Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online Reviews

While it can be a grindfest, fans of the CPUs will want to check it out just to see how often Noire is referred to as having no friends.

I was so ready for an action RPG entry in the Neptunia series to come along and scratch my itch, but instead it puked on my lap and barely touched the itch. I had so much fun with the story and characters, but with better combat and more consistent performance, this game could’ve been something special.

By offering a simple but fast paced combat system and a storyline that manages to offer plenty of humor alongside delivering a solid enough experience, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online may not be for newcomers but will please longtime fans of the franchise.

Though Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online stands as the strongest spin-off in the series, its shallow combat and uninspired boss fights will likely prevent it from appealing to all but the most hardcore of Neptunia and action RPG enthusiasts.

I have to be honest, people; when it comes to reviewing games, few franchises leave me with less to say than Hyperdimension Neptunia. It’s not that I feel overwhelmingly positive or negative about the series; on the contrary, I find it so middle-of-the-road that it’s difficult to come up with much to say about how one entry compares to the others. For me, it’s one of those “play one, you’ve played them all” sort of things. I’d be hard-pressed to name any one part of any of the other games, as they’ve all blended together into a sort of Neptunian mélange in my brain. Simple turn-based or button-mashing action RPG gameplay; the same few enemies repeated over and over; very goofy game industry, er, Gamindustri, jokes; and bizarre cutscenes that involve a lot of sexual tension between the girls, some of whom look definitively underage.

Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online made me excited for this series' potential again. I took a break and came back to find that, outside of Unreal Engine 4 graphics, the biggest changes were in gameplay and story progression, but the cast of characters, which I feel is the heart of the series, is better than ever in this entry. With solid controls, a variations of quests, multiple dungeons to explore, and many hours of items collecting and level grinding, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online will provide that Nep-tastic adventure that fans have been waiting for while at the same time slowing down in certain parts for new fans to jump in and acquaint themselves with the Goddesses.

Even new technology and online features can't save Cyberdimension Neptunia from being a dull, forgettable experience. There are trappings of a good game here, and while the tone is consistent with other Neptunia games, Cyberdimension Neptunia's execution leaves much to be desired.

A huge graphical overhaul and a nice script helps the series keep its charm, but it doesn't solve some of the inherent issues therein.