Hyperdimension Neptunia

Let's see if I get that together ... The world of Celestia was once a lady named CPU, or "Patron Console Unit ruled. Because the CPU got but with the narrative voice called Histoire in the hair, CPU was divided into four CPUs - and this zig are so vicious to each other that they do thousands of years of war. This is probably the "console war", the Histoire mentioned at the beginning. In any case, one of the CPUs plops after losing Showdown - memory loss and all - to the world of men, where CPUs are worshiped as gods. Fortunately, the white narrator Council and revenge! Oh, and the human world is Gamindustri.

Hyperdimension Neptunia, the new RPG from the collaboration between Sega and Compile Heart, available since last July in Japan and arriving at the ground next spring on the PlayStation 3, also western, is a parody of the games industry than ever before. Telling the so-called console war electing a new representative of the eternal struggle between good and evil. Console good and bad console, but most law against piracy.

Noire, the goddess of the kingdom of Lastation. Vert, gods of the lands of Rinnebox. Blanc, the guardian of Ruwii. Memorize these names, because now they are no longer simple lexemes French counterparts in black, green and white, but the names of three gods of the kingdom of Game Industry. There's also a fourth, called Neptune, and is the goddess of Planetune. But that's another story. And it's really another story. Those just mentioned are the protagonists of the game Hyperdimension Neptunia , and if the former are the personification of the main console on the market today (respectively, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii), the fourth is that of a Sega console branded, established back in 1994 but never arrived on store shelves. The Sega Neptune, exactly.

Of course we are faced with the most classic RPG characterized by avalanches of creatures to kill, turn-based combat and hours of conversations related to the salvation of the world, all seasoned with a healthy dose of humor, a pinch of Eros and any possible type of anime girl imagination. Fans of the genre will find in Neptunia a very pleasant, despite the obvious technical limitations that make the exploration of the dungeon the less solid the whole package. But first things first and talk calmly to all the elements that characterize the role play. In this particular situation, the player assumes, of course, the role of Neptunia, hit by the most classic of amnesia and guided by history (a mysterious entity that relies on the confused girl on a mission of prime importance). As you can see by reading these lines, the atmosphere of the game is nothing short of easy-going, and the amount of citations related to the industry itself is likely to print a smile on the face of every fan able to seize them.

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Gameplay

Gamindustri. A parallel world protected by four goddess who are engaged in a war with one another in Celestia. Meanwhile on the human world, mankind wages war with monsters unleashed by a being named Arfoire. The tome, Historie, contains the knowledge of the past necessary to end both wars and shape the future. What fate awaits Nepture in the present? The goddesses battle for Gamindustri, the Console War. Everything, from the character and the graphical representation of the three console-deity, is designed to play on the console war and the dynamics underlying the current video game market. The human representation of the three major consoles is obviously based on the Japanese market and how the Japanese see the machines in question.

Here, then, that the Leanbox Stangoni is drawn as a blonde and increased (the classic stereotype of the American girl), is a perfectionist Lastation technology arrogant and snooty, and the small Lowe looks like a girl but in the end is that among the three who always gets the best results. What do you think? Can you catch the reference? Neptunia course, being the protagonist, does not refer to any machine in particular, but perhaps represents the desire for a single console expressed by programmers. Beyond the appreciation of the narrative choice, however, this presents a number of RPG elements rather interesting that will certainly satisfy fans of the genre. First of all, the exploration of the map is not free but is linked to the simple slide of the icons on the places visited.

Moving forward with the plot always unlock new dungeon, within which you can do the missions related to the plot, or just this time to help you level up, or get new items for those interested, add your own pace within the online world rankings. The combat system of Neptunia allows the player to choose how to distribute the party members on the battlefield and, abandoning what they saw in Trinity Universe offers the possibility to create their own combinations of up to four attacks in the number of Action Point provision. Every shot, depending on where it is inserted, has a different effect and animation (which can be skipped at will by simply pressing the L2). You can attack with bare hands, with the melee weapon, or with a gun. Depending on the character used, moreover, it can even make a powerful processing (in the early stages only Neptunia is capable of enhancing in this way, accessing the data on your HDD).

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The Beginning

The story takes place in the delusional world of the videogame industry. In this universe shifted completely engaged a war without thank you among several deities: Purple Heart, Black Heart, White Heart and Green Heart. Recent struggle to increase their control over industry and capture the maximum market share. All the goddesses have their own territories evoking current machines (LaStation, Leanbox ...). Girls will have to enter this virtual world to help Purple Heart, aka Neptune, swept his three sworn enemies who are allied to erase the race. Meanwhile, a mysterious goddess of darkness seems to pull the strings to his advantage. But who cares, for now must find Neptune "History", the leaflet will provide essential information.

As you can see, the starting pitching is in full frenzy. The very heroic-fantasy world is defended by luscious goddesses through four islands well appointed. So we can expect many references to the world of the JV as a whole, all time. However, we regret that the game is lost too unbearable dialogue in which the vast majority is irrelevant. The story, albeit very intriguing, will gradually give way to fatigue due to lack of twists worthy of the name. Numerous references are especially palpable during special attacks, where they appreciate having Alex Kidd Shinobi or Super follow by example. The rest of the cast is mainly exit securities companies like Gust and Nippon Icchi. In the end, we remain somewhat disappointed by the story fails to really exploit his world yet who left on good foundations.

Combat System

We are faced with a turn-by-turn your three classic characters, others may come to reinforce the team under certain conditions optional. Here the system is in two parts: the attack and defense. The attack is a combo system rich enough at first because it commandeers three buttons on the controller, the fourth serving for defense in the final round of preference.

These four pressures, you can configure up to 81 combination, which are themselves subject to different techniques obtained through your characters through experience. You have a point system (AP) that matches your skills, since they cost a clearly defined number. The goal is to manage this quota AP to ensure that the fourth technique, if it allows you to receive a bonus of AP or you turn into super heroine (Neptune Purple Heart). To this, add a bar of defense against the enemy which, when broken, provides an added bonus AP. You will be able to do very advanced combos impressive on several consecutive rounds with a little preparation in your patterns. The system problem is that there are so many techniques to (and slightly thereafter) you will quickly focus on two or three combos are very powerful cleaning on almost all enemies.

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In defense, this happens through a menu out of combat. With experience, you glean the conditions to achieve your potions (four types, obtained after fighting in the trunk or purchase). These conditions depend on the statements that you experience or state of your health meter. In combat, your characters directly into your stock pick the right mix, after all depend on the success rate (also configurable). This system, quite amusing at first, over time becomes daunting because of too much redundancy. It always ends up using the same sequences, always browse the same type of dungeons to make always the same type of action. When you know there's a pretty impressive number of dungeons, everything depends on your perseverance. To say that you can save when you want to keep, so as not to crack along the length of certain successive battles, even if the difficulty level is adjusted at any time via a menu.

In parallel, a boutique can outfit your character with a weapon and an accessory, the rest is artificial and only used the appearance fan service, including DLC. Important still, where the Purple Heart because his equipment (RAM ...) affects not only its appearance but also its performance in combat. Far from trivial since it is the tank of your team, you will first find the combination that most interests you. Add that you can import a drawing or photo of your hard drive to be the emblem of your heroine.

Combo Maker

The game system differs in several distinct phases. Firstly via the "world map", you will have access to the four cities. If the card is in 3D, everything is managed via a menu. Then you have your "programs" that unlock the different events and dialogues that will lead to the dungeons. And so long as the game will require, for this pattern is the same from beginning to end.
The phase of dialogues or visual novel has no specificity, you pass the text (you can zap) no questions to answer. The events will unlock them through the dungeon map, they offer a disappointing and repetitive level design with a few boxes but allow a few jokes.

Your basic three heroines have different skills: breaking a barrier, plot a secret chest with a bell and call via a mark on the ground, a powerful enemy (always the same) which gives a monstrous heap of experience, to the point that it is useless to normal fighting. This bell can also call the enemies to deal with vague, giving an afterthought temporary gauge where the clashes will be canceled. A false random system (since the fighting takes place every ten seconds) you will enter combat.

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Nintendo DS Version

In the role of Neptune, and together with our friends from the CPU ("Patriot Console Units" of course?), we will in fact save Histoire, a book containing the secrets of the world. But to do that we will encounter the evil Majekonne, a name which in Japanese refers, needless to say, the most famous pirate flashcards for Nintendo DS, the R4. And references to the world of video games do not end there. In a battle (of course in turn, ruolistico Japanese-style) and another, we can summon the guardian angels, or some characters taken directly from the most popular Sega franchises, like Golden Axe, Shinobi, Alex Kidd and Altered Beast.

Conclusion

In Hyper Dimension Neptunia is all about transformation and fights in the anime style. You assume the role Neptunias, a human form of transformed video game console in the fight against the evil illegal hardware. Both the main and the supporting characters are either hardware or video game companies in the industry who have adopted a human form. Transformation is very important in Hyper Dimension Neptunia and is possible only with enough energy. In addition, you change when switching weapons attack not only your values, but also your appearance. This also applies to your character transformed, if you exchanged its processor unit. In Neptunia You can also upload images to change your PS3 photo album and to use them as a symbol of your different skills. Your edited images are then released each time on the screen when you apply your skills! In the same way you can also symbols and emblems to change your character. With such an original idea, this product fan-service until the break had a little side enticing on paper.

Unfortunately, the final statement is rather bland, repetitive and not very clever. If the fans loud voice and large breasts in slight movement will be delighted to go through countless dungeons too similar in their structures, the others will drop fast enough torment, boredom taking precedence before the play value, despite a few references video games fun.