Megadimension Neptunia VII

Megadimension Neptunia VII

North American cover art
Developer(s) Idea Factory
Compile Heart[1]
Publisher(s)
Artist(s) Tsunako
Manamitsu
Composer(s) Kenji Kaneko
Yoshitaka Hiroda
Takeshi Toriumi
Tsutomu Narita
Chihiro Fujioka
Takeshi Abo
Series Hyperdimension Neptunia
Platform(s) PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)

PlayStation 4

  • JP April 23, 2015[2]
  • NA February 2, 2016
  • EU February 12, 2016[3]

Microsoft Windows

  • WW Summer 2016
Genre(s) Role-playing

Megadimension Neptunia VII (新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌVII Shin Jigen Game Neptune Victory II, "New Dimension Game Neptune Victory II" in Japan) is a Japanese role-playing game in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series of role-playing games, for the PlayStation 4.[4][5] It was released in Japan on April 23, 2015, North American territories on February 2, 2016, and European territories on February 12, 2016.

Gameplay

The game features a new battle system with a different combo structure to previous games, although some similarities still exist. The gameplay places strong emphasis on the positioning of characters.[6] Each goddess character has a "Next Form", which is an additional transformation phase on top of their existing goddess transformations; these forms cause changes to combat style, in addition to character personality changes.[7][8]

Plot

The game is separated into three individual chapters with different stories for each dimension, each with a unique title:[9]

Zerodimension Neptunia Z: Twilight of the Desperate CPU

With the era of peace continuing throughout the world of Gamindustri, Neptune, the ruling Console Patron Unit (CPU) and Nepgear, her sister and CPU Candidate of the nation of Planeptune (Sega) resume their lives of laziness despite warnings from their Oracle, Histoire, that the world is entering the 'CPU Shift Period' where the public will attempt to discredit and oust their CPUs in favor of newcomers. However, before Neptune and Nepgear can prepare, they stumble across an old Sega Dreamcast console which, when activated, transports the pair to an alternate dimension; the Zero Dimension.

Upon discovering this new dimension is a ruined wasteland inhabited only by monsters, the two are surprised to find a survivor, Uzume Tennouboshi, who is also a CPU. Neptune and Nepgear learn that, like Uzume, they are unable to transform to unlock their true powers in this world due to the absence of Shares (faith from the people) and so the trio journey across the land to locate fragments of power known as Share Crystals which they use to empower themselves enough to reclaim the land from the invading monster hoard.

Neptune and Nepgear learn from Umio; Uzume's sentient fish-monster friend, that Uzume has unique abilities that may trigger when the party needs them most, and that she is also an amnesiac who remembers nothing of her people or the calamity which destroyed her world but believes it to be the work of a giant known as Dark Purple. Uzume's abilities soon begin to benefit the party by granting them Shares from friendly monsters, food, and finally the ability to seal Dark Purple in a pocket dimension; the Sharing Field, where the party are able to defeat her.

Nepgear begins repairs on a transportation device to send herself and Neptune home but the facility is attacked by Arfoire; a powerful CPU-like sorceress with a lust for destruction. Nepgear successfully sends Neptune home but remains behind to defend Uzume from Arfoire's forces, though the two are forced to abandon their post and retreat. Back home, Neptune finds Histoire incapacitated due to her being an artificial life-form who overloaded as a result of her linking the two dimensions to bring Neptune home. With intel from the other CPUs, Neptune sets out to find an ancient artifact belonging to the original CPU of Planeptune which can reboot and upgrade Histoire. Neptune acquires the artifact from a hidden dungeon and begins to restore Histoire, hoping she can bring Nepgear home.

Meanwhile, in the Zero Dimension, Nepgear and Uzume attempt to regroup at Uzume's base but are intercepted by Arfoire. Fortunately, the two are able to defeat and capture her with assistance from an alternate, older Neptune. The older Neptune reveals that she is a dimension traveler who comes from a Planeptune under the rule of Plutia (a close friend from the previous game) who came to the Zero Dimension with the power of Croire (a dimension-crossing antagonist, also from the previous game) after capturing her, though Croire has since escaped.

Arfoire manages to escape by manipulating the party and tracks down Croire, resulting in a formidable new alliance. The party are unable to defeat Arfoire who has stolen power from Croire to boost her own, but successfully recaptures Croire. With her enhanced abilities, Arfoire frees Dark Purple from the pocket dimension and fuses with it, though the party are able to re-confine the fused deity by boosting Uzume's powers with Planeptune's shares, creating a cross-dimensional portal in the process. Neptune rejoins the party through the portal and aids the group in destroying the giant deity, though the portal's temperamental nature causes Neptune and Nepgear to return home after the battle, and a heartwarming farewell to their new friend Uzume. Uzume and Umio plan to rebuild their world, though the older Neptune's fate is left uncertain.

Hyperdimension Neptunia G: The Golden Leaders, Reconstructors of Gamindustri

Several days later, the CPUs hold a meeting to discuss the CPU Shift Period which is now in full effect. Vicious slander pollutes the media and internet regarding the CPUs, resulting in Shares disappearing at an alarming rate. The CPUs agree to work together to unite Gamindustri and regain public faith by hosting a week-long festival. The festival proves largely successful until the final day when the CPUs hold a friendly battle tournament. The tournament is interrupted by a mysterious group known as Gold Third who challenges and swiftly defeats the CPUs. After their humiliating defeat, the world is engulfed in an ominous white light.

The CPUs awaken several days later in their respective nations, only to find that the public have forgotten them and each of the four members of Gold Third now rule the four nations. The CPUs each return to their respective Basilicoms (CPU Headquarters) followed by the CPU candidates to assess each nation's situation. Though they attempt to keep in contact by cell-phone, networks prove unstable. Vicious new monsters have also been reported throughout Gamindustri, as well as four mysterious golden towers.

Neptune reunites with her old friend IF; a guild agent, and follows her on a mission investigating a mysterious new crime syndicate known as AffimaX. IF attempts to abandon Neptune having forgotten her entirely, though her memories return when Neptune rescues her from Arfoire who is revealed to have survived and escaped from the Zero Dimension. The two friends defeat Arfoire, however she is rescued by Steamax; a cyborg ninja from AffimaX. The two return to Planeptune as a handful of citizens regain their memories, including Neptune's other friend Compa; a local nurse. The three head to the Basilicom where Histoire welcomes them home and reveals that B-Sha from Gold Third is an even lazier leader than Neptune, and is also afraid of monsters.

Histoire suggests Neptune and B-Sha rule Planeptune together, with B-Sha policing the city and Neptune slaying the growing number of monsters outside. Later, the party capture the mouse-mascot Warechu; an AffimaX thief and video-game pirate, who is interrogated for information on AffimaX. In an effort to woo Compa, Warechu reveals the names of several AffimaX members, including himself, Arfoire, Steamax and their leader, the capitalist General Affimojas. Steamax infiltrates the Basilicom, frees Warechu and steals Neptune's dimension-crossing Dreamcast. The party chase after and defeat Steamax, but are forced to join forces with him to stop a brainwashed Warechu and B-Sha who are attacking Planeptune, though Steamax escapes with the Dreamcast after the battle.

Noire returns to Lastation (Sony) with her sister Uni only to find she is a wanted criminal. Noire is forced to leave Uni behind and run from her pursuers until she collapses from exhaustion at the capital. Fortunately, Noire is rescued and nursed back to health by a girl named K-Sha. The two become best friends and K-Sha reveals Lastation's Gold Third leader resigned and a corrupt mercenary group called The Order is now in charge of Lastation. Noire tries to aid Lastation by defeating the new monsters which are attacking civilians but risks capture by being in the public eye. Eventually, Noire is tracked to K-Sha's location and K-Sha is interrogated to reveal Noire's whereabouts. Noire surrenders to save her friend, though Uni soon arrives and breaks Noire out of jail. The two return to K-Sha, who becomes increasingly jealous of Noire's close relationship with her sister.

Steamax, using the name 'Jiro', meets Uni for the first time and takes a liking to her. After a mysterious voice persuades K-Sha to remove Uni from their relationship, K-Sha challenges Uni to a fight to the death at the golden tower, with Noire being the prize. At the tower, K-Sha reveals the truth that she is Lastation's Gold Third member and is also in love with Noire. Noire takes Uni's place in the dual to spare Uni and wins, sparing K-Sha, resulting in the two agreeing to be friends. Later, the tower is attacked by The Order, hoping to cut off K-Sha's power source; the crystal on the top floor. The three defeat the order but Uni is poisoned by a chemical weapon. K-Sha saves Uni's life by creating a vaccine from her own blood, but turns hostile again afterwards and is defeated once again. Realizing her power is driving her insane, K-Sha destroys the crystal herself and the three agree to try being friends again.

In Lowee (Nintendo), Blanc is rescued from a monster by C-Sha of Gold Third. C-Sha claims she has no memory of their prior battle and tells Blanc about the harsh class system in Lowee and the restrictive travel and employment laws. Blanc joins C-Sha and becomes a hunter and helps the struggling citizens whilst searching the land for her sisters, Ram and Rom. C-Sha is approached by a politician named Azna=Leb and tasked with assassinating Blanc, but she refuses. After reuniting with Rom and Ram on a rescue mission, Blanc is approached by Azna=Leb and tasked with investigating C-Sha following troubling allegations against her. Blanc questions her friend and C-Sha apologetically reveals the truth, that she is the Gold Third leader of Lowee and is the source of the monster outbreak as her powers randomly release an uncontrollable red mist which summons monsters against her will.

C-Sha is arrested by Azna=Leb's agents despite Blanc's protests of her innocence. C-Sha is sentenced to execution but releases the red mist which summons an army of monsters to attack Lowee, allowing her to escape with help from her friend Financier. Ram and Rom evacuate the citizens whilst Blanc attempts to stop the monsters alone. When all hope seems lost, Financier arrives with reinforcements in the form of Ram, Rom, C-Sha and the Hunters Guild. After liberating Lowee, C-Sha reclaims her position of ruler and arrests Azna=Leb who she left in charge in her absence, and then abolishes the harsh laws and class system which he set in place. Afterwards, C-Sha climbs her golden tower and destroys the crystal at the top to remove her powers and the red mist, but instead becomes possessed by the mist. After Blanc, Ram and Rom defeat her, the four return to their duties in Lowee.

Vert, the CPU of Leanbox (Microsoft) returns home to learn from the new leader, S-Sha of Gold Third, that Leanbox is under attack by outside invaders as well as an army of demons. Vert immediately joins the military in order to save Leanbox and is sent to the front lines where she learns that Leanbox's entire army has been wiped out by a curse that turns them into pigs. After defeating an outside invader; a battle robot believed to be from Lastation, Vert is dispatched to defeat another invader but instead encounters Nepgear who offers her support. Together, the two defeat another battle robot which Nepgear reveals that whilst it was made from Lastation parts, it was actually built within Leanbox.

The two return to S-Sha to suggest an internal rebellion but S-Sha cold-shoulders them. Later, Vert is contacted by a woman named E-Sha who begs her to stop S-Sha's scheme. S-Sha promises to return Leanbox to Vert after they defeat the demon king, but she disappears soon after the mission is accomplished. The party follow her to Leanbox's golden tower which is revealed to be the source of her power. The party battles through S-Sha's allies, including older Neptune who reveals she has joined AffimaX. E-Sha manifests as an alternate personality within S-Sha's body which S-Sha intends to create a new vessel for by sacrificing a million cursed Leanbox citizens. Older Neptune causes the ritual to fail by misplacing a pig and the party is able to convince S-Sha to live in harmony with E-Sha after defeating her in battle.

With the nations now at peace, Neptune journeys with IF and Compa to reunite the CPUs. After recruiting Nepgear, Vert, Noire, Uni, Blanc, Ram and Rom, the party return to Planeptune to plan their next move against AffimaX. The party learn the location of AffimaX's base of operations; an aerial fortress, which they successfully infiltrate. AffimaX, however, is disbanded, as Affimojas refuses to hand the Dreamcast over to Arfoire, resulting in her leaving with older Neptune. Affimojas also dismisses Steamax having learned of his feelings for Uni, though Steamax stays behind to defend his oldest friend from the CPUs, but is inevitably defeated. Affimojas is able to fend off the CPUs but is then defeated by them when they transform into their 'Next Form'; a new power given to them by Gold Third.

Heartdimension Neptunia H: Trilogy Finale: Into Legend

After returning to Planeptune with Affimojas and Steamax in tow, a giant wormhole opens above Gamindustri. The four CPUs manage to safely explore the wormhole by navigating an extra-dimensional maze, followed from a distance by a worried Nepgear and Uni. After noticing an incoming monster hoard which Neptune recognizes from Zero Dimension, she stops their advance by destroying the passageway with an explosive. Suddenly, Uzume appears and summons Dark Purple, who then abducts the four CPUs. Nepgear and Uni witness the event and return to Histoire to plan a rescue mission. Histoire reveals that the CPUs were taken to the Zero Dimension but the party should be able to follow by using the Dreamcast since the passageway was destroyed earlier. After sparring with Nepgear, Uni, Ram, Rom, Compa and IF, the four members of Gold Third agree to join the rescue mission.

In Zero Dimension, the party interrogate Uzume who denies any knowledge of abducting the CPUs and joins the party to aid in the investigation. Umio reports an anomaly to the northeast where the party find Uzume's doppelganger who reveals her plan to fuse the Zero Dimension and the Hyper Dimension (Neptune's reality) by using her four golden towers as an anchor point, which would plunge the new world into ruin and despair. She then escapes to a third dimension; Heart Dimension, by opening a portal. The party follow her through the portal where they find a fragmented world made from memories and dreams. Nepgear, Uni and Uzume leave the party to rest whilst they explore the area and rescue older Neptune from Arfoire, and destroy her once and for all.

Older Neptune reveals she was a double-agent who joined AffimaX to aid the party from the shadows by stopping S-Sha's ritual and leaving the doppelganger's portal open. The doppelganger, who older Neptune refers to a 'Kurome', ordered Arfoire to kill her after learning the truth. With older Neptune back in the party, the group explores Heart Dimension and learn that Kurome has the power to induce both nightmares and false happiness, which she is using to corrupt the CPUs like she did previously to Affimojas and Gold Third. She also partially re-wrote the timeline to make the public forget, and thus weaken, the CPUs, but newly acquired Shares are cancelling its effects. The party witness the CPUs' fantasies; with Neptune wanting praise and her nation's happiness, Noire wanting to be a successful voice-actress and socialite, Blanc wanting large breasts and Vert wanting younger sisters who are actually clones of herself.

The party track down Kurome, who reveals she is a spirit of the real Uzume; an old CPU of Planeptune who volunteered to be sealed in Heart Dimension by Histoire after unintentionally harming her people having failed to control her powers. There, she came to resent humankind who shunned her and became a wandering spirit, whilst a fragment of her power; her conscience, took on a new life in the connected Zero Dimension, as the new Uzume. Kurome then unleashes the corrupted CPUs on the party who attempt to kill their own sisters but, after an intense battle, Uzume succeeds in cancelling out Kurome's mind-controlling negative energy with Share energy. Kurome reveals that Uzume's growing power also increases her own, allowing her to physically manifest in the Hyper Dimension, leaving the party to battle her latest giant; Dark Green, who they successfully manage to destroy, along with several CPU clones.

A flashback reveals that Umio is a reincarnation of the old Uzume's lover, though he retains no memories of this. The CPU candidates and Gold Third follow Kurome to Hyper Dimension whilst the CPUs, IF, Compa and older Neptune remain in Heart Dimension where they attempt to defeat Kurome by destroying her 'heart' with Share energy. Croire intervenes and summons Dark White to destroy the CPUs, though the party emerges victorious and re-captures Croire. The Hyper Dimension party are attacked by Kurome in an attempt to seize the Dreamcast, which she reveals contains another fragment of Uzume's soul, though the party defeat Kurome's Dark Black CPU and chase Kurome back to the Heart Dimension. There, the two parties regroup to attack Kurome head-on, though Kurome fuses with all four Dark CPUs to become Dark Orange; the ultimate Dark CPU, who is now powerful enough to disable Uzume's Sharing Field.

Uzume is able to reopen the Sharing Field by draining power from the original Share Crystal; her and Kurome's life-force. The party successfully destroy Dark Orange in the Sharing Field, though Kurome orders her monsters to destroy Hyper Dimension before disappearing. With Hyper Dimension facing annihilation, Uzume orders Nepgear and Neptune to destroy the original Share Crystal, which will erase herself, Kurome, Zero/Heart Dimension and the monster hoard. With no alternative, Neptune and Nepgear comply to save their world. Uzume buys the party enough time to evacuate themselves and the friendly monsters, including Umio, back to Hyper Dimension. Zero/Heart Dimension disappears and the party return home with heavy hearts. Post credits scenes reveal that the monster hoard never reached Hyper Dimension. Later, Neptune and Nepgear are visited by Uzume's spirit, who promises to always watch over them.

Characters

DLC characters

Development

The game was first announced on March 16, 2014 during the "Game no Dengeki Kanshasai 2014" stage event in Akihabara, alongside Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed.[14][15] On June 16, 2014 it was announced that the game would be a PS4 exclusive.[16] Compile Heart initially considered releasing each of the three chapters as separate games, and as a result different title logos were created for each story.[6] The game is produced by Naoko Mizuno, alongside director Shingo Onodera and character artist Tsunako.[17]

As part of a promotional collaboration with Makai Shin Trillion, costume DLC for the outfits of Makai Shin Trillion characters will be released for the game on July 23, 2015.[18]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings68.87%[19]
Metacritic71/100[20]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid6.5/10[21]
Famitsu32/40[22]
Hardcore Gamer3/5[23]

Megadimension Neptunia VII[24] has received mixed reviews from critics, scoring 71/100 on Metacritic,[20] and 70.00% on GameRankings.[19]

The game received a review score of 32/40 by Famitsu.[22] Marcus Estrada of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 3 out of 5 saying, "Megadimension Neptunia VII is slightly refreshing, but not enough to really revitalize this aging series."[23] CJ Andriessen from Destructoid rated the game a 6.5/10 saying, "Megadimension Neptunia VII opts not to use its transition to the new hardware as a reason to try and expand its audience beyond the current player base."[21]

The game sold 22,609 physical retail copies within its debut week of release in Japan.[25]

References

  1. ↑ 新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌＶII
  2. ↑ 2014-12-22, Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory II Will Release In Japan This April, Siliconera.
  3. ↑ 2015-09-02, Megadimension Neptunia VII coming west in early 2016, Gematsu
  4. ↑ 2014-08-28, PS4『新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌVII』最新PV"心次元編"が8月28日に公開！ PV中には"心""二面性"といったワードや謎の少女の姿も！, Dengeki Online
  5. ↑ 2014-08-28, PS4『新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌVII』「終わりの幕開け」の真意とは!? 謎めく『心次元ゲイム ネプテューヌH』の登場も, Inside
  6. 1 2 2014-10-11, 「新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌVII」はシリーズ本編の正統後継作にして，新システムを盛り込んだ意欲作。その概要とシリーズ展開についてキーパーソンに直撃, 4gamer.
  7. ↑ 2014-06-25, Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory II’s Next Form detailed, Gematsu.
  8. ↑ 2014-06-25, The CPUs Get A New Transformation In Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory II, Siliconera.
  9. ↑ 2014-10-10, Compile Heart shares new Hyperdimension Neptunia VII details, Gematsu.
  10. ↑ 2014-06-24, Hyperdimension Neptunia VII introduces new form, more, Gematsu.
  11. ↑ http://gematsu.com/2015/08/neptune-vs-zombie-army-adds-tamsoft-chan-neptunia-vs-sega-hard-girls-adds-nepbike
  12. ↑ http://gematsu.com/2015/06/first-look-god-eater-chan-hyperdimension-neptunia-vii-uzume-neptune-vs-zombie-army
  13. ↑ http://gematsu.com/2015/07/hyperdimension-neptunia-victory-ii-adds-nitroplus-chan
  14. ↑ "【速報】『ネプテューヌ』の新作が2作も!? 『超次元アクション ネプテューヌU』＆『新次元ゲイム ネプテューヌVII』が発表" (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
  15. ↑ 2014-03-16, Two new Hyperdimension Neptunia games announced, Gematsu.
  16. ↑ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-06-17/new-teaser-reveals-compile-heart-neptunia-vii-will-be-released-for-ps4/.75644
  17. ↑ 2014-07-18, Compile Heart Teases Neptunia VII Game's Plot in 3rd Promo Video, Anime News Network.
  18. ↑ Dengeki PlayStation volume 594 (23 July 2015 issue), page 62-63.
  19. 1 2 "Megadimension Neptunia VII". GameRankings. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Megadimension Neptunia VII". Metacritic. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  21. 1 2 CJ Andriessen (19 February 2016). "Review: Megadimension Neptunia VII". Destructoid. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1376". Gematsu. April 14, 2015.
  23. 1 2 Estrada, Marcus (3 February 2016). "Review: Megadimension Neptunia VII". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Megadimension Neptunia VII Recensione Italiana". Japan Games Italia. Ale Kun. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  25. ↑ "Media Create Sales: 4/20/15 – 4/26/15". Gematsu. April 29, 2015.

External links

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