Neptunia Virtual Stars Reviews
Neptunia Virtual Stars is a tough game to recommend even for the fans. The regular cast of characters remains as engaging as ever, while the newcomers fit in quite nicely. The story is a nice take on parodying the current state of the internet using the unique viewpoint that the series has carved for itself. Beyond the overly long cut scenes, the gameplay is dull despite the variety that the title and minigames try to provide. While this game won't attract any newcomers, hardcore fans might want to dabble with this after a very deep discount.
Neptunia Virtual Stars serves up the same zany storytelling that you’ve come to expect from the series mixed with third-person shooting and hack-and-slash action. While the gameplay shows flashes of promise, the overall experience is stymied by the game’s basic level design, uneven difficulty and poor AI for whichever partner you are not controlling. While the game might be a pass for most, it might still be worth getting for hardcore Neptunia fans for the dialogue alone, which remains hilariously on point.
The inclusion of popular Vtubers' isn't enough to save Neptunia Virtual Stars, as it ends up being an underwhelming mess that fails to deliver.
With most story elements already being done somewhere else, and average at best, almost unplayable at worst gameplay, this is definitely not one recommended unless you’re a massive anime fan waiting for something new to come out.
Neptunia Virtual Stars ends up coming on stage as one of the poorer entries in the Neptunia franchise.
Underneath the fan service and incessant yammering during battles, you have a mindless, fun dungeon crawler that’s full of wit and charm. Yes, the environments and plot are stale and it can feel like a slog at times, but the self-awareness and comedy of the script acknowledges these issues constantly. This is perhaps why I kept playing. It may feel like a cheap solution to acknowledge your flaws so brazenly without attempting to fix them, but for the most part, I have to admit that it works. Overall, I’d say that, in spite of the repetitive levels, the gorgeous art style and the characters are enough to keep you invested until the final credits roll.
The developers tried to do a little too much and made an unpolished game as result.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is not a bad game. Thanks to the light narrative, fans of the series will find here an opportunity to quell the longing for Neptune and his gang, who remain as charismatic as ever. However, the difference in gameplay between the protagonists ends up causing an imbalance that should not be ignored, and the very inclusion of VTubers seems shallow when looking at the product as a whole. Therefore, it is necessary to keep expectations in check; that way, walking around the planet Emote and flirting with the idol career will probably be much more enjoyable.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Neptunia Virtual Stars is, in short, a title that tries to accomplish too many things and the result is disastrous in every aspect. Fans of the Neptunia series or V-Tubers may find some brief fun moments, but the gameplay has structural issues so serious that it is hard to recommend this title to anyone.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Those looking to spend more time with the goddesses will at least enjoy more of their humour, and VTuber fans will likely get a kick out of their cameos. However, gameplay is very much lacking, with everything being done considerably better elsewhere, and ultimately, as an overall experience, Neptunia Virtual Stars remains a disappointment.
I honestly had a great time with Neptunia Virtual Stars. The Goddesses were in top form and the new characters were an amazing addition to the cast I already loved. Seeing a lot of my favorite Hololive VTubers here was a lot of fun, and I found new girls to check out from other groups as well. The gameplay was nothing groundbreaking, but I had a lot of fun playing around with all the girls’ different attacks and play styles. The lack of English dub will turn some folks off, but this soundtrack is one of the best they’ve ever done. I put about 26 hours into this one to get the Platinum Trophy, but you could put a bit more in if you want to finish off some of the crazy extra bosses the game has to offer. At the $49.99 price tag, this one is a must for fans of Neptunia or VTubers. Folks wanting a fun action game or someone curious about the whole VTuber craze will likely find something to love here as well.
There is some fun to be had with the cast of girls here but just don’t expect to come away from it feeling like you experienced something that you haven’t seen before.
Very little of Neptunia Virtual Stars makes it a franchise entry worth playing. Simplicity here lacks the success of other entries, instead offering something clunky and dull. Consider this a Neptunia title barely meant for die-hard fans and no one else.
Whilst it’s always good seeing the Nep try something new, shooting doesn’t look to be her forte with misses here & there
Neptunia Virtual Stars is rough around the edges, but it's surprisingly fun to play and charming in its own way once you get used to it.
Ultimately, Virtual Stars is a really timely take on the current state of social media and gaming, and just how digital interactions work nowadays. Very relevant given what has recently happened with some JP Vtubers, it's great to see some of this talent reaching Western audiences, even if only as a few snippets. There's even a TV in the main hub that plays Vtuber clips you can watch. If you enjoy the Neptunia franchise, Vtubers, or just looking for an anime inspired shooter/hack and slasher, I really do implore you to check out Neptunia Virtual Stars.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is best served to either VTuber fans, Neptunia fans, or both. There's little appeal here for other types of gamers. There are many, many better third-person shooters out there, and plenty of JRPGs worthy of a huge timesink. At least you'll get a full-length, fully-voiced adventure for your trouble with Neptunia Virtual Stars, but unless you've really got a thing for the VTube lifestyle mixed with hyper-cuteness, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.
That said, nearly everything about Neputnia Virtual Stars just feels like half-assed fanservice for the sake of fanservice. The gameplay – while somewhat competent – feels undercooked, the story is flat out boring, and the presentation doesn’t do much to salvage the first two. The inclusion of VTuber content is dim bright spot, but it’s not bright enough to bring this game up to any sort of recommendation. Prospective players should just skip this one, and Neptunia fans deserve better than this disappointment.
Compile Heart still seems on the right track, but the Neptunia franchise needs to meet higher standards or it will be quickly left behind by the AA competition.