Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation picks up where its predecessor left off, and offers some nifty improvements across the board. It's clear that a lot of care and attention has gone into this game, and while it certainly won't appeal to everyone, we daresay that Gamindustri veterans will be delighted with the offering.

Despite effectively being a game from 2011, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 still provides an enjoyable experience today.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation is an entertaining parody of the video game industry, but as a sequel it offers relatively few gameplay improvements. The RPG’s dialogue is somewhat less over-the-top than that of its predecessor, yet it loses none of its fondness for references and industry in-jokes. The dungeons, however, stand out for the wrong reasons. Their repetitive nature becomes even more noticeable over the course of the game, and the highly passive Stella’s Dungeon feature does little to compensate for this shortcoming. Even when played as a standalone title or with a significant gap after Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1+, the humor is not quite enough to fully offset the weaknesses in the gameplay and dungeon design.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2 SISTERS GENERATION is an improved sequel that modern fans may have missed out on back in the day so it's wonderful that it was re-released for PS4 in the west. If you want some lighthearted RPG fun, you'll love what's in store. 💜

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation is a time capsule of the otaku culture of its time, and an important puzzle piece to understand the evolution of the Neptunia franchise. It took what worked with the previous game and refined it, also daring to change up the story by switching the protagonist - a move that would breathe new life into the entire series moving forward, which has become well-known for twisting a well-known formula by adding something new in each entry. That said, some jokes will come across as outdated to a modern audience, although the core of the franchise is there, and a lot of the comedy still feels spot on, especially for those who were there during the era when this title was released. It is a game that is strongly recommended to revisit for long-time fans, and to be experienced at least once by newcomers, as it is a massive part of the DNA of the Neptuniaverse.

Whilst Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: SISTERS GENERATION just doesn't do enough to make it feel like its own separate game, there's still some enjoyment to be had with this light-hearted RPG.

All in all, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is a well-liked installment in the series for good reason. It introduces some popular characters, it features solid mechanics, it has a great story and one of the most notorious endings in the whole series. Were it not completely superceded by its revamped version Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2, which we’ll talk about in good time, I’d recommend it unreservedly; as it stands, however, the latter version is not only easier to find today thanks to its release on PC, but it’s also a superior experience.

If you can stomach the pandering story situations Neptunia throws at you, or if you happen to actually enjoy it (once again, no judging here), the simplistic-yet-satisfactory RPG mechanics and large amount of content (including quests, optional bosses, unlockable outfits and more) results in a decent RPG experience that's light in commitment, if high in moe calories.

There are still fairly large, sprawling JRPGs with modest budgets, such as Bandai Namco’s Tales games, but Neptunia is still a basic dungeon crawl with the occasional boss fight, punctuated by portrait/text based cut scenes.

It may not be the most difficult JRPG out there, nor does it have the best story we've ever seen. However, if you call yourself a fan of Japanese games and anime, this is not only a game but a franchise that you should try at all costs.