Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2, like the first game in the series, takes place in Gameindustri which is a world where the four major areas are based off the current game consoles. The story itself is basically a spoof on the console wars and it can be very funny at times referencing not only games on each console but also some pop culture references. This time around you will play as younger sisters who set out on an adventure to save their other sisters.
When you are in a dungeon you can see the enemies on the screen as they stroll around. It kind of works like Persona 3 or 4 really, you can see them and can swing at them with a weapon for a first strike. But take care not to let them get behind you or they will get a back attack on you. You will collect items in each dungeon, and some of them will be usable and some you will use for item synthesis back in town.
While in town you will notice that there is a chirper menu. This is kinda a spoof on twitter as it shows each person in town talking like in a tweet box. By clicking on this box you can talk with the various NPCs around town and also members of your party alike. Sometimes these will trigger events and different things occur like sometimes it will raise your “lily” rank (more on that later) with that character or it may give you some different items or skills. You can also accept guild quests while in town. These will do two different things, they will move the world shares around which will affect the game’s ending and also they will give you a bounty upon completion which includes items and cash.
The game’s combat system really shines. It is a turn based approach and each round you move each of you character into range to attack. You earn two kinds of points each round, SP and AP, and while normal attacks consume SP, each landed attack builds up your AP so you can pull off some awesome special moves. You setup your attacks by assigning them to different buttons on the controller. When certain conditions are met, the girls will perform an EX Attack. These attacks cause more damage and your AP gauge builds up even faster. The CPU candidates, just like their older sisters, can transform using HDD mode. This will consume some AP each round but provides major stat bonuses. The game also features what they call a lily rank system which is basically an affection system that is dependent on how well the girls like each other. By partnering up certain girls together they will be able to execute some powerful combo attacks.
FINAL VERDICT
Overall this game is a lot of fun. It never takes itself too seriously but it does not have to either. With tons of weapons, costumes, and items to customize your characters, and with a ton of hilarious events and several different endings, there is plenty in the game to keep you coming back for more.
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Oprainfall’s Review System:
- 5 Stars- A Must Own Game. Games don’t get much better than this. We recommend you buy it if you can.
- 4 Stars- A Great Game. It’s not perfect, but it’s close. If you like the genre, you should like this game.
- 3 Stars- A Good Game. This game may have some flaws, but is enjoyable. Give it a try, you might like it.
- 2 Stars- A Poor Game. There is something off about this game. Fans of the series or genre might like it.
- 1 Star- A Bad Game. There are obvious flaws that keep the game from being enjoyable. We cannot recommend this game.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2 Available on Amazon today for the PS3!
