Idea factory has finally released the Nintendo Switch and Xbox versions of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, a spin-off of the long-running Neptunia game franchise under the title Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, which surprises with a full-fledged story campaign that would be worthy of the main series, as well as a new action-based combat system.
Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters a story not to be missed
The story of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters begins with the goddesses Neptune, Noir, Blanc and Vert preparing for a trip to the PC continent in response to a distress call. After some family banter about Neptunia, the four youngest goddess candidates, Nepgear, Uni, Ram and Rom, are left to hold down the fort, so to speak, while their sisters are away.
Trouble soon follows when a horde of monsters is sighted near Planeptune. Histoire sends the four candidates to investigate, which leads to the discovery of a secret laboratory. While investigating the lab, the four encounter a mysterious woman suspended in a capsule. After accidentally releasing the “Grey Sister,” the goddess candidates end up trapped in the capsule, awakening in a vastly changed world two years later.
In this new world, the goddesses have lost much of their strength as the population becomes hooked on a new device called the rPhone. The new device, which suspiciously sounds like a certain Apple product, gains a huge following thanks to its cutting-edge technology and myriad of applications. This causes the console-based goddesses to lose “shares” to the new device, which significantly reduces their power.
A more modern take on the world of Neptunia.
It is an interesting insight into the rise of smartphones and how they have supplanted traditional consoles, particularly in Asian markets. It also symbolizes the battle between handheld devices and smartphones. Just as Neptune, Noir, Blanc and Vert are based on Dreamcast, Playstation, Wii and Xbox, the younger goddess candidates Nepgear, Uni and the twins Ram and Rom are based on Game Gear, PSP and dual-screen Nintendo DS.
The story is easily the strongest point of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters. The narrative is quite complex, to say the least, and emulates the in-depth storytelling of the main Neptunia games. This means lots of comedic bits combined with some touching moments about family bonds and friendship.
A good portion of that narrative is also voiced, making the game almost akin to a visual novel. On the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC (Steam), the story segments look nice and fluid, especially when it comes to the character animations. In addition to the excellent Japanese dialogue, the game also comes with English dubbing that is pretty solid. Having a good amount of dubbing really makes the characters’ personalities shine, and the characters are certainly one of the best parts of any Neptunia game.
Add in a good soundtrack that combines some Eurobeat tunes and old-school JRPGs and you have another excellent entry into the Neptunia narrative. While the story tastes like classic Neptunia comfort food, the gameplay is where Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters mixes in a new flavor.
Gameplay
There are still in-game dungeons where you have to run and explore while encountering a variety of enemies. Combat, however, replaces the classic turn-based fighting of the series with real-time action. I can see the reason for the change, as many JRPG franchises have long been switching to action-based combat to attract a new audience. At the same time, it’s a bit risky, as it could alienate longtime fans of the series.
Basically, you have a three-person team of three active goddesses in your group, and the rest are on standby. During combat, you take control of one of the goddesses, but you can freely switch to the other two at any time. However, the switch should not be made in any way. Instead, it’s best to switch characters in the middle of a combo for a couple of reasons. One is that it allows you to extend combos, which are fueled by AP points. Naturally, three goddesses have more AP than one goddess and switching also allows you to recharge the AP gauges of the other goddesses. Switching at the right time also improves your combos, allowing you to inflict even more damage.
The game begins by placing certain moves in your combo repertoire. However, it’s actually better for players to manually arrange their combo sequences. Some moves, for example, become more powerful if performed after a particular type of move, so you’ll essentially want to time the right combination and sequence of moves to deal the most damage.
In addition, you can use tactical skills to unleash damaging special attacks or heal allies in the middle of battle. Like normal combos, tactical skills can also be changed. Fill up your goddess gauge and you can perform a goddess transformation. In addition to improving your stats, combos also do not require AP while in goddess mode. A goddess transformation can also be completed with a flashy EXE disc.
The action-based system can be quite fun when you get into a rhythm and stun enemies with long chains. At the same time, it can also feel a bit uneven.
Conclusion
Idea Factory and Compile Heart give us yet another dose of Neptnia or rather her sister in Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, with a thoroughly eccentric and unconventional narrative that Neptunia fans know and love. The use of a new action-based combat system can be potentially polarizing, especially since it feels uneven and could use more polish. However, if you love the narrative of the Neptunia games and their characters, the story alone makes it worth playing.