Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 is a complete remake of the first game of the satirical jRPG series, whose heroines are personifications of consoles and Japanese game developers. Originally released in 2010 on PlayStation 3, it was produced by Compile Heart studios and Idea Factory. The game turned out to be so popular that in just three years from the premiere it had two fully-fledged continuations and one side title. Due to quite large interest, the creators decided that it is worth improving the first installment of the series, criticized even by fans for a completely unsuccessful combat system and uninteresting gameplay, and release it on PC and PSV. The creation of the port was entrusted to the Felistella studio, responsible for jRPG games from the Summon Night series.

Plot

The core of the story presented in the title has not changed much and is identical to the original from PlayStation 3. The main character is an energetic girl named Neptune, who is the embodiment of the never-released Sega console codenamed Neptune. Like her friend Noire, who represents PlayStation 3, Blanc (Wii) and Vert (Xbox 360), she rules her own country and acts as its warden. The security of all nations is threatened by a dangerous organization that seeks to spread piracy and overthrow the rulers. In addition to Neptune's adventures, the Re;Birth version includes completely new scripts and scenes, as well as story fragments that were available in the released DLC.

Mechanics

In the case of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 we are dealing with a traditional jRPG, full of absurd humour. It is often very specific because it refers to Japanese culture or knowledge of the various tropes and clichés known from games or anime. The game features numerous cut-scenes resembling those from visual novels (animated 2D portraits of characters and texts in windows). We spend a lot of time exploring various underground and closed locations and fighting with enemies. Compared to the original, where the levels were simple and boring corridors, the creators improved and diversified them, introducing many previously absent elements and surprises.

The turn-based combat system, which was borrowed from the third installment of the main series, has undergone a complete change. It allows up to eight heroines to participate in battles. Only four of them take participate directly, the remaining ones play a supporting role, influencing the statistics of those on the battlefield. We can move around the 3D arenas without any turns. All attacks have their range. The basic ones are assigned to three buttons and depending on the order in which you press them, you can build special combos. Some characters may undergo transformations, turning into their stronger, "divine" form. We "pay" for it with the points gained during a battle.

Technical aspects

The graphics design on PC and PSV represents a level similar to that offered by the third game from which the developers borrowed character models and their animations. The graphics are very colorful, but apart from the characters themselves, the environment lacks details that would make it an eye-catcher.

Last updated on 29 February 2024