Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed

About

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a single player hack and slash game with fantasy, comedy, anime and science fiction themes. It was developed by Idea Factory and was released on March 21, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

In "Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed," players engage in real-time hack 'n' slash combat with familiar characters from the Neptunia series in 1080p graphics. The Dual System lets you switch between two characters, utilizing their strengths and weaknesses to form a powerful battle duo. This action-packed game offers a lighter storyline, focusing on street brawling and character-specific missions.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed screenshot

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,093 reviews

story57 positive mentions

grinding61 negative mentions

The game features fun hack and slash gameplay with a variety of characters and flashy combos.
The humor and dialogue are entertaining, maintaining the charm of the Neptunia series.
Costume break mechanics add a unique fanservice element that many players enjoy.

The game is repetitive, with many missions feeling similar and lacking variety.
The story is short and not as engaging as previous Neptunia titles, making it feel less substantial.
There are technical issues, including crashes and poor camera controls, which detract from the overall experience.

story
391 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
77%
8%
The story in "Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed" is generally considered weak and simplistic, often described as a series of repetitive quests with minimal narrative depth. While it features humorous dialogue and familiar characters, many players feel that the plot lacks the engaging complexity found in previous entries of the series, making it more of a fan service experience than a compelling story-driven game. Overall, the game is seen as light on story, with a focus on hack-and-slash gameplay rather than a rich narrative.
- “The story introduces two new characters, journalists Dengekiko and Famitsu, who want to make articles about the CPUs and their candidates while going on quests.”
- “The story is simple yet entertaining, revolving around the CPUs and candidates completing quests to gather material for articles.”
- “Even though the story is not as good as the previous ones, it is still good enough to keep me playing, and the humor makes it funny as well.”
- “The story of this game is difficult to understand.”
- “The game dumps a lot of missions on you once you finish the prologue and the bulk of the game is just an endless grind through all these samey missions with very little story in between them, you get a cutscene maybe like once every 10 missions.”
- “The story is incredibly short and thus the main game is incredibly short but the game tries to offer expansive endgame content instead of super engaging storyline.”
gameplay
224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
8%
The gameplay of "Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed" marks a significant departure from the series' traditional turn-based RPG mechanics, embracing a hack-and-slash style reminiscent of titles like Dynasty Warriors and Senran Kagura. While the combat is generally fast-paced and accessible, many players find it repetitive and lacking depth, often reducing gameplay to simple button-mashing and grinding for levels. The inclusion of a costume break mechanic adds a layer of fanservice, but opinions vary on its impact on overall gameplay enjoyment, with some appreciating the humor while others view it as a gimmick.
- “The gameplay is a hack and slash style compared to Neptunia's normal turn-based RPG style, so it's very different from other Neptunia games and sacrifices a bunch of advanced mechanics like finding items and disc creation.”
- “Surprisingly fun gameplay for a fanservice game.”
- “Awesome game for an awesome series, love that it took Neptunia down this road, gives it a whole new addicting feel with the new gameplay.”
- “Tamsoft's first attempt at a Neptunia hack 'n' slash fell rather flat for me with the overt fanservice, the grindy game modes outside of the story, and the brain-dead gameplay.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is very stale and repetitive, boiling down to simply selecting a map and killing mobs until you win.”
- “The gameplay is basic, so don't expect much; there is a very notable imbalance in this game, especially after you play as either Rom and Ram on their HDDs.”
graphics
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising their beauty and colorful art style, while others criticize the lack of anti-aliasing options and the reliance on upscaled Vita models. Many players note that the game runs well on low-end PCs, but the absence of customizable graphical settings is a common complaint. Overall, while the visuals are considered decent and enjoyable by some, they fall short of expectations compared to other titles in the series.
- “Even though the story is strange, the game's graphics are undeniably beautiful.”
- “The graphics are pretty good and there is a good amount of content in the game too.”
- “Great graphics and soundtrack, a must buy for anime lovers.”
- “The graphics are locked, so increasing the size doesn't improve the quality of the textures, though that can be fixed with some mods.”
- “Graphics are subpar compared to main games and seem scaled.”
- “Yes, you get windowed, fullscreen, and borderless windowed support up to 1080p, but there's nothing above that, no graphical options whatsoever, and there isn't even an option to toggle how quickly you want the text to be displayed on the screen, which is locked to the slowest pace in existence.”
humor
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
4%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by its self-aware dialogue, frequent fourth-wall breaks, and a mix of nerdy references and lighthearted banter that fans of the Neptunia series will appreciate. While some players found the humor repetitive or less engaging than in previous titles, many enjoyed the quirky characters and comedic writing that kept the experience entertaining. Overall, the game successfully blends gameplay with a comedic narrative, making it a fun choice for those who enjoy its unique brand of humor.
- “It's the perfect combination of gameplay and humor.”
- “The concept of making the game funny and comedy-driven story is just great, and to be fair, this is the first time I laughed hard just by looking at the conversation for no reason.”
- “Funny dialogue and humor, often breaks the 4th wall at times, lots of cultural references to other games and anime.”
- “Boring, too much talk, unfunny, even the action sucks.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the experience tedious.”
- “I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than funny.”
grinding
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when pursuing achievements and leveling up characters. While some enjoy the mindless nature of grinding and find it relaxing, others criticize it for detracting from the overall fun and engagement of the gameplay. The consensus suggests that while grinding is prevalent, it varies in intensity, with certain achievements and ranks, like the lily rank, being particularly grindy and frustrating.
- “The only gripe I have is the lack of leveling grinding spots post game (the colosseum gets old after a while).”
- “There is an ungodly amount of grinding.”
- “Grinding that lily rank achievement was a chore.”
music
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
67%
5%
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many praising its unique and catchy soundtracks that blend retro and modern styles, fitting well with the game's environments. However, some players noted that a significant portion of the music is recycled from previous Neptunia titles, leading to a lack of fresh content. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, it could benefit from more original tracks.
- “I give it a thumbs up because on average the soundtrack they make is really unique and gives a new flavor to every Neptunia game.”
- “The music matches the environments rather well, might I add.”
- “All the while, you're fighting to tunes that sound straight out of a PlayStation-era Mega Man X title (there's a lot of great stuff here; catchy melodies, good arrangements, high energy stuff. classic Japanese video game music with a 'cyber' veneer).”
- “Unlike older series, Neptunia U doesn't really get me deeper into its music library since it's just a library of many previous games. Although it's still good to listen to, there's nothing fresh out of it.”
- “Ultimately, there is no reason to enjoy this game: the graphics are upscaled Vita models, the soundtrack is tiny, the gameplay is incredibly boring with zero depth or interesting mechanics, and the story is hardly interesting enough to justify the slog.”
- “This is a battle game yet you'll have non-battle music playing all the time; it's oddly distracting.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While many players report that it runs smoothly even on minimum requirements and is a significant improvement over its predecessor, there are still notable issues such as crashes, blurry graphics, and performance problems at higher settings. Fortunately, most of these issues have been addressed through community fixes, making it a generally well-optimized port.
- “There were reports of crashing, blurry 1080p graphics, sound, controller, and performance issues on launch; luckily, most of the issues were either fixed or are easy to fix thanks to the community findings.”
- “So, while the first 'rebirth' tried to hog more resources than it deserved, this port seems to be far better optimized and will probably run smoothly on many laptops and older desktop rigs.”
- “Also, despite what the recommended requirements for playing this game are, it runs smoothly on the minimum requirements, with some minor slowdowns here and there.”
- “There were reports of crashing, blurry 1080p graphics, sound, controller, and performance issues on launch. Luckily, most of the issues were either fixed or are easy to fix thanks to community findings.”
- “It's a solid game; I just wish they added more PC-optimized features.”
- “After you switch it to high-performance graphics card, the game tends to crash, resulting in a black screen and the mouse just won't work anymore.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the challenges and collection aspects that extend playtime, others criticize the limited quest length and lack of multiple endings, making it less appealing for those seeking significant replay value.
- “Lots of replay value after the main story in the form of gauntlets and other challenges.”
- “The game is kind of short in terms of quests, 5 or 6 hours of serious playing will complete almost all the quests the game has to offer, but there is a lot of replayability if you want to collect everything.”
- “[Simple, effective combat, amazing visuals, fighters have varied playstyles and movesets, lots of replayability].”
- “The lack of any real replay value makes it hard to recommend this game at full price.”
- “You are looking for a game that has any sort of replayability or multiple endings, but it only has one ending.”
- “The game is kind of short in terms of quests; 5 or 6 hours of serious playing will complete almost all the quests the game has to offer.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it maintains a steady 60fps without significant bugs or slowdowns, players report issues with rough controls, choppy attack flow, and buggy physics. Some users find the performance satisfactory, but others are frustrated by the inconsistent gameplay experience.
- “Other than that, the game runs well; no bugs, no glitches, and no slowdowns. It maintains a steady 60fps at 1080p with upscaled Vita graphics that aren't even rendered in 1080p.”
- “The game runs great at 60fps (at least for me) and offers nice options for PC.”
- “All the controls are rough, the flow of attacks is choppy, the enemies are useless, and the physics are buggy.”
- “Buggy inconsistent piece of trash.”
- “Honestly, buggy games don't bother me, but games that won't run at all bother me.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its colorful visuals, quirky environments, and a lighthearted, silly tone that engages players for hours. While the "costume break" mechanic enhances gameplay, some lewd animations may feel excessive. Overall, the game successfully retains the enjoyable elements of the Neptunia series, featuring appealing character designs and vibrant battlemaps.
- “The game retains what is great about the previous Neptunia games - the colorful atmosphere, funky battlemaps to fight in, and good-looking character and enemy models (though a lot are the same as in the previous games from the franchise).”
- “I love the Neptunia series; the environments are nice, characters are enjoyable, enemies have nice designs, and the games always have a nice atmosphere to them.”
- “The 'costume break' mechanic is useful by all means (filling up the exe gauge would take years without the costume break boost) and definitely goes along pretty well with the Neptunia atmosphere, but all those lewd animations were a little beyond the edge.”
- “The atmosphere feels disjointed and lacks cohesion, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
- “While the game attempts to create a vibrant atmosphere, it often falls flat due to repetitive environments and uninspired design choices.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development is notably strong, showcasing a clear progression that reflects previous installments, particularly through the interactions of the main character with their sisters. While the combat may feel sluggish, the thoughtful character designs and unique movesets for previously minor characters enhance the narrative. However, the absence of playable characters like If and Compa raises questions about the depth of conflict and relationships that are crucial for character growth.
- “Character is still progressing, and you can actually see that this is a representation of character development from previous installments, with the same main character interacting with their sisters.”
- “I do appreciate that the designers bothered to create character designs and move sets for Denkiko and Famitsu, both of whom were previously chirper-only characters.”
- “A huge part of what made following the character development in the main games engaging was the tangible conflict presented by other characters, which they subsequently overcame to become friends or tentative allies.”
- “Combat feels sluggish, but the story and character design are well developed.”
- “I do appreciate that the designers bothered to make character designs and movesets for Denkiko and Famitsu (both of whom were previously chirper-only characters); however, I was left to wonder why IF and Compa, who do appear in this game, are not playable.”
- “A huge part of what made following the character development in the main games enjoyable was the fact that the characters faced tangible conflicts with others and subsequently overcame those challenges, becoming friends or tentative allies.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of wholesome humor and a somewhat mundane storyline, creating a unique contrast that resonates with players. While some find the narrative lacking, the overall charm and humor maintain a positive emotional experience.
- “When wholesome becomes sinful.”
- “Still good, totally wholesome Nep humor as with its previous games.”
- “The story felt incredibly dull and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I found the narrative to be unengaging, lacking the depth needed to connect with the characters.”
- “The emotional moments fell flat, leaving me feeling disconnected from the storyline.”

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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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25h Median play time

32h Average play time

10-57h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a hack and slash game with fantasy, comedy, anime and science fiction themes.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation and PlayStation Vita.

On average players spend around 32 hours playing Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed was released on March 21, 2016.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed was developed by Idea Factory.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a single player game.

Similar games include Megatagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online, Megadimension Neptunia VII, SENRAN KAGURA SHINOVI VERSUS, Fairy Fencer F and others.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed

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A breath of fresh air for Nep - Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed review