Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a wonderfully bodacious "dungeon crawling" Action-RPG/Hack and Slash with heavy Visual Novel elements and lots of Waifus, by combining fan favourites of the two series comes a well deserved and truly faithful crossover that might just surprise you. Featuring two new original characters and an incredibly well designed combat system, the great Ninja Wars just got a whole lot sexier.

Publisher: Idea Factory

Developers: Compile Heart, Tamsoft

Platform: PlayStation 4

Reviewed on: PS5

Review Code Provided

Written by: Gabriel Sewell

I think it’s safe to say that both Neptunia and Senran Kagura games have fairly niche target audiences but very loyal cult followings here in the West. Although the risqué and mature content of the series might scare some people away, it’s that bold and confident identity that makes them succeed and stand out above the rest. They know exactly what they want to be and don’t conform to industry norms, allowing players to indulge in their more lewd fantasies with big boob protagonists and lots of sexual innuendos. So when you mix two franchises with such strong design ideals, the finished product is sure to be something special, or at least something unique (and very squishy).

As the great Ninja Wars come to yet another stalemate a new threat emerges, and now both sides must form an alliance to save themselves. Although the story isn’t particularly enthralling, the interactions between the characters and the humorous tone of the dialog is enough to make even the saltiest player smirk. I thoroughly enjoyed the cute and playful interactions from all of the characters and I’m sure long time fans of either franchise will be happy to see their favourite characters interacting. However, if you’re looking for any form of depth or intellectual stimulation, you won’t find it here. After all, that’s not really why people play these games, they’re just supposed to be fun, light hearted stories to give the game direction and keep things moving from one dungeon to another. That being said It’s a nice way to relax at the end of a stressful day, kick your feet up and watch some cute anime babes playfully throw banter at one another. As a quick disclaimer, all of the story will be delivered in the format of a Visual Novel so be ready to read, and then read some more.

You might feel somewhat apprehensive about the idea of mixing two games with very different combat styles, however seeing it in action instantly removes any doubt. It’s an incredibly well thought out and addictive combat system with flashy animations, responsive controls and varied move sets. Each character feels unique to control, some use slower attacks that deal more damage and feel slightly heavier to move while others are the polar opposite, feeling light on their feet and quick to attack. Not only does every character feel slightly nuanced to control but they also have very distinct Ninja Art Skills that keep each character feeling individual and a joy to switch between. Each character has a choice of 4 Ninja Art Skills at their disposal, using them will consume varied amounts of stamina and with the correct timing you can link them, to deal more damage. Once locked in an animation you’ll have to see the move or skill out to completion, there's no attack cancel or animation break so be careful when fighting bosses as you can leave yourself vulnerable and open to attack very easily. Shinobi Extremes, which act as character unique ultimate moves are exempt to this and you’ll remain invincible while the animation plays out. There’s also a set of shared skills called Fuurinkazan Drive which act as passive buffs, allowing your character to heal, deal more damage etc. Once activated it’ll only last a certain amount of time and once that bar runs out so do the buffs, with only 5 available per mission it’s well worth using them sparsely. You can still heal through traditional healing items anyhow, since we all know you’re going to use the healing drive the most. My only real complaint with the combat is the difficulty, it’s woefully easy to begin with and I had to deliberately stay under the suggested level for any form of challenge. But, even at its easiest the combat is still very enjoyable and highly addictive.

One of my main complaints would be the control layout/button bindings, which admittedly are easily changed in the menu. That, and the frustrating camera. I often felt like I was fighting against the camera just to be able to see, changing the camera distance helped a little, but I think adding an option for an auto tracking camera would make a whole world of difference. However, these are such minor issues that didn’t really detract from the experience as a whole, especially in the heat of combat.

Graphically and stylistically the game is a treat for the eyes, with wonderfully vibrant cel shaded characters; set pieces and enemy designs. Along with a clean UI and some visually stunning and slightly animated character designs used within the Visual Novel segments that really help to bring the loveable cast of characters to life. Although the game might be visually and aesthetically pleasing to look at, It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The level design leaves a lot to be desired, you traverse and fight through small, linear areas that don’t really have anything special going on within. Outside of the phenomenal combat there’s not a lot to do, with only a few optional chests to find and no room for exploration you can’t help but feel like all you’re doing is fighting endlessly to reach the next chapter. And although the story/main campaign itself isn’t the longest, there’s still a large amount of side quests to delve into, a fun mini game and some enjoyable post game content. There’s enough to keep most players busy for about 20-25 hours on average, or at least based on my playtime but I suppose that’s somewhat skill dependent. Not to mention the consistent 60fps that almost never dips, making for a pleasant experience overall. It’s a neat little package for fans, and a perfect introduction into either series.

Since there's such a heavy focus on themes of Feudal Japan, it’s to no surprise that the soundtrack and sound design would reflect that. Featuring wonderfully Eastern scores and melodies, paired with some thematically fitting sound effects like; Tsuzumi (Hand Drum) being struck when opening either skill select menus in combat. It all works as a nice accompaniment and really compliments the setting and theme as a whole, I still hear the sound of Tsuzumi in my dreams.

Conclusion

Neptunia x Senran: Ninja Wars has a lot of potential that was held back by budgetary restraints and frustrating design choices. However, that doesn’t stop it from being an unremarkably addictive and fun Action-RPG that’s sure to please long time fans and newcomers alike.

2 / 3

Good Game, Worth Your Time And Money.

Pros

Amazing Combat

Fun Dialog

Wonderful Character Design

Easy to pick and and put down

Cons

Re-used areas

Irritating Camera

Author: Gabriel Sewell

Published: 25/10/2021 - 15:01