REVIEW : Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP (PC)
It’s likely that the term “Top Nep” has some meaning for you if you’re a fan of the Neptunia series. If not, it’s alright too. I won’t delve into its history or anything, but it’s a meme. And aside from giving folks a reason to upload photographs of Neptune (and occasionally other characters as well) wearing a large, silly hat with the words “TOP NEP” emblazoned on it, it doesn’t symbolise anything. That was the case up until yesterday when Dimension Tripper Neptune: Top Nep was made available.
What if we built a Neptunia shitpost video game but put some work into it rather than making it purposely bad? That is the best way I can think of to explain DTN: Top Nep. That might not always be a good thing. After all, generally speaking, making fun of your product isn’t the best course of action. But Neptunia has always been fundamentally committed to the idea that nothing is sacred, and this approach served them well in this particular game.
I’m confident that the majority of you are familiar with Space Harrier. But if you don’t, allow me to explain to you. Sega created the arcade game Space Harrier, which was first made available in 1985. Space Harrier was distinctive even though it was just a straightforward rail shooter because it used a special camera angle that made it appear as though you were flying directly behind your character on the screen. If you weren’t used to them, it made things a little complicated, but overall, it was fun. You might be wondering why I’m informing you about this, though. Simple—because Top Nep is Space Harrier with Neptunia characters instead, according to DTN. That’s, yeah, pretty much it, I guess.
So, as I’ve already stated, DTN: Top Nep is a close clone of Space Harrier. Through five different stages, players will control Adult Nep as they fly by, blast through, and slice up a variety of well-known Neptunia adversaries. Although the game lacks a conventional power-up system, by gathering enough of the coins strewn around each level, players can temporarily enlist the assistance of one of the CPU goddesses, which essentially doubles your firepower. Players also have health, so they are not concerned about being a one-hit-wonder.
This game probably won’t be able to quench your appetite for danger if you’re seeking anything challenging. Even though I don’t think I’m all that good at games like this, I was able to complete the full game in my first playthrough without dying (which only takes around 15 to 20 minutes). Fortunately, there is a Hard Mode available for those thrill-seekers out there. Even while there aren’t many changes—the most noteworthy one being that you no longer regain all of your health between levels—the game is still genuinely enjoyable, and I soon found myself striving to beat my previous bests.
Fortunately, DTN: Top Nep still feels like its own thing despite sharing numerous similarities with a long-gone Sega game. This is mostly due to the way it was designed; flying as Adult Neptune is an interesting experience (even if it doesn’t mean much), and the art and sound design for the story are just fantastic. Even though I wasn’t aware of my desire for a chiptune rendition of “Will be Venus,” I’m delighted this game presented it to me. Even though the game is brief, it is a fun journey all the way through. Beyond what I’ve already written, there isn’t much to say about Dimension Tripper Neptune: Top Nep. It is a brief, incredibly gorgeous rail shooter with arcade-style controls that plays very similarly to Space Harrier. However, I do believe that this might be one of the rare Neptunia games that attract a larger audience than usual.
REVIEW : Neptunia Shooter (PC)
