The Hyperdimension Neptunia series of RPG games has amassed quite a following over the last decade or so, but for a large part of that, Xbox gamers didn’t get a look-in. That all changed this thanks to publishers Idea Factory International debuting it on our shores with Neptunia Sisters VS Sisters. And now comes another of the main series spin-offs, this time in the form of action-RPG Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution.
Is Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution a breath of fresh air for the genre and a stellar addition to the series, or is this a spin-off you shouldn’t waste your money on?
Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is set in an alternative version of the Gamindustri world, where the Game Makers are in total control and constantly battle for supremacy. Neptune happens to arrive here after hopping through numerous dimensions in search of bugs. She soon becomes entangled with a trio of Failure Goddesses, who instil her as the president of their game-making studio in a bid to resurrect their hopes and dreams. Creating a good game isn’t the only requirement to thrive in this world however, so Neptune will also have to fight to claim a share of the industry.
It’s a satirical take on the gaming industry that we all know and love, with the hierarchy constantly vying for top spot. Whether it’s the hardware designers or the software companies, they want as big a slice of the market as possible. There are also jovial spins on the darker side of gaming, including plagiarism and the plague of the entire entertainment sector, scalpers. As a gamer, the plot themes are interesting, but from the perspective of a newcomer to the series, there’s a lot to get your head around initially.
You’re kind of expected to know the majority of the cast, due to their appearance in other Hyperdimension Neptunia titles. Fortunately, the excellent character designs and unique personalities soon begin to shine, regardless of any familiarity with them. The voice acting is well suited all-round and most of the costumes are simply brilliant, especially if you can figure out the inspirations behind them. For example, Jagaa is basically the Atari Jaguar personified; a black and red colour scheme for her outfit with an Atari logo flipped upside down on the boots, as well as claw marks on the jeans. Be warned though, while there’s no nudity, some attires are quite revealing and it won’t be to everyone’s taste.
In regards to gameplay, there are two main aspects to Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution – dungeon crawling and business management.
Focusing on the most exciting part first and you’ll trawl through dungeons in a party of four, via a third-person perspective. Whilst exploring these areas, attracting the attention of patrolling enemies results in the transition into a battle setting. Defeating these enemies will yield character XP, in-game currencies for the shop and the company, and items.
As for the actual combat, well, it’s very intuitive with plenty of scope for variety. That’s partly because you can customise the attack combos for each character, which are easy to pull off. The more they level up, the more moves learned and the greater the amount of choice available. Given that certain manoeuvres have an elemental benefit to them too, it leads to a lot of cool visuals.
Better yet, you can link attacks between those in the party, switching with fluidity by pressing the D-pad, creating amazingly powerful and devastating looking combinations. There’s real enjoyment from swinging Neptune’s sword around, before getting control of Reedio with her magical orbs, flinging Pippeh’s boomerang, and then clawing up close with Jagaa. And I haven’t even mentioned the tactical skills that can buff characters and allies, as well as unleash stronger attacks. True power comes from the EXE Drive super moves and transformations however, with both able to turn the tide in a fight.
Despite the action being enjoyable thanks to the arsenal of moves, it does feel like mindless fun and the battles do become repetitive as the difficulty is incredibly erratic. Taking on dogoos, rabbit creatures, machines, and the like, sees the contest over and done within under a minute. Heck, the higher level bosses barely put up a fight, but then suddenly the AI opponent just one-shots you. This leads you to either waste a ton of items to survive and win, or you end up thoughtlessly grinding the minions to level-up more. There’s not really any middle-ground; it’s either easy peasy or rock hard, which won’t suit everyone.
One aspect that definitely doesn’t hit the mark though is the ability to ride a motorcycle through the dungeons, hopping on it at the mere press of a button. Whilst you may think it’ll save time when back-tracking for a side quest or something, the truth is that it could prolong matters because the handling is so poor that you’ll end up stuck on every immovable object. There are also opportunities to race and partake in time attacks, but the terribly dated driving mechanics will put you off those too. The bike is best left alone.
Unfortunately, the dungeons themselves are nothing special in terms of design and creative ideas. Whether you’re in the caverns, an office block, or a forest, the environments are bang average with visuals you’d expect to see over a decade ago. Certain dungeons also have a puzzle mechanic tied into them, but the concepts are basic and only make exploration for loot more of a chore.
Outside of such exploits is the opportunity to run your own development studio, sort of. Basically, Company Points earned throughout can be spent on upgrading the company and unlocking different gaming genres. You are then able to recruit creative folk to develop games, to not only boost your reputation through sales, but also to use the final product to enhance your characters. The discs can be equipped to provide special effects during battles.
Honestly, the management side is a little undercooked. Aside from the recruited creators being clever parodies from recognisable IPs, there’s not enough depth to really spend any time on it.
Ultimately though, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is a rather charming and fun action-RPG that delivers on the narrative more than anything else. The overall tone, the excellent cast of characters, and the mass reference to gaming culture are the main draw. Sure, the action is pretty fun and the combat is full of variety, but the dungeons are uninspiring and the unstable difficulty lets proceedings down. The less said about the motorcycle and the developing of discs, the better.
If you’re after a satirical action-RPG, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is certainly worth considering.
Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution: Build Your Dream Game Studio in Gamindustri – https://www.thexboxhub.com/neptunia-game-maker-revolution-build-your-dream-game-studio-in-gamindustri/
Buy Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution digitally – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/neptunia-game-maker-revolution/9N91CL07PDST/0010
Grab a physical version of the game – https://amzn.to/4fPw7wx
