about the game that’s out now. If we take a peek under the hood, any person that owns the first three visual novels will immediately notice something. In terms of the UI, overworld map, art assets, and music, virtually nothing has changed. If it wasn’t for the title screen being different, and Natsumi being the first girl you see out the gate from when you start the game, I’d be doing double takes to make sure I launched the right game. The common route also plays out nearly identical to that of the other games as well.

To understand why this is a problem, you need to look at the original release dates for the games. Rinne Utopia, Arusu Install, and Rio Reincarnation all came out in 2013, 2014, and 2015 respectively. Furthermore, they were incorporated into a triple pack. It made sense for those games to be very similar given the release cycle. However, Ren Dystopia releases a whole five years later, and as a standalone that sits at the very same price point as the triple pack of all things. Noticing all this before talking about the routes is cause of concern from not just a reviewer point-of-view, but a fan of the series as a whole.

Let’s talk routes. Ren Dystopia incorporates nine main routes, one for each girl from season three. Natsumi is the sole new character of this bunch. However, Origami, due to the third season, got a writing makeover. You may be telling yourself that this is going to be a serious time sink. However, this is not the case. Each route is an hour and thirty minutes of reading at moderate pace. In addition, it also features the exact ridiculous story with minor differences. The following is what you can expect without important details. Someone will open a box, make one wish, wish affects the next day, sleep, repeat until three wishes are made. While some wishes are more romantic than others, there’s hardly that relationship building charm that existed with previous games. It genuinely feels like I’ve been handed multiple 4-koma pages rather than a visual novel.

The reason why this is all so upsetting to me is because of the game’s true ending. An ending that does require you to do all of the nine routes. Nine routes that are significantly boring to sit through and aren’t satisfying to complete. However, if you to manage to power through these routes, you’ll receive something magical. An ending that properly demonstrates what could have been from the writing team. It’s an ending that almost brought me to tears, and yet I almost missed it entirely. I want you to envision the meme of the guy almost mining the diamonds but quits before he hits it big. That’s the meme that embodies this game. It doesn’t matter how much I love Kurumi, Origami, Kotori, and even Natsumi. Ren is the star of the show and she deserves better.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia is a truly head-scratching game. A game that looks and plays no different from its predecessors. All the while presenting fans with very underdeveloped and uninspired routes. While the Live2D models look great and the voice acting is phenomenal, it just can’t carry the weight that is everything else. Even the True Ending, which is some of the writing team’s best work, can’t save this. Ren deserves better. The reader deserves better. Especially when the company is asking for the same amount of money as the triple pack that came before it. If you do happen to own this title, please work your way to the true ending to get your money’s worth. The fact that only 9% of readers, at the time of writing, have seen it drives me insane. Otherwise consider waiting for a sale.

Review Score
Overall

Game provided by publisher for review purposes. Standard edition of the game retails for $39.99 USD.

The post REVIEW: DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia appeared first on oprainfall.

The Digital Deluxe Edition (PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch) will be available for $69.99 and includes:

• Digital game
• Digital Art Book (57 pages)
• Digital Soundtrack (49 tracks)

Fans who purchase the Digital Standard or Digital Deluxe Edition within the first two weeks of the game’s launch will also receive the FREE Gensokyo Safe Adventure Pack, which contains 10x equipment and 1x consumable that will help get the adventure started!

The Gensokyo Safe Adventure Pack includes:

• Rare Yang Crystal x 1
• Rare Meteorite Shard x 1
• Rare Crystal Flower x 1
• Rare Ancient Card x 1
• Rare Helix Ritual Tool x 1
• Rare Warped Ring x 1
• Rare Foreign Charm x 1
• Rare Snowflake Badge x 1
• Rare Thin Feathers x 1
• Rare Shell Rosary x 1
• Rare Growth Elixir x 5

Touhou Spell Carnival Story
Gensokyo — A remote land isolated from the Outside World, where humans and youkai live side-by-side.

One day, the shrine maiden of Hakurei Shrine, Reimu Hakurei, spots mysterious pillars towering over various locations throughout Gensokyo.

These pillars signaled the start of the Spell Carnival, a festival hosted by Yukari Yakumo where one must put their Spell Cards on the line in battle.

In order to investigate the true intentions of Yukari Yakumo, who initiated the Spell Carnival so suddenly, Reimu Hakurei joins the fight for Spell Cards.

Key Features
Strategy RPG Meets Bullet Hell Mania — Battle in a grid system with a unique blend of real-time strategy elements and bullet hell madness! Hone your strategy skills by moving characters to grid-specific areas, grazing enemy bullets, and unleashing special skills in one simultaneous, action-packed battle!

Gotta Stay Prepped — Don’t just run into battle unprepared! Organize your party’s positioning on the grid, assign skills according to your enemies’ weaknesses, and choose wisely which Ace Spell Card you’ll use.

Need a Boost? — Players will occasionally see objects and Attributes during battle. Objects can block incoming bullets and provide additional effects once destroyed. Attributes can provide boosts and status effects. Use these boosts to your advantage, and maybe you’ll be able to collect extra loot from your victories!

Find Peace in the Hakurei Shrine — Explore the Hakurei Shrine through the lens of Reimu Hakurei! Keep tabs on any active missions, revisit sub-events, strike a pose with Photo Mode, and even talk to some of your favorite Touhou Project characters in Hakurei Shrine as you progress through the story!

The post Touhou Spell Carnival – Release Date Announced appeared first on oprainfall.

The wait is over, the English release of Ren Dystopia is here. DATE A LIVE fans have been eating good lately. The fourth and fifth seasons are tremendous, the Kurumi spin-off was remarkable. In addition to that, just a couple years ago we got the localization triple pack of the visual novels. It’s truly a franchise that passed the test of the time and it’s not done yet. Ren Dystopia is the fourth visual novel in the franchise following the story of the mysterious spirit Ren. Synopsis will be posted below. This is a sequel to the first three visual novels in the Rio Reincarnation pack so please check that out first before playing this one. Furthermore, if you’ve been out of the DAL loop for a while, watching Season 3 will get you up-to-speed.  The game is available for $33.99 during its launch with a Digital Deluxe Edition at $50.99.

Help Shido and the Spirits save the day once again!

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia arrives on Steam today!

Purchase today on Steam:https://t.co/sHSEykPdLx#VisualNovel pic.twitter.com/DRAEuqdWm5

— Idea Factory International (@IdeaFactoryIntl) September 5, 2024

So what’s DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia about?

A newly emergent spirit named Natsumi ends up in the crosshairs of Deus Ex Machina Industry. Shido defends Natsumi from Deus Ex Machina Industry and manages to seal her powers.

Following the transformation and inversion caused by Origami, Shido manages to reshape the world to protect it, eventually sealing Origami.

Enemies may still lurk about, but Shido and his friends savor the peace they’ve secured through their ordeals.

After an ordinary evening spent among friends, Shido has an unusual dream. He hears a mysterious voice calling out from the shadows.

Upon waking up the next morning, Shido discovers a peculiar container adorned with a snake pattern under his pillow.

Thinking it might be a prank, Shido asks around for the container’s owner. But when they try to open it…

If you’re curious about how the DATE A LIVE visual novels look, consider reading my reviews here, here, and here. I’ll also be hopefully putting out a review of this current one soon.

The post Harem Visual Novel ‘DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia’ Now Available appeared first on oprainfall.

The Digital Deluxe Edition includes:

• Swimsuit Costume Set
  • The Swimsuit Costume Set is available for the following playable characters:
    Older Neptune, Neptune, Pippih, Jagaa, Reedio, Noire, Blanc, Vert, Nepgear, Uni, Rom, Ram
• *Digital Art Book (31 Pages)
• *Digital Soundtrack (15 tracks)

*The Digital Art Book and Digital Soundtrack included with the Digital Deluxe Edition can be viewed and listened to in the Gallery in-game.

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Story
In a world of powerful rival Game Makers…

Within the Game Maker world, in order to acquire Shares, Game Makers have started to wage a battle for supremacy.

And so, a new Game Maker steps into the fray, attempting to endure the battle for survival in Gamindustri.

Key Features
Game Studio of The Year — Play as the main protag, Older Nep, and grow a previously defunct gaming studio to success. Building a game studio requires strong developers, cutting-edge video games, and the expansion of your market. Choose wisely and become the biggest game studio of the year!

Build Games & Boost Your Party — Boost your party stats with the help of creating games through disc development and choose creators to work on your next hit game!

Vroom, Vroom in Style — Ride through dungeons in Gamindustri and sell your games on your trusty purple motorcycle. Older Nep can also challenge pesky enemies for pinks (aka special rewards) or test your racing skills through time trials!

Party Management 101 — Supervise a party of four to lead your company to the top! But there may be other game studios ready to take you down. With a revamped battle system, chained attacks, and transformative specials, Older Nep and friends are ready for victory!

If you’d like to know more about Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution, visit the game’s official website.

The post Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is Headed to Xbox in October appeared first on oprainfall.

Death end re;Quest: Code Z will launch physically and digitally for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in 2025.

From the press release:

The post Death end re;Quest: Code Z Launches in 2025 appeared first on oprainfall.

Here is more about the game from the Press Release:

The post Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos Comes West Next Year appeared first on oprainfall.

Here is more about the game from the press release:

 Tokyo Clanpool is a dungeon crawling RPG where players navigate mazelike dungeons in old-school first-person style and face off against monsters in strategic turn-based combat. The story follows a team of young girls known as the Diet Dolls, led by newly inaugurated Prime Minister Natsume Kannuki, as they attempt to stave off a growing threat from a mysterious tower connected to Japan’s National Diet Building.

Key Features:

• • Experience a dynamic dungeon RPG set in near-future Tokyo!
  • Act as the young Prime Minister of Japan and her moe cabinet members.
  • Earn the approval of the citizenry for valuable bonuses or lose support for your mission!
  • Navigate mazelike dungeons in first-person perspective and engage in turn-based combat.
  • Use special attacks like Sacred Union to gain the upper hand against powerful monsters!
  • Alter the structure of dungeons by breaking walls, floating or digging tunnels.
  • Customize class abilities and skills with the use of different Digiskins!

Tokyo Clanpool  will be releasing on both Nintendo Switch and Steam with Limited Edition and standard physical releases being sold at Play-Asia.

The post Tokyo Clanpool Finally Comes West appeared first on oprainfall.

It’s time once again to check out a port of Neptunia: Sisters Vs. Sisters. This time I’m taking a look at the Xbox release of the game. Yes I know, it’s very odd seeing a game from this franchise on the Xbox and with the swimsuits included in base game no less, but here we are. I’ve spent about 25 hours with this one and completed the game, so it’s time to share my thoughts on this port. Does this port perform as well as its PlayStation and PC counterparts? Let’s find out!

This review is going to focus more on the quality of the port rather than details of the game itself. If you want to know more about the inner workings of Neptunia: Sisters Vs. Sisters, check out my PlayStation 4 review, or if you want to know about the Switch version you can check out that review as well. That being said, I do want to do a short story recap for those not up to speed on what this one is all about.

The story begins as Neptune and the other Goddesses receive a distress call from the PC Continent. They depart to handle this emergency while the CPU Candidates are sent to a nearby abandoned lab to investigate its contents. There they discover a sleeping Goddess, the Ashen Goddess, and as she awakens she traps the sisters in capsules for two years! When they are awakened, they find the world is not how they left it. The latest smartphone, “rPhone” dominates all of Gamindustri markets, and Planeptune was lost due to Trendi attacks while both Neptune and Nepgear have been away. Nepgear finds herself in a state of depression having lost both her sister and her home; however, new friends Maho and Anri help Nepgear get back on her feet, and they begin to try to get things back in order. Nepgear’s struggle will be great in the face of this new enemy. Can she overcome it and take back her home and save Gamindustri?

Graphically, I would say the Xbox port is on par with its PlayStation counterpart. The framerate on the Xbox One is very steady and while there are some load times, none of them are out of the realm of reason. The character models are nicely detailed and the environments look great here as well. The game would very likely have better load times on either of the next gen Xbox consoles and a better resolution, but it runs just fine Xbox One.

The action based combat here runs smoothly with no frame dips. Everything is done in real time with no major frame dips, even when the action on screen is full of crazy effects. You can freely switch to any character during combat, and when the time is right you can chain combos together this way as well. Players can also have the girls do some Tactical Skills. These are well known special moves in the franchise, such as Ex Multi Blaster, Cross Combination and other fan favorites in the series. When the Tactical Gauge is full, these can be pulled off with the use of just one button, or using the same button and up or down on the D-Pad for access to up to three moves with each girl. It is good to keep in mind that the Tactical Gauge will also have to be full if you use an item, but sometimes using it for an item rather than a skill, may give you a better benefit.

In the end, you get around 30 hours of a great Neptunia adventure for Xbox One or Series X|S for a great price of $39.99. Neptunia: Sisters Vs. Sisters looks great, runs at a consistent framerate and has the swimsuit DLC that was previously exclusive to the Digital Deluxe Edition, included in the base game. While this may not be a reason to pick it up for current owners, it’s a great addition for those jumping in with the Xbox release. I hope this helps the series find some new fans being its first adventure on the platform.

Review Score
Overall

Game was provided by the publisher for review.

The post REVIEW: Neptunia: Sisters Vs. Sisters (Xbox) appeared first on oprainfall.

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Digital Deluxe Edition will be launching on PlayStation 4 | 5 and Nintendo Switch May 14th, 2024.

You can check out the the limited edition physical release here, or head over the official site for more information about this title.

The post Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Digital Deluxe Edition Detailed appeared first on oprainfall.

Here is a list of items included in the LE:

• Official Hardcover Art Book
• Official Soundtrack
• 2x Cloth Posters
• Steel Game Case
• Reversible Cover Sleeve
• Collector’s Box
• Exclusive Trading Card

More about the game from the press release below the break

Key Features Game Studio of The Year — Play as the main protag, Older Nep, and grow a previously defunct gaming studio to success. Building a game studio requires strong developers, cutting-edge video games, and the expansion of your market. Choose wisely and become the biggest game studio of the year! Build Games & Boost Your Party — Boost your party stats with the help of creating games through disc development and choose creators to work on your next hit game! Vroom, Vroom in Style — Ride through dungeons in Gamindustri and sell your games on your trusty purple motorcycle. Older Nep can also challenge pesky enemies for pinks (aka special rewards) or test your racing skills through time trials! Party Management 101 — Supervise a party of four to lead your company to the top! But there may be other game studios ready to take you down. With a revamped battle system, chained attacks, and transformative specials, Older Nep and friends are ready for victory!

The post Neptunia Game Maker R:Evoultion Launches in May Limited Edition Revealed appeared first on oprainfall.

So without further ado let’s get this list started.

10. Super Neptunia RPG 

It’s not that I hate this one, but there is no doubt it is my least favorite of the spin-off titles. Giving all the girls amnesia really made this story drag on, and by the time they acted like themselves it was over. The girls having their usual banter is a big part of the experience, and a lot of that is missing here. Exploration and combat were pretty meh as well, so while I didn’t hate my time with this one, I wasn’t a huge fan of it either.

9. Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls

The gameplay in Neptune vs. Sega Hard Girls is fine, but the story certainly dragged it down. You’d think with all the great characters in the Neptunia franchise and the Sega Hard Girls, this would’ve been great, but the writing here just isn’t good. They made poor IF into an intolerable bitch in this game, and really made me think less of her overall. The time travel aspects of the story were kinda interesting but everything else fell flat. The one thing they did add that I thought was neat, were more ways to explore the environments, but not even the fact you could ride Nep… as a bike could save this one for me.

8. Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars

I had a great time with the gameplay of Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars, but I felt like this was a very tame entry in both franchises considering their ecchi-filled pasts. I know things were different when this released and the rules for platforms were much more harsh, but it seemed like this one just played things a bit too safe. The balance mini game was fun, combat was solid and the story was decent, but I feel like this was just held back by the fact that it lacked some flavor.

7. MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies

This one always seems like a lesser version of Neptunia U in my eyes. It has the same style of Hack n Slash gameplay but the overall story just wasn’t as much fun. There are plenty of costumes here, and Uni and Nepgear get some quality time for you shippers out there, but overall this one was a lackluster entry in the franchise for me.

6. Neptunia Virtual Stars

I played Neptunia Virtual Stars about the time I was really starting to get into Vtubers, so it was the perfect time for this to come around. While this one is down the list a bit I have to say I had a really great time playing it. The girls have a lot great banter between them, there are lots of awesome costumes to obtain and the video creation mini game was a ton of fun. I never knew I wanted to see Nep dance like that, but I certainly approve. I had a good time with the run and gun combat here as well, the boss battles where a bit boring, but overall this one was well worth the time invested.

More Nep goodness on Page 2! ->

The post Top 10 Neptunia Spin-Offs appeared first on oprainfall.

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Overview
The latest installment of the Neptunia series has arrived! The goal of this game is to rebuild and manage a game company! Build your company and turn it into a huge corporation! This latest entry to the world of Neptunia is better than ever! The battle system has been expanded and now allows for a 4-person party, dungeons can be explored on a high-speed motorcycle, and the Heartful Photo Mode will let you express yourself via fun, manga-like creations!

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Story
In a world of powerful rival Game Makers…

Within the Game Maker world, in order to acquire Shares, Game Makers have started to wage a battle for supremacy.

And so, a new Game Maker steps into the fray, attempting to endure the battle for survival in Gamindustri.

Key Features
Game Studio of The Year — Play as the main protag, Older Nep, and grow a previously defunct gaming studio to success. Building a game studio requires strong developers, cutting-edge video games, and the expansion of your market. Choose wisely and become the biggest game studio of the year!

Build Games & Boost Your Party — Boost your party stats with the help of creating games through disc development and choose creators to work on your next hit game!

Vroom, Vroom in Style — Ride through dungeons in Gamindustri and sell your games on your trusty purple motorcycle. Older Nep can also challenge pesky enemies for pinks (aka special rewards) or test your racing skills through time trials!

Party Management 101 — Supervise a party of four to lead your company to the top! But there may be other game studios ready to take you down. With a revamped battle system, chained attacks, and transformative specials, Older Nep and friends are ready for victory!

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Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 Overview
In the world of Gamindustri, four CPUs (also known as Goddesses) battled for supremacy in the War of the Guardians. One of the CPUs – Neptune – was defeated by the others and banished from the heavens. In her fall from grace, Neptune’s memories were lost, but a mysterious book revealed itself to her with knowledge of all of Gaminudstri’s history. Joined by Compa, IF, and the sentient book known as Histoire, Neptune embarks on an extraordinary journey across four different nations on a quest to save the entire world!

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 Key Features
Now on-the-go! – Previously only available on PSVita and Steam in North America, now you can immerse yourself in the zany JRPG madness of the Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth series for the first time on Nintendo Switch!

Revisit Classic Neptunia RPG Style Battles – Battle with up to 3 characters on the field, with 3 more as support. Use them to perform special attacks or swap them out at any time!

Switch it Up with Plans – Use “Plans” to customize the game by changing up enemy difficulty, dungeon treasures, and more!

Gear Galore – Craft unique equipment imbued with one or more abilities!

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Re;Birth 2 Sisters Generation Overview
International Crime – morality has all but vanished. As much as 80 percent of all students are rumored to worship a being known as Arfoire, and the authorities have chosen to turn a blind eye to the threat. Basically, Gamindustri is pretty messed up, you guys. Ahem. Thus did Gamindustri fall into complete and utter disarray.

Will the Goddesses be able to reclaim their world from ASIC’s grasp, or will they be forced to wander the Gamindustri Graveyard, forever lost?

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Re;Birth 2 Sisters Generation Key Features
Four or More for War! – Have up to 4 characters on the battlefield, and 4 more on the sidelines, ready to jump in and give their support!

Stella goes Rogue! – Send Stella out to brave Gamindustri’s dungeons in this realtime mini-game and she’ll collect all kinds of treasure for you – you just sit back and eat pudding! Be careful though, because if she dies in the dungeon, she’ll lose all her special gear!

The World’s your Oyster! – Customize the Gamindustri experience with Plans, which allow you to do things like increase/decrease enemy difficulty, change the items you’ll receive from a dungeon, and more!

Build-a-Sword! – Use Idea Chips and Blank Discs to create custom equipment that can open up new worlds of skills for you!

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Re;Birth 3 V Generation Overview

It’s time to Nep-Nep like it’s 1989. Neptune’s been sucked into an alternate dimension of Gamindustri! In order for her to escape from this late ‘80s world, Neptune will have to collect enough shares to open up the path to her own dimension. Sounds easy enough – except a nefarious alliance called the Seven Sages wants to rid Gamindustri of all CPUs (also known as Goddesses), including Neptune!

Forging cross-dimensional friendships, will Neptune be able to defeat the Seven Sages, save this alternate dimension and get back to her own, or will she be stuck in the ‘80s forever?

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Re;Birth 3 V Generation Key Features
+1 to Combos! – Customize attack combinations with up to five moves, opening a whole new array of ways to defeat your enemies!

Bring a Dungeon Buddy! – The realtime mini-game Stella’s Dungeon is back, and this time she can bring friends! Each is equipped with special skills that lend their support to Stella in her items quest, so choose wisely!

Remake in your Image! – Modify the world of Gamindustri to your liking by creating “Plans” that alter dungeon treasures, enemy difficulty, and more!

Get Crafty! – Customize powerful equipment that can unlock the true power of the CPUs, unlocking a world of new skills for them to use!

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This release is the only edition to include the Swimsuit DLC by default, and the physical standard editions are still available for preorder at $39.99 on the IFI NA Online Store. Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters is compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X|S and the Xbox One.

You can check out my review of the Switch release for more information about the game.

LOS ANGELES, CA., February 13, 2024 – We originally announced that the Neptunia action RPG, Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters will be launching on Xbox (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X|S, Xbox One) on April 16, 2024. The release date has now been moved to May 21, 2024. As a publisher, we want to ensure that our entry to the Xbox platform launches smoothly, and made the decision to push the release date.

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I’ve had a chance to sit down with the Nintendo Switch release of Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters and it’s time to share my thoughts on this port. I’m pretty letdown this release didn’t include the swimsuits by default and they are locked to the Digital Deluxe release. This version does have Maho and Anri as playable characters, which is exclusive to this release. This is just a terrible way to do business as it forces players to buy more than one version if they want all the content. Even the folks who sprang for the limited editions of the previous releases still had to pony up for a Digital Deluxe if they wanted the swimsuits. You can get those on the disc if you want to get the upcoming physical Xbox release, which is just odd in and of itself. Let’s hope this is something they fix with the upcoming release of Gamer Maker.

Since I wanted to cover the performance of this port I will be very light on story and gameplay details in this review. If you want a more detailed look at the story and mechanics please check out my review of the PlayStation 4 release. The story begins as Neptune and the other Goddesses receive a distress call from the PC Continent. They depart to handle this emergency while the CPU Candidates are sent to a nearby abandoned lab to investigate its contents. There they discover a sleeping Goddess, the Ashen Goddess, and as she awakens she traps the sisters in capsules for two years! When they are awakened, they find the world is not how they left it. The latest smartphone, “rPhone,” dominates all of Gamindustri markets, and Planeptune was lost due to Trendi attacks while both Neptune and Nepgear have been away. Nepgear finds herself in a state of depression having lost both her sister and her home; however, new friends Maho and Anri help Nepgear get back on her feet, and they begin to try to get things back in order. Nepgear’s struggle will be great in the face of this new enemy. Can she overcome it and take back her home and save Gamindustri?

Gameplay here is a bit different than previous entries, since the combat is all action based. The world map hasn’t changed a bit however, this is the Gamindustri you know and love. Players will go from place to place, completing missions to progress the story forward. There are plenty of sidequests that come up as well through the ever-popular Chirper app. Here you can take on quests, claim rewards and give likes to the Chirps from the various residents of Gamindustri. These quests are what you would expect: hunt X monster, gather X item, or find lost residents. You will not only gain rewards from this, but also unlock new scouts to use in Disc Development. Making these discs will give you a ton of different buffs that are very useful in battle.

The girls will gain new special abilities and moves as they level up to make slaying your foes even easier with amazing combo attacks. The Switch release gives you access to Maho and Anri right off the bat. Shanghai Alice and Higurashi are also unlocked instantly, so you won’t have to complete the game to use them in combat. This does make the first areas of the game a bit easier since you have access to characters with powerful attacks early on. The photo mode is unlocked when you launch the game as well, which makes a lot more sense than having it do so after you complete one run of the main story.

Graphically I have to say this is one of the best ports Idea Factory has done for the Switch. The character models still look good, even if a bit scaled back, and the environments still look great as well. The shadows on the characters look a bit strange at times, and there are greater loading times than the PlayStation 4 release. This occurs when going in and out of battle, so it can make things janky at times. Overall the framerate is pretty solid, docked or playing in handheld mode, but you will notice some hitches in combat every once in a while. These aren’t too frequent, but it does throw off your combo when it occurs.

Overall the Nintendo Switch release of Neptunia: Sisters vs. Sisters is pretty solid. It may not be as pretty as the other releases, but it still looks good and runs at a solid framerate. The addition of Maho and Anri as playable characters gives this version something the others don’t have, and this is a pretty solid game overall on any platform. The base release will set you back $49.99, and if you want a decent portable version or just want to play around with new characters it’s probably worth your coin. If you have another version of the game already, there isn’t much extra here for you to dig into.

Review Score
Overall

Game was provided by the publisher for review.

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Idea Factory International have announced that Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters is now officially available for Nintendo Switch. The press release states that there is both a physical edition and a digital edition available as well. The press release also mentions that the Swimsuit DLC is exclusive to the Digital Deluxe Edition. Not only that, but Maho and Anri are available as playable characters exclusively in the Nintendo Switch version of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters. And last but not least, digital copies of the game are 10% off in the eShop for these first two weeks after launch. The discount sale will end on February 5th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

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