REVIEW : Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars (PS5)
The Neptunia franchise has almost fully devolved into spinoffs, with their gameplay identity constantly shifting between genres and concepts. That so, it’s been not easy to form an emotional attachment to any of these recent appearances. Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars, on the other hand, is a surprise collaboration hit that has reignited my love for both games.
Neptunia X Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is set in an alternate universe known as the Illusory Dimension, in which the casts of both Neptunia and Senran Kagura coexist. Every country on this planet, known as Gamninjustri (great name), is ruled by a Daimyo, whose wants and conflicts lead to continual strife.
The Senran Kagura and Neptunia females are on opposite sides and frequently fight, but they are undeniably fond of one another. However, Steeme Legion, led by Yoh Gamer, the Master of the Headshot Style, occurs. I wish I could make these names up. The Super Ninja War begins as a result of this intervention.
Here’s a storey that’s worth paying attention to. First, of course, there’s a solid comic foundation, but there’s also the actual effort put into the tale, which leads to a gratifying finish. The stakes are raised, and the protagonist’s and antagonist’s goals provide a gripping journey. Those familiar with the Neptunia and Senran Kagura series would most likely love it the most.
We’re watching the Senran Kagura cast interact with the Neptunia goddesses in the nicest parts of the game.
Strangely, it’s taken this long for these two franchises to meet paths, but I’m delighted it’s finally here. The characters’ interactions feel natural as if they’ve known each other for a long time. Granted, I’d want to see more Senran Kagura characters and the Neptunia sisters in the main tale, but I’ll take what I can get.
Combat is similar to the linear beat-em-ups found in the mainline Senran Kagura titles. It’s also related to Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed and MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies in several ways. Players choose one of two characters to accompany them on missions, which may be switched between at any time. Missions entail navigating linear areas filled with opponents to eliminate. While there are treasure chests and the occasional riddle, genuine advancement requires minimal thought. Fighting is the game’s name here, and there are plenty of mechanics to keep things interesting.
A combatant can have up to four battle skills loaded at any given time, each with its own set of effects, such as raw damage or bonuses. These abilities can be chained together during use, resulting in easy-to-follow, hypnotic combos. Players can only initiate skills when the ‘Trigger’ gauge is on the screen to build up the chain.
It is also necessary to mention the elemental fighting states. Each character can choose to switch into a different posture, which changes the way they fight. The Fire style, for example, boosts attack while lowering defence, whereas the Mountain style renders the player resistant to all damage while protecting. Finally, there are Spirit Gems. These goods are placed on character-specific boards, and they provide various benefits such as enhanced drop rates and offensive capabilities.
These mechanics are simple, but given the small-scale stages, they provide a sufficient level of fighting freedom. There’s a delightful range of mashy action to peruse when considering how unique each character’s general movement and swing speed seem. Furthermore, while button-mashing may usually settle most problems, later boss bouts require some knowledge of their well-designed telegraphs to win. When on a task, only a limited number of things can be used; therefore, all players will have to rely on their skills without conveniences to some extent.
Nonetheless, the level of repetition present throughout the journey is obvious. The locations themselves aren’t particularly noteworthy due to a lack of distinctive designs. Because most of the primary storey is progressed by merely killing enemies and doing nothing else, every area feels the same, regardless of cosmetic differences.
Plus, even when the range of playable characters is taken into account, they aren’t quite enough to prevent boredom from setting in. None of this is to suggest I didn’t have a good time; I did. On the other hand, long play sessions require some background entertainment because they are insufficiently captivating on their own.
The quest system is likewise rife with senseless repetition. These missions are always straightforward, requiring players to battle enemies, locate goods within a certain amount of time, or navigate an area using switches in a highly lite-puzzle approach. The mission maps are overdone in the latter two scenarios, but they do spice up the routine. When I entered another quest that took place in the same region as the previous five, I found myself actively rolling my eyes.
My final, albeit minor, criticism concerns the game’s length. The main plot took me about 15 hours to finish. Even though there is post-game material, I only recommend getting this game when it first comes out if you’re a die-hard Neptunia or Senran Kagura fan.
Game duration rarely equals worth, but given how this title’s advancement lacks creativity and is essentially just a glorified mashing fest, I believe more content may have been included to keep players occupied for a longer period than a simple training minigame. Finally, the lack of an English dub had no bearing on our final score, but it would have been fantastic if it had been included.
