If you're interested in getting the Limited Edition you can do so here: IFI's NA Online Store: store.ifi.games/neptunia-virtual-stars-LE/ Video Games Plus (Canada Only): bit.ly/NVSLE_VGP IFI's European Online Store: bit.ly/NVSLE_EUR
6:17 "I usually default to Vert because of her range..." Me: Yeah, she sure has got "range" up top... :D 6:19 "...not because of her idle animation, it's just a coincidence." Me: *presses X to doubt*
Great review as usual, I feel like you're the only youtuber I can depend on for honest straightforward reviews for these types of games, where lots of other content creators make cheap jokes about the fanservice or anime style :P
Well ... People don't get aroused and ... Play with themselves watching the "fanservice " ? I discover this chanel a few weeks ago and it surprised me how in depth he talks about a game that striped girls and left them in underwear shooting with a gun ... I mean it's so ridiculous and he keep that very serious tone the whole time lol
@@TheSonic497 I know but ... The game play and the story of this types of game it would never match with "serious " games (you name them ) this type of games are just to have fun and rubbing your little friend, Wich is fine I guess, but it's funny to me how serious he takes the analysis
They really need to do something with this series, it went from being cleverly written with a decent amount of character depth....to just extremely formulaic
I have the game and think it's pretty decent, but IF/CH really needs to get on the ball and give us a brand-new entry in the series. By this, I thought Super Neptunia RPG was good, I would like a new Neptunia game in the tradition of the 3-D realm.
I gotta be real. The game is not good... It's pretty mid.. Probably a 4/10, mainly due to gameplay. The system is not particularly engaging once you begin to understand how botched it is. And the story is ok, if you want a fantastic neptunia story? Definitely Vll... I'd even say 4GO is a step above this in terms of story and how the main cast give off their general charm. In this games I'd say they're themselves... But kinda on crack, which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing, depends on the situation... Some times it's good, other times it'll miss the mark.
The game is running on back-pat mode on the PS5 so the lack of PS5-specific upgrades isn't surprising, and I'm pretty sure there is some lack of optimization across the game as there is no way these graphics are too demanding for last-gen hardware, even less current ones.
@16:00 Can confirm in the EU/AUS regions that it shows the EU Flag. Also not sure because I only got the Day 1 edition but it does show the game on the back and doesn't have the quotes from the voice actors.
For a sec I thought you were a being a bit too harsh but you gave the game a fair review and did a really good job explaining your points. They really messed up some stuff they had already done better in previous games... makes me wonder if they had too many development issues because of covid.
Still wary about the gameplay not being for me but I think I'm gonna get it for the story anyway at a later date when it's on sale at like 50 maybe 30 percent off
Thank you YSN for this review. I was on the fence relative to getting this game but because of your review, I am now sold and will get this. Thank you so much. You helped me get into Neptunia in the first place and I really appreciate you. 😊
The PS5 is mostly just emulating PS4 games on PS5 instead of running them natively with PS5 hardware... Some games gets more FPS or better graphics on PS5 but the developers need to have it be developed with PS5 in mind from the start rather then just count on the PS4 emulation of the PS5.
Think of it like this, if the game originally targeted 60fps but couldn't hold it very well on PS4 or PS4 Pro, it would be able to hold it better or perfectly on PS5. Resolutions above 1080p would still need to be Pro Enhanced first and PS5 Enhanced to change the target framerate if the PS4 version targeted 30fps max
Thanks for mentioning that the game isn't dubbed, I won't be in a rush to get it this time around if thats the case since I really love the english cast from these games. Probably get it on a major discount, awesome review.
As there is a cheap offer on "kinguin" at the moment, I started playing it on "Geforce Now", and having played "Re;Birth" 1 and 2 as well as "Megadimension Neptunia VIIR", I really like the game: It's got a refreshing gameplay, and after refining mouse sensitivity and keyboard commands as well as levelling a bit by grinding and collecting VTuber cubes, I didn't have any big problem during the fight scences up to now. The hub is a nice extra and even the graphics seem better than in the main Neptunia series (they look more detailed and shiny - I don't need 60 FPS and 4K)
I deliberately held off buying the LE until your review came out. I was going to buy it Day 1, but was disappointed by the initial reviews. Of course your opinion is more important since you are a huge fan of the series and will give me a more useful impression. I think I'll get it because of the LE and trading card, but otherwise I'd have waited for a sale and only gotten the standard edition.
it is been so long since i last played one of there games i stopped even seeing what they are doing or making i lost all interest because of all of those remakes and reuse of old content but i suddenly had this video pop up and reminded me of this franchise
What'd be nice is if they made a mainline Neptunia game like Cyberdimension. Now that, with real time combat and all the good things, would be amazing.
@@etam8099 The Senran Kagura anime was dubbed, but the games were not, so they'll probably stick to Japanese va's rather than get English voice actors like Felicia, the voice of the main character Asuka.
@@petertilton7004 the games not being dubbed is a gift more than a problem lmao, the anime dub is already atrocious at least leave the games alone since you've already fucked the anime, tho Nep's dub is awesome so it's either a loss in both cases, if the game has a dub, then it's good cause Nep's is really good but SK's sucks shit but if it has no dub then SK will not be fucked anymore but you'll lose the quality of Nep's dub, tho i imagine that Nep's sub isn't bad at all Edit: Asuka main character on the crossover game i hope you meant right?
6:18 "not because of her idle animation. That's just a coincidence" Huh, that's strange because that was the first thing i noticed when i clicked this video and is exactly why i will be playing as her first.
I would use the vtubers through the dungeons and the goddesses on the bosses since its easier to hack and slash the enemies when going through the dungeons since they are smaller plus the skills will kill the entire mob in 1 or 2 uses, then i would switch to the goddess for the boss fights since they are larger and easier to hit plus using the godesses on the bosses your able to continuously deal damage the entire time and arr able to avoid the attacks much easier. Playing the game this way i did not find the game clunky , which i feared it would be before playing it, and was pleasantly surprised and relieved that the combat was fun and smooth for the most part once getting to actually play the game. It is a bit simple and kind of repetitive at times though but not so much so that it deterred me from playing it on any free time i had until I finished the game. The lack of things to do in newgame+ is super disappointing and really kills almost all replayability =/ im a nep fan and never heard of vtubers before this game and i really enjoyed the game. It may even be my favorite spin off so far! I feel like the difference in opinion maybe influenced by the different ways we choose to play the game. If i played the entire game with pretty much only the goddess i would have probably not enjoyed it as much since the flaws in the shooting mechanics are much more notable when fighting through l the dungeons. Sorry for the long comment but i wanted to suggest playing this way to anyone who may have started playing but felt put off by the shooting mechanics of the game. With the way the boss fights are it seems like this is the way they intended it to be played imo but that is just my opinion not to say there is a right or wrong way that is just the way u found it to be the most fun and efficient way for me to play and hope maybe this will change some opinions on how fun the game is if anyone actually reads all of this lol
The only playable real Vtubers (except for Me and You who actually debuted shortly before the game released) in the game in the future are Kizuna Ai and Kiseki Towa. Also, the Vtubers ARE the reason why it doens't have a dub. They had to pay the Vtubers' respective companies for them to appear and IFI already has budget issues in terms of voice acting.
@@fierytigergaming8112 Well, a VTuber getting dubbed has been done before. Ai was dubbed in an anime with Compa's voice actor. Fubuki and Matsuri from Hololive got their cameos in an anime dubbed too.
Never even knew this game existed huh. Guess I'm no longer keeping updated to the franchise anymore. Life has become so busy and hard you start to forget what you always want
It is quite cutscene heavy. It takes around 20-30 minutes after you start the game until the first time you get to control a character. There's a lot of interruptions in the first part of the game too, because you essentially move from one cutscene to the next. Things settle down a bit a few hours in, but it's definitely a game with a lot of cutscenes.
I noticed you didn't mention whether or not there was any Sony Censorship other than the box art, some have mentioned that there wasn't any censorship or removal of content, but I'd rather hear it from a source I trust or see proof of it (not much of that around other than a few comments of people saying it wasn't but I don't trust Sony enough, which is why I'm probably getting the PC version later on).
The game developed after the Sony censorship implemented, so that the dev knows what content they can do,...so unless the game is not developed on PS in the 1st place, the content should be fine as it is
@@Shadowespeon17 Uh, no, not really. The game hardly even used the vtuber aspect in the game. All occurrences where that to pointless camos on loading screens that lasted maybe 30 seconds and some stupid gag videos. I would rather they dubbed the main characters and the two new ones and just leave the cameos on Japanese.
I got the special edition from PSN on PS4, which includes both the game and the soundtrack. Unfortunately, the ost doesn’t work, as everytime I try to play it, it asks for a USB or any storage containing the actual soundtrack. The game itself runs fine for the most part. Gameplay however is the worst yet compared to all other neptunia games. The healing skill breaks the game in half.
dont expect it to be good just because its available for ps5, its originally for ps4, not ps5, although i agree that the performance could be improved.
I gotta be real. The game is not good as a "game". It has serious lighting issues. And you can't adjust the brightness. The gameplay system is sorta broken to where you can just abuse it, which may be the best strat, if you're in a crowded area, expect to get spammed to high hell. Your HP will drop faster than a fly in contact with a can of Raid... Overall, not a fun sandbox system, though the maps are admittedly nice to look at, which still doesn't excuse the poor and disappointing gameplay loop. The V-cube system is fine and you can make yourself a powerhouse if you really invest in the right things.. No issues with the Accesories either... The sidequests are not engaging at all, many of the v-tubers are pretty stiff with their lines, and not very varied, they give this sort of fish in a pond sort of feel, all of it is nice, but it's as shallow as the pond they swim in. But, the slight differences are still refreshing nonetheless. It was ambitious to say the least, but felt a tad half-baked. The issue is mostly the quantity over quality with utilizing the V-tubers. Also, Sure the story isn't bad, but it's also not good this time around. It's hella mid... But the characters are sorta tweaking this time around, which may make up for it a bit. The 4 main neptunia girls sorta carry. And in turn it's like they're amped up cracked out versions of themselves. Which I got a few laughs out of admittedly, but other times, it kinda missed it's mark by a few feet. Ultimately they wanted to sell you on the nep-girls meeting a bunch of V-tubers and forgot to forge a well crafted product. Look at the cash shop too, you can see where the priorities lie. And that's kinda sad, because this game could've been good. I even saw the potential in my 20 hour play through... But it kept frustrating me time and again with how it turned and wasted what potential it did have...
Haha i unboxed that edition on YT when it came out and we got a record player the other day to play the vinyl it was cool! My vinyl looked a lot more marbled and cute though lol
well theres almost no reason to for a spin-off, its not a mainline game and they do have them as costumes, it wouldnt really make the vtubers stand out for the game, of which the whole game is pretty based on vtubers. but if they do have the hdd transformations, i wont complain, love neptunia and vtubers :)
I was questioning the point of there being VTubers, when they didn't appear after being rescued, but then I saw their quests and encouragement during battle
I wanted the ltd edition for my collection but unfortunately with Brexit in EU things are complicated right now when it comes to NIS and IF games... I guess whatever they release now won't sell very well unless they move their offices away from Great Britain first or find a distributor.. even on amazon prices are unreasonably high. Tonight Virtual Stars is at 85 euros for the normal release...
@@YSN yep exactly I am a fan but I am not crazy ;) I bought Death end 2 instead ltd ed. at 45. I did not love the 1st but this one is more horror and little more high budget so let's try it. Plus it's for the collection.. I am missing a few IF games and Death End 2 was one of them ;)
@@mountainmgtow5421 I have the ltd edition of Mary Skelter for Vita and that is one of IF's most interesting games in a long time. Definitely a buy... especially considering it is a dungeon crawler and on switch you don't have lots (the best one being Labirinth of refrain in my opinion... at least currently). Mary skelter is a vita hidden gem and, if I am not wrong, it was the first IF game under the Galapagos umbrella (the horror range with death end request etc...). Death and request 2 also not bad by the way (the first one was a let down but the second sports an addictive story) it will surely come to the switch (Death end request 1 is already on switch but frankly that is a super low budget meh game compared to the second).
Why isn't this on Switch? This is the kind of game I'd like to play on the go. And no-one in Japan even owns a damn PS4! Are the makers of this game allergic to money?
I raised my eyebrow at 'no-one in Japan even owns a damn PS4'; figured that was a really extreme exaggeration. After checking the numbers from 2020 - 2018, though... yeah, you made a good point. The Switch is very handily outselling the PS4 and PS5 and has been for a few years now. That's concerning.
can I play through this without ever having to touch a single Vtuber? I'm only interrested in the neptunia cast... Also, do they not have their HDD mode in this game?
there are some areas in the game where you would have to switch to the vtubers to jump across gaps. apparently the goddesses can't jump dash but the vtubers can
the goddesses simultaneously transform and their hdd forms and it lasts for about 30 seconds or less. It's like a special mode you can activate by defeating a certain number of enemies
Great review! I have the game just need to put it into my PS4 lol kinda glad that the PS4 and PS5 are similar. Sucks that there's no dub. Hope it doesn't become a trend. Noire!
its pretty expected to look similar since its a ps4 game and playing from ps5 with bc, major reason that its sub is the vtubers themselves. might get myself virtual stars when its on offer. not sure how much the limited edition is tho
I might get hate for this, but after seeing some early reviews of this game, Neptunia Virtual Stars is not worth paying $60. I mean for Japanese gamers, who is going to get this game on PS4 since PS4 sales are going down? If they had a Switch port (which I can definitely see happening despite performance issues on CH/IF's previous efforts on their Switch ports) then it would probably sell better since the Switch is selling like hotcakes in Japan. Also, I heard that Steam version had issues with the game starting up. I would definitely wait for a sale, since CH/IF love to make their games cash grabs. Not worth the $60.
I bought this today. I've seen a lot of hate for this game in reviews but I thought it looked fun and after watching your video I thought... hey, I got 2 hours on Steam before I can still refund it. I honestly think it's great! - Sure, it could use a little polish here & there but it's half the price of a regular game and my overall enjoyment of it surpasses most other Neptunia titles so far. I recommend it to all fans of the Neptunia franchise.. just be willing to forgive it for its quirky "rough around the edges" style which IMO doesn't distract from the overall enjoyment. Those outdated front loaded tutorial screens really do need to go, I pray for a more interactive tutorial one day and I thought an English dub would have been nice for the game scenes but I'm willing to cut it some slack for the cheaper price tag. Too many reviews accuse it of being a lazy cash grab but I wholeheartedly disagree, I think a lot of work went into this game and they took a risk. It won't be for everyone.. but it's definitely for me! - Thanks for convincing me to give it a try, it's shaping up to be my favourite spin-off so far.
Thanks for the review. I actually didn't follo this game's development and time to release. I've only read a review from a magazine that had a really bad score. I don't think I will be it after watching your video. I had my problems with Senran Kagura PBS and if this is worse I won't have my fun.
@@etam8099 Coordinating running and shooting at the same time never really worked well for me. I'm not able to hit anything. >_< That's also the reason I don't play modern shooter games at all.
When fighting as the Nep team, the game is so hard to look at. the stupid ZOOM the lock-on forces you to make, combined with the constant flashing of many colors, i can only play this game in short bursts so i can avoid my eyes going pained. (I can play as You and Me without this issue, but sometimes i prefer to use my favorite Goddess, and it's those times my eyes suffer) Lock-on sucks. It barely holds on as you move unlike in PBS. The constant shouting of Nep and the others was so grating on the ears. I only use sound during the cutscenes, and in gameplay... Mute. Nep especially... gave me flashbacks to 'Burn to the Ground!' (megaman X7)
I don't mind the lack of an english dub, I love both the English dub and Japanese voices, but the fact that we don't even get GeGe or Uni or any of the other side characters like MAGES. or Red is disappointing. I ain't big on vtubers but I prefer swordplay to guns anyday so it's a mixed bag for me.
The game is a big dissapointment, I'm a big fan of the Neptunia games, I also like hololive and a few others vtubers but the gameplay simply isn't fun, I would have prefer the usual turn based rpg combat and having some vtubers playable, with such material they could have done way better !