Reviewer: Steven Green
Developer: COMPILE HEART
Publisher: Idea Factory
Category: RPG / Platformer
Release Date: 06.25.2019
Price (At Time of Review): $49.00 (digital) | $49.99 (physical, regular) | $84.99 (physical, limited)
Buy Super Neptunia RPG from the Nintendo Switch eShop here.
RPG Kawaii
Super Neptunia RPG is a 2D/3D side-scrolling platformer with RPG battle and quest mechanics. The game stars Neptune, a self-proclaimed hero that has lost her memory, and needs all the help she can get in order to try to solve the mystery of who she is, and to help stop the world from being turned permanently 2D. Featuring fourth wall breaking dialogue and a self-aware protagonist you will fight to keep 3D games around in this fun, cutesy title. Super Neptunia RPG is born from the long-running Hyperdimension Neptunia series, and fans of the series should take note of this title coming to the Nintendo Switch for the first time.
Welcome to Gameindustri
This title takes place in the world of Gameindustri, where somehow the world is being forced into 2D. You are Neptune and you don’t remember anything about yourself or where you are other than your name, which is pretty convenient for series newbies. Along with your cohorts you journey through the world helping people in delightfully fun side quests and battling your way through evil minions trying to stop you from returning to 3D greatness. Series veterans will love the call-backs to other titles in this long-running series, and newcomers to the game will find that they are gently placed into a rather complex history.
Plaformer-ish
The game utilizes light platformer mechanics to traverse the world and cities you journey through. They use this function for some quests, such as trying to collect items in a certain amount of time, or when looking for missing people, however the game really isn’t trying to make platforming a major part of this title. One issue I found with the platforming is it can be extremely difficult to discern what is something that can be jumped on and what can’t, especially in the cities. Luckily, platforming in this title is fairly simple, and they won’t ask much of you when you are trying to get through the levels. Sadly, the platforming is stiff and unintuitive, but because it isn’t asking for much from you it isn’t something that really got in the way that badly.
Battle Party
If you are a fan of RPG’s, but don’t want to get bogged down in deep mechanical systems when it comes to combat, then you will love this title. The game isn’t trying to do anything crazy or difficult in how you fight, with basic attack meters needing to be filled followed by pressing the corresponding button on the controller to initiate an attack. If you are someone looking for an intense experience throughout everything in this title, then I will say you will probably be disappointed, as this title is going for light-heartedness and simplicity throughout. The most strategy you will have to use in this one is deciding whether to let the meter fill further to unleash a punishing set of attacks at once, or to slowly prick and poke your way to victory as soon as the meter will allow. A nice addition as well is the ability to speed up battles to allow for better time utilization.
Questing Chaos
One downside to the game is how you gather and discern between quests you are given. The quests themselves can be fun, and allow you the pleasure of travelling through more of this beautiful world, but the UI doesn’t allow for you to easily change between quests, or to even see what other things you have on the quota. Finding where you need to go next was often a place I found trouble, and the game doesn’t do a ton to help itself in this department. Great quests are bogged down in some poor design here.
Color Splash
Gorgeous visuals throughout are what you have to look forward to in this simplified RPG. The landscapes and monster designs are fabulous and walking around just looking at your surroundings was something that I thoroughly enjoyed doing just as much as actually going through the quests and various mechanics of the game.
The characters themselves utilize a cutesy, almost chibi-esque art design in which you have vibrant colors, and interesting physics, that make for very well drawn characters. They are just fun, and they ooze niceness; the art throughout this title is exquisite.
With a light-hearted and fast soundtrack that really cues off the aesthetic used in the art design you have an audio experience that is really, truly pleasant when paired with everything you are looking at.
In closing…
Super Neptunia RPG is a great entry point for anyone trying to jump into the Hyperdimension Neptunia series but has been turned off by the number of titles previously released. The casual and simple mechanics with aesthetically pleasing audio and visuals allows for the makings of something that series vets and newbies alike can jump into and enjoy. But to anyone who is hoping to find an old school RPG, or a game with higher difficulty / depth this is not really the title you are looking for. The fourth wall is so broken in this title, and is just spraying out all over you, and this refreshing take on how to handle story and lore in an RPG was a fun and interesting way to travel through a world known as Gameindsutri. Environmental design and art are this game’s strong points, but a lack of depth and lost callbacks to non- series vets will allow for a good experience, but something that will probably leave most looking for more.
Bonus - Limited Edition
For you physical collector's, Idea Factory is selling a limited edition exclusive to their website. Take a gander at what's included:
Score: 7.5/10
Buy Super Neptunia RPG from the Nintendo Switch eShop here.
Follow Compile Heart
Follow Idea Factory
*Review Code Provided by Idea Factory
Comments