This review is for the PlayStation 4 and Vita versions.
“Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars” is a 3D action game for the PlayStation 4, developed by PQube. The game features characters from both “Nep-Ten” and “Senran Kagura”.
In video games, fanservice is a contentious topic. Even the very appearance of it is enough to deter people. It’s reasonable, but I don’t feel that incorporating sexuality in a title always makes it terrible. For example, I’ve given great acclaim to various films that included scantily dressed ladies, filthy language, and much more. That’s because the gameplay is what matters, and putting butts and breasts front and center shouldn’t detract from that. Neptunia and Senran Kagura are two series noted for their overt fanservice. So, as one does, I guess it’s only natural to combine the two into a warped fusion. The anime intro had me laughing cheek-to-cheek like a fool when I initially booted up Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars. Is the game keeping me enthralled, or has it made me frown?
It resembles a strange Batarang!
Before you begin, set aside any desire for a complex plot because what follows is pure foolishness. In classic Neptunia form, there is a lot of 4th wall-breaking speech. From Nep-Nep addressing what defines a protagonist to making fun of the many cliches that JRPGs use, such as amnesia. The four Goddesses’ self-awareness is a recurring theme throughout the narrative. Furthermore, their fun teasing and banter provide the lighter comedy that fans have come to expect. Don’t get me wrong: the jokes are bad and, for the most part, groan-worthy. Despite this, there’s a strange kind of charm about him. What helps is that the story embraces the ridiculousness and never tries to be anything else. It goes all out with it, which I enjoy. Just keep in mind that it’s all rather childish… they’re comparing breast sizes to strategic battle.
Due to Sony’s censoring policy, significant changes were made to the Senran Kagura portion of the cooperation. While the obscenity is there, it is toned down in contrast to mainstream titles. For example, the perverse content isn’t as strong, yet it is still there to a lesser extent. The females have also been toned down, and as a result, they lack individuality, depending instead on generic attributes like innocence. Although, rather than censorship, this is due to the franchise’s typically poor literary skill. The Neptunia females are not only more approachable, but they are also by far the most interesting. Even Vert, who embodies the naïve stereotype to a tee, comes out as well-rounded. Under the pretext of simple implications, Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars continues to attempt to smuggle in bawdy stuff. It also takes subtle barbs at the policy in order to push the bounds, I’m sure.
Black Heart is a badass in every way!
If you’re not an anime enthusiast, you should probably avoid this. See, the genre’s tried and true qualities are sprinkled throughout, with each female roughly falling into one of them. Noire is referred to as a Tsundere, while Blanc is referred to as a Yandere, which means she will stab you. If that isn’t enough, the females call out the name of the move before it is made. Perhaps the fact that an in-game scenario is a clear reference to a famous television program will persuade you. There are numerous similarities, but the padding — there is so much of it – cements it. The story would not be much shallower if a lot of information was omitted. Yes, I admit that’s understandable, but there’s nothing that can keep it from being tiresome. There’s a lot of unnecessary comments that doesn’t add anything to the conversation. It doesn’t create depth or fill out anybody. As I already said, there is a feeling of charisma there, but it is never fulfilled owing to the poor localisation.
I feel this was an easy translation because of the over-explained dialogue and, at times, terrible accent. It loses out on a lot of the complexity in the English language as a result of this. I like the back-and-forth banter, but it would be better if it wasn’t quite so abrasive. There are even fragments that, despite their sharp wit, fall flat owing to sloppy writing. It’s painfully evident that no attempt has been made to facilitate a smooth linguistic change. Some jokes didn’t hit, and the discussions sounded stiff and forced. Take, for example, the horny robot who is afraid of women. While I perceive the humor attempting to be delivered, it fails to do so. Nonetheless, the authors nailed the likeability of the Neptunia females, which is a silver lining. I simply wish that more effort had gone into the actual localization.
Blanc is on his way to get you.
In Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars, one-third of the game involves hack and slash, with each lady performing her best Kill Bill impression. The goal is straightforward: destroy a wicked business and restore peace to Gaminjustri. They do this by slaughtering their opponents with a variety of weapons or by using unique abilities. To use them, I presume they use a stamina bar to avoid spamming. However, one choice made by the creators leads this mechanism to work against you. See, I’m a kamikaze player that enjoys storming into battle and dodging liberally. That is also linked to stamina, therefore I must pick between doing that and practicing a skill. I’d attempt to dodge at times, but I’d always fail. Because opponents have no notice before hitting, guarding isn’t a feasible option. Worse, they spam assaults, resulting in a few unjust fatalities and, by extension, dissatisfaction.
Here’s the issue with abilities: when you use one, you’re susceptible to foes, and they may injure you. Sure, your defense improves and your damage decreases by half, but the total still mounts up. Furthermore, a swarm of enemies might appear out of nowhere at any time. It’s possible to perish from a barrage of thrusts — this happened to me twice. On the surface, this doesn’t seem to be an issue, and I’ll admit that. Only during the postgame challenges or when item use is invalid does it become a true annoyance. At that point, health becomes valuable, and it’s annoying to give away cheap hits due to the lack of invincible frames. I’m guessing the designers were aware of this and made sure there were three on-screen at all times. So the problem is that anything less than a large gathering is boring — the joy is in the slaughtering.
Are they called family jewels since they can be used by all of these close friends?
I was reading a graphic novel while I wasn’t chopping up watermelon ghosts. Another third of Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is dedicated to this genre. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, which is why I focused so heavily on literacy. You either love it or you don’t, and even if the writing is of high quality, there are still nitpicks. To begin with, there are character models for every female, although they are seldom utilized. Instead, during chats, lifeless pictures of them all bounce about. They’re beautifully done, but they don’t adequately convey what’s going on. The conversations would seem more lively if these moments were animated, and body language would assist provide meaning. Alternatively, more character artwork diversity might suffice. Yes, voice acting should assist, but I had trouble understanding the subtleties of Japanese.
A specific number of things are brought in before each stage. In other words, if you have 99 of a certain kind, just 10 of them will join you. If everything is used during the run, there are two options for replenishment: defeating the present region or looting it from an adversary. I seldom had to heal in regular battle as long as I kept it one-on-one, or even two-on-one. Boss battles, on the other hand, are a different matter, particularly that final one. They need quick responses, exacerbating the dodge problem. Every blow comes in quickly, and more often than not, it hits me. There are gems that provide benefits ranging from attack, defense, and hit points to assist ease this. As they level up, so do the perks they bring. If this makes grinding a concern, remember that one gem may be shared across 10 females, so it’s still a consideration, but it’s less so.
Mom, you see, I do have a life!
Finally, the final third of the game is spent scrolling through menus, which there is a lot of. Accepting side tasks, meditation for temporary benefits, the store, formation selection, and so many more can all be done via one interface. There are also no alerts for new side-quests, necessitating a mindful inspection. Again, combining gems to make even more powerful versions is controlled via a menu. Due to the unwillingness to animate anything other than the action scenes, the simulation of speaking with NPCs to acquire personal side-quests is a Goddamn menu. Menu surfing, which is almost irritating, breaks up the quick pace and turns it into absolute boredom. Any adrenaline from fighting is depleted, and any impetus is lost. It’s certainly thoughtless, but it’s no longer harmless entertainment; it’s a duty. If the insane amount of times “menu” isn’t enough of a signal, let me state unequivocally that there is an issue.
As I’ve previously said, the voice acting is adequate, but I lose out on inflections due to the language barrier. The voice is a strong instrument that may differentiate between emotions by changing tone. It’s why I feel that having visual body language, particularly in a dub, would be beneficial. I like the fact that certain sentences are said in English, with profanity always making the cut — and they do it with such passion. The music is also one of my favorites. It’s a fantastic blend of the two games’ distinct styles. With wind instruments like flutes, I like the Japanese influence. One good feature is that they would appear on the globe map’s eastern side. The tracks on the western side were more powerful. I’m not sure whether that was done on purpose, but if it wasn’t, it’s a delightful little coincidence. It didn’t change the experience, but it was an interesting find.
It’s not as if I think you’re cool or something.
Neptunia X Senran Kagura isn’t perfect, yet it fulfills all of my hopes. While the fighting is entertaining, it is only so when there are a lot of enemies in the area. As a result, I can’t help but think that a Musou title, similar to the main Senran Kagura titles, would have been preferable. But, with Tamsoft as a developer, I believe the goal was to capture the Oneechanbara spirit. Due to unusual decisions, such as tying talents and evading to stamina, the quick action is substantially hampered, and the aim is undermined. The character images are undoubtedly eye-catching, and they’re rather sensual — breasts abound. The level design, on the other hand, isn’t filled with dull surroundings reminiscent of the PlayStation 2 period. In the grand scheme of things, these games are seldom masterpieces, but they are always memorable. Besides, it’s occasionally fun to dive into a novel that’s a little out of the ordinary.
I’d even suggest watching Neptunia X Senran Kagura simply to see the craziness. I, on the other hand, only do so if I can find it at a decent price. The whole price isn’t justified.
|
The character models are fantastic. Character images are lovely, but the settings are as sinful as they get. |
The tremendous tedium that surrounds this game can be summed up in one word: “Menu.” Little odd decisions detract from the basic gameplay and fail the creators’ goal of capturing a fast-paced mood. |
|
I appreciate how the music from the east and west ends of the global map differs. Unfortunately, there are no noteworthy music, and although it’s fine to listen to, I’d rather listen to a podcast. |
This is a game that is best played in one-hour or two-hour periods. The enjoyable element is hampered by the same weird decisions that impact the gameplay. The action would slow down just as I was getting into it. |
|
Final Score: 6.0 |
|
On PlayStation 4, Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is currently available.
On the PlayStation 4, the game was reviewed.
The publisher donated a copy of Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars.
As an example:
As if Loading…
Look at these!
Related Tag
- neptunia x senran kagura: ninja wars steam