If you’re a gamer, you’re probably familiar with the Neptunia series. Its defining feature is a world inspired by the video game industry, inhabited by characters who are personifications of fictional video game consoles. The charming character designs were created by Tsunako, and have always been one of the series’ biggest selling points. Being Compile Heart’s flagship series, Neptunia counts over 20 entries to date, though a large percentage of them are spinoffs and remakes. There have been only four mainline titles in the series’ history, with a full 11 years having passed since the release of Megadimension Neptunia VII.
And finally, the newest mainline installment, titled Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited (unofficial translation), will be released in Japan on August 27. I was lucky enough to play the full version of the game ahead of launch, so I’d like to share my impressions and highlight some of its best moments.
One of the most “if you know, you know” game franchises in the world
While Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited is positioned as a direct sequel to the main story, the Neptunia series doesn’t actually have a completely continuous storyline. If we set aside the shared worldview and character backstories, each of the series’ titles has a relatively independent story, so you can play them in any order you like without issue. That being said, Neptunia does have some established running gags that have become a traditional staple for the series – such as the protagonist Neptune falling from the sky, or as per usual, suffering from amnesia.
Speaking of running gags, I have to emphasize how hardcore the Neptunia series actually is. It’s really not an exaggeration to say that Neptunia might be the one of the most “if you know, you know” game franchises in the world. The game is full of references and parodies of the real-world gaming industry, and this extends all the way to anime and internet culture as well. So, if you’re not a hardcore gamer or otaku, you may not even notice the references, let alone understand what’s supposed to be funny. The best thing about the series’ scenario is the fact that it has many of these references that would make veteran otaku break into a smile. Neptunia games are kind of like an “otaku density meter” – the deeper you are in the fandom, the more you’ll be able to savor their profound intricacies.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited is no exception to this. As a brand-new title releasing in the modern era, it has certainly caught up with recent trends. It naturally incorporates the latest internet memes from the past few years, and the scenario also touches on present-day topics such as AI. Furthermore, by the looks of it, the new Goddesses introduced in the game are personifications of modern consoles. Rogue, the new Goddess of the nation formerly known as Lowee (it’s called Sweenia in Neptunia Unlimited, and the pronunciation itself hides a reference to a video game system), boasts the same red and blue color scheme as a certain console. On the other hand, Lastation’s Ciel has a design with white as a dominant color. What’s more, Anna and Lotte, the twin sisters of Leanbox merge into one being when they transform into Goddesses. The “fictional” references are so obvious that it’s almost refreshing. I’m so happy that Vert is finally getting the little sisters she’d longed for, though it’s kind of cute that they don’t actually seem to treat her as an older sister.
Of course, the four main Goddesses and Goddess Candidates (the younger sisters) are also alive and well. Together with the four new Goddesses, the main cast boasts a total of 12 characters.
Satisfying airborne exploration, and a shift to action-based combat
In Neptunia Unlimited, all of the main characters can transform into Goddesses, and their unique actions are fully utilized in all aspects of the game, from exploration to combat. The entire game feels like it’s designed under the premise that players will spend long periods of time controlling transformed Goddesses. Players can freely change to their Goddess form whenever they please, without being restrained by time limits or gauges. As Goddesses, you’ll be able to freely fly through the air, which makes for really satisfying exploration. Furthermore, flight controls can be adjusted in the options to “automatically correct horizontal and vertical alignment using only the left stick,” which is an example of a very user-friendly design.
But of course, there are also some nuisances along the way. For example, many maps feature “No Goddess Transformation Areas,” and you won’t be able to transform unless you trigger a specific puzzle mechanism. What’s more, you can’t unlock fast travel points on the world map unless you use specific items to upgrade them, and only after you upgrade all of them will you be able to dispatch scouts on treasure hunting missions. While it feels like a bit of a tedious process, this is something you only do when you visit a new map for the first time, so it’s still tolerable to a degree in my opinion.
The combat system, on the other hand, has made a big departure from the command-based RPG style used in previous mainline entries. Instead, Neptunia Unlimited adopts a more action game-like system, which feels like a successor to Sisters vs Sisters and GameMaker R:Evolution, the two latest spinoffs. Players can move the characters around the field freely, triggering skills and attacks with button inputs. During combat, you can switch between characters at any time, and the remaining party members will fight alongside you as AI-controlled bots.
The game features a wide variety of moves, skills, EXE Drives and Tactical Links. However, the mechanic I personally found the most interesting were the character’s regular combo skills. In Neptunia Unlimited, each character has about a dozen motions for basic attacks. So, if you spam the square button (in the PlayStation version of the game) to execute a regular combo, the system will pick and activate the motions at random. This means that, each time you perform a normal combo, your character’s attacks will progress differently, reducing the monotony of gameplay.
Though, unlike the previous games in the series, players cannot set their own combo routes. Instead, the game lets you disable “difficult-to-use motions” in advance via the character settings menu, which means they will be excluded from the random pool of attacks. For example, if a character that has only one long-ranged attack disables all melee and dash moves, they can simply spam buttons to unleash a continuous barrage of long-range firepower.
In addition to standard combat, there are also special battles that unfold in outer space, having you face gigantic final bosses. Here, the vertical and horizontal range of movement expands even more, so players will need to accurately position themselves in order to pinpoint the boss’ weak points and strike them down. When the boss unleashes its wide-area attack, the game switches to a bird-eye perspective, and you’ll have to dodge the enemy attacks like in a bullet hell shooter. On the other hand, you’ll be equipped with powerful counter skills, which are activated by pressing on the touchpad. This includes powerful skills such as “instantly fully restoring the EXE Drive of all party members,” which can significantly shift the tides of battle.
Overall, there is an extremely laid-back atmosphere throughout the Neptunia series, with the combat difficulty featuring an “open design” which mostly relies on the ingenuity of players themselves. Neptunia Unlimited is no exception to this – if you make full use of all of its various mechanics, you can develop overpowered tactics in the latter half of the game, mowing down enemies one by one. This too, is one of the most thrilling parts of the title. However, if you don’t have a full grasp of the system, there may be instances where you get stumped by how tough the enemies are.
Neptunia Unlimited also comes with the more familiar systems like Disc Development and Scout Dispatch. Having a good command of these will allow you to craft powerful gear by the-mid game, making the combat feel more satisfying. The exquisite positive feedback loop of the parameter design can really hook the player into a rabbit hole of character-building.
Naturally, the OP equipment and tactics aren’t necessary for beating the main story. If you’re only here to enjoy the story, there’s no need for you to research the combat mechanics and tactics too deeply. No matter how powerful the enemy standing in your way is, you can just strike them down by “unleashing four EXE Drives.” End-game content which lets you take on higher difficulty bosses and dungeons, such as the Colosseum and Neptral Tower, are unlocked fairly early on. The game also features the recently-popular mini-card game and photo modes, offering quite a substantial volume of content.
A game that makes you feel glad to be a hardcore otaku
Playing through the whole game, my overall impression is that Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited is a work that faithfully inherits all of the unique points of the series that have been preserved throughout its many installments. In addition to the scenario filled with references to video games, anime and internet memes, it offers rather deep gameplay and mechanics. In terms of visual presentation, thanks to the great synergy between Tsunako’s designs and Live2D technology, the 2D segments are top tier, especially compared to other games in the genre.
If I had to point out some drawbacks, it would be the fact that, “the game’s 3D graphics aren’t up to modern standards,” which is a persistent issue for the series. That being said, if you’re fine with this kind of 3D art style, I’m sure Hyperdimension Neptunia Unlimited is a game you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Even in today’s world, which is overflowing with countless new titles, this game features some design choices that could be considered exceptionally rare, making it a truly cutting-edge title. If you’re a hardcore otaku gamer, you should definitely give it a go.
Neptunia: Unlimited (tentative) is set to release in Japan on August 27, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The global version is set to release at a later date.
