TL;DR
Neptunia Virtual Stars drops you into Virtualand to fight the Anti, a threat to all "Content." You'll join virtual goddesses to save the planet and rescue live-streamers turned V-Cubes. While the anime visuals and soundtrack are a plus, the game is heavily bogged down by excessive, unskippable dialogue that overshadows its repetitive combat and level design. Despite a promising premise, the overwhelming story segments make gameplay a chore. Curious if the positives outweigh the negatives for you? Dive into the full review!
Neptunia Virtual Stars is set in Virtualand, an alternate dimension comprised of virtual planets possessing the unique ability to generate a resource known as “Content.” The peaceful planet EMO becomes targeted by the Anti, a malevolent entity seeking to obliterate all Content. Coincidentally, a group of Earth-based live-streamers are transported to EMO, inadvertently becoming targets themselves as the Anti transforms them into data packets called V-Cubes. In response, the virtual Goddess Fair issues a distress signal, tasking you with the responsibility of saving EMO from the Anti and rescuing the V-Tubers along with the rest of the planet.
As the premise suggests, Neptunia Virtual Stars is a Japanese title and the latest installment in its series. The trailer initially piqued my interest; the blend of shooter, hack-n-slash, and role-playing elements seemed compelling. However, upon playing, the game unfortunately did not fully meet these expectations.
In my review of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy, I noted the excessive amount of dialogue required before gameplay commenced. Neptunia Virtual Stars surpasses even that. Approximately twenty minutes of unskippable dialogue precede any actual gameplay. While acknowledging this as a common characteristic of Japanese role-playing games, the inability to skip this extended introduction detracts significantly from the initial user experience, particularly for players eager to engage with the core mechanics.
Following the initial dialogue sequence, the first level introduces aesthetically pleasing anime-style graphics and well-executed animations. The soundtrack also contributes positively to the overall experience, integrating with the combat mechanics in a compelling manner.
However, engagement diminishes rapidly. After a brief combat sequence, another lengthy dialogue section ensues. All dialogue is presented in Japanese with English subtitles, requiring constant reading and comprehension to progress, potentially posing a barrier for players unfamiliar with this format.
Ultimately, Neptunia Virtual Stars did not resonate with me. The sheer volume of dialogue overwhelms the gameplay, which itself suffers from repetitive level design, both visually and in terms of challenge. The anticipation of further dialogue sequences overshadows any potential enjoyment of exploration or combat.
Despite its shortcomings, I cannot definitively classify Neptunia Virtual Stars as a complete failure. The game exhibits technical competence with appealing graphics, a strong soundtrack, and an intriguing premise. Therefore, the final assessment is a tentative approval.
