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Hyperdimension Neptunia: Moeconsoles with a side order of Thunder Tits

GrimthwackerGrimthwacker Registered User regular
edited July 2011 in Games and Technology
Oh ye gods, I think it's finally happened: the perfect storm of video game self-parody and insanity that could only come from Japan. I usually don't follow news from that neck of the world, but this is just too messed up NOT to address . . . I give you Hyperdimension Neptunia, a PS3 RPG taking the current generation of consoles and giving them the "Moe Anthropomorphism" treatment.

netpuniatitle.jpg

A collaboration between NIS, Compile Heart (whose most recent release over here, Record of Agarest War, was marketed to, shall we say, a certain "select demographic"), Gust (of the Atelier and Ar Tonelico series) and Sega, the game takes place in a universe called Gamindustri where various worlds under the care of the "Console Goddesses" are under attack, forcing them to band together and fight back. Yes, you'll be seeing the XBox 360, PS3, Wii, and the human incarnation of the prototype Sega 32X in crazy anime-style RPG action. I am not making this up. It is coming over here next year. I fear for our souls.

Well, as long as we're exposing ourselves to the madness, let's meet the stars of this elegant mind-screw, shall we?
Neptune, aka Purple Heart
neptunianeptune.jpgneptuniapurple.jpg
The aforementioned Sega Neptune's personification (in her "civilian" state and "Goddess" mode), our heroine is the typical anime ditzy hyper-cheerful girl. Somewhat slow on the uptake, but friendly and optimistic under most circumstances.

Belle, aka Green Heart
neptuniabelle.jpgneptuniagreen.jpg
Representing the XBox 360 (insert lolSexBox jokes here), Belle is apparently modeled after the Japanese depiction of American gamer girls - really addicted to the point of pulling all-nighters, so she tends to be a little narcoleptic.

Blanc, aka White Heart
neptuniablanc.jpgneptuniawhite.jpg
The Wii Goddess, Blanc is the token loli (insert lolKidtendo jokes here), so she's on the, shall we say, petite side. Apparently also the token "tsundere" character.

Noire, aka Black Heart
neptunianoir.jpgneptuniablack.jpg
Representing the PS3, Noire is serious business (mostly), and apparently fills the "badass" role of the bunch.

Also appearing are personifications of Nippon Ichi (here's a hint, she has blue hair and wears a Prinny "Can I Really Be the Hero" scarf), Gust and Compile Heart, mainly as NPCs but also as playable (DLC in Japan so far) characters.

So what say ye, PA Forums: has the industry finally gone off the deep end? Will anyone other than die-hard NIS/Gust/JRPG fans even consider picking this one up? How many mind-altering substances were involved in the making of this thing? Now if you'll excuse me, my brain hurts just thinking about this.

EDIT: Official U.S. release date is Feb. 15, 2011. First English gameplay videos have begun emerging, showing the battle system to be akin to Cross Edge and Trinity Universe, other NIS/Idea Factory games:
Gameplay Video
Info about the Limited Edition packaging swag can be found on the game's official site under the "Info" section.

Grimthwacker on
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Posts

  • OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    What

    No seriously, what

    Olivaw on
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  • BuhamutZeoBuhamutZeo Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Isn't this old news?
    Very very disturbing old news, none the less.

    BuhamutZeo on
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  • vagrant_windsvagrant_winds Overworked Mysterious Eldritch Horror Hunter XX Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    It's not as bad/awesome as SegaGaGa.
    Yes, I'm picking it up on principle alone

    vagrant_winds on
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  • ChenChen Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Tell me more.

    Chen on
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  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    If I had a choice between playing this and death, I would draw a target on my head and shake my murderer's hand before he kills me.

    Falx on


    STEAM
  • Chrono HelixChrono Helix Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Not sure if want.

    Chrono Helix on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Kyoka SuigetsuKyoka Suigetsu Odin gave his left eye for knowledge. I would give far more Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Loli console wars?

    I'm suprised this hasn't already happened. Whats so bad about it? besides the obvious of course.

    Kyoka Suigetsu on
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Falx wrote: »
    If I had a choice between playing this and death, I would draw a target on my head and shake my murderer's hand before he kills me.

    Playing Death? :D

    the_seventh_seal.jpg

    Cantido on
    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    It will inevitably contain pointless sexual-themes poorly shoehorned onto the game-play that is only in the game for people to terminate their turkey's to.

    Edit: :^:

    Falx on


    STEAM
  • EVOLEVOL Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Day 1

    EVOL on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    EVOL wrote: »
    Day 1

    Ditto. I love Idea Factory games. Hate the loli bullshit but I get oversexualized woman no matter what game I buy these days.

    Magic Pink on
  • EVOLEVOL Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    :lol: But I was joking. I've never even heard of these guys. What're their games usually like?

    EVOL on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    EVOL wrote: »
    :lol: But I was joking. I've never even heard of these guys. What're their games usually like?


    Slightly more complex Disgaea style games. With more boobs, sadly. And Item Creation.

    edit: Also, if just this tame crap is freaking so many of you all out, you is all WUSSES, I says.

    Magic Pink on
  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Legends of Agarest was a full on porn game. And you don't need to be a wuss to realize that tacking on sex in an attempt to appeal to the lowest common denominator takes away time better spent on exciting gameplay and interesting plot.

    Falx on


    STEAM
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Falx wrote: »
    Legends of Agarest was a full on porn game. And you don't need to be a wuss to realize that tacking on sex in an attempt to appeal to the lowest common denominator takes away time better spent on exciting gameplay and interesting plot.


    I never found any porn in Agarest. And tacking on sex is something every game and movie studio does all the time, forever. This is nothing different or exceptional.

    That witch touching DS game? THAT was something icky extreme.

    Magic Pink on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Criminal Girls.

    NSFW http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/10/28/criminal_girls_bonus_items/ NSFW

    Couscous on
  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The sleazy commercials led me to believe otherwise, but I know damn near everything is getting sexed up... which is why I hardly watch/play anything anymore.

    Every time I see something like this it makes me just a little bit more upset.

    Falx on


    STEAM
  • EVOLEVOL Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Oh. So these guys made that witch touching game and are making Criminal Girls?

    ..Slowly backing out here.

    EVOL on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Falx wrote: »
    The sleazy commercials led me to believe otherwise, but I know damn near everything is getting sexed up... which is why I hardly watch/play anything anymore.

    Every time I see something like this it makes me just a little bit more upset.

    Oh, absolutely, the advertising and stuff was pretty much just a copy of Hustler. It was SICKENING. The game itself... meh. God of War and the Dante's Inferno's DEMO had more risque stuff.

    Magic Pink on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    EVOL wrote: »
    Oh. So these guys made that witch touching game and are making Criminal Girls?

    ..Slowly backing out here.


    No, not the witch touching game. I don't know about Criminal Girls, I'm not touching that link but I doubt it.

    They made Cross Edge and a bunch of stuff for the PSP. They made the Atelier games too.

    Magic Pink on
  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Japan is apparently pretty easy to market to.
    everyone is easy to market to

    Zombiemambo on
    JKKaAGp.png
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    As effed up as this game looks, I've heard the gameplay is actually fun, and the plot is hilarious.

    I really do hate Idea Factory with a fiery passion, so I'm cautiously pessimistic.

    cj iwakura on
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  • Crimson KingCrimson King Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Anthromoeporphism.

    That is all.

    Crimson King on
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  • BlitzAce1981BlitzAce1981 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    ...The words "Belle" and "Red Ring Of Death" just came to mind. They didn't leave pleasant images. D:

    BlitzAce1981 on
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  • FalxFalx Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    With everything ever from Japan, and increasingly everywhere else, I've learned to always set the bar as low as possible. I'm hardly ever disappointed, these days.

    Falx on


    STEAM
  • SyphyreSyphyre A Dangerous Pastime Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The real question...how's the gameplay? Because that's all anyone buys these for, yanno.

    Syphyre on
  • ystaelystael Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Agarest War had some interesting game-mechanical ideas in it, unfortunately buried under a crippling weight of grinding ... setting up your character geometry to pull off a neat special combo is much less interesting the fiftieth time you have to do the SAME combo because there have been twenty battles since the last time you got a new ability for anyone.

    I enjoy this kind of thing as an occasional guilty pleasure, so as long as NIS doesn't pull the same kind of miserable hack-job they did with Ar Tonelico 2, I'm looking forward to it.

    ystael on
  • SyphyreSyphyre A Dangerous Pastime Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    There was actually a really good tactical game buried under Agarest War, it was just grindarific.
    (yes I bought it don't hurt me I even have the mousepad my wife thinks it's hilarious)

    Syphyre on
  • wateyadwateyad Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    EVOL wrote: »
    Oh. So these guys made that witch touching game and are making Criminal Girls?

    ..Slowly backing out here.


    No, not the witch touching game. I don't know about Criminal Girls, I'm not touching that link but I doubt it.

    They made Cross Edge and a bunch of stuff for the PSP. They made the Atelier games too.

    Atelier is GUST, not Idea Factory / Compile Heart.

    wateyad on
  • MrVyngaardMrVyngaard Live From New Etoile Straight Outta SosariaRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Huh.

    This is so weird I'm going to have to see how it ends up, just because it's Japan.

    EDIT: Also I am upset and outraged that MY Xbox 360 wasn't that model.

    MrVyngaard on
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  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    wateyad wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    EVOL wrote: »
    Oh. So these guys made that witch touching game and are making Criminal Girls?

    ..Slowly backing out here.


    No, not the witch touching game. I don't know about Criminal Girls, I'm not touching that link but I doubt it.

    They made Cross Edge and a bunch of stuff for the PSP. They made the Atelier games too.

    Atelier is GUST, not Idea Factory / Compile Heart.

    Oh, yeah. Oh well, GUST is involved in this too.

    And yeah, all Idea Factory games are super grind fests. I love grinding but if you don't, skip 'em.

    Magic Pink on
  • GrimthwackerGrimthwacker Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Yeah, sorry about the rather brusque OP (just banged it out at the spur of the moment), but here's the deal about what the game's like: this here link shows off the battle system; I have no real clue about the mechanics, but it looks like a pretty standard turn-based affair with some tweaks. Apparently the whole setup is inspired by the Japanese software piracy issue using flash cards, like the DS uses (the JP name of the big bads is essentially the word for "flash card"), so yeah, some subtle "commentary" by the devs, too.

    Grimthwacker on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Grimthwacker wrote: »
    Yeah, sorry about the rather brusque OP (just banged it out at the spur of the moment), but here's the deal about what the game's like: this here link shows off the battle system; I have no real clue about the mechanics, but it looks like a pretty standard turn-based affair with some tweaks. Apparently the whole setup is inspired by the Japanese software piracy issue using flash cards, like the DS uses (the JP name of the big bads is essentially the word for "flash card"), so yeah, some subtle "commentary" by the devs, too.


    It looks very similar to Corss Edge's battle system. That's a good thing since it was one of only two good things about the game.

    Magic Pink on
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    What are they thinking with this game?


    They've clearly missed a character.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jppNmXcw0fY

    I wonder whether that marketing actually worked.

    subedii on
  • CaedereCaedere S'no regrets BIRDIESRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    As someone who injects unnecessary sexuality into things that DEFINITELY don't need it, I approve of and look forward to this game. Awesome.

    Caedere on
    FWnykYl.jpg
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    We're here to make consoles MOE.
    WE WILL MAKE EVERYTHING MOE
    PINKER THAN THE PINKEST PINK, TIMES INFINITY!

    Cantido on
    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • LilnoobsLilnoobs Alpha Queue Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Huh, might finally have a reason to pick up a PS3.

    Lilnoobs on
  • GilderGilder Aw snap Macaroni PartyRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Buying this ironically, but having not watched any videos of gameplay I am hoping to god it isn't yet another IF game where the battles are just waiting for a bar to fill up so you can unleash a barrage of attacks. Just let me attack on turn 1 goddammit! The grind in Cross Edge is pretty insane, but I can deal with it. Always skipping the first turn however is what makes it a pain to grind.

    Gilder on
  • KiTAKiTA Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Edit: Ah, didn't realize this was already announced. Still, we apparently now have a date -- Feb 2011.

    Gentlemen, the Console wars are upon us.
    Hyperdimension Neptunia Screens Wage Console War In English
    Hyperdimension Neptunia is headed to North America in February according to Gamefly, and Tecmo Koei announced it for March in Europe.
    While Hyperdimension Neptunia and Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel have specific dates in Europe, all we have in North America are vague "spring" timelines for those titles. Nevertheless, Gamefly claims to know the dates of both games.

    According to the rental service, Hyperdimension Neptunia is slated for February 17. That date is inline with the "few weeks prior" comment from NIS America. Ar Tonelico Qoga is pegged for March 17, which is also a little earlier than the European release.

    In addition to these titles, NIS America also has Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! and Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle coming out for PSP next year.

    neptunia_001.jpg

    Apparently installing a HDD into your Sega Neptune makes it stronger.

    ... huh.

    They need to get the Sega Fantasy 6 guys working on a sequel, STAT.

    KiTA on
  • JintorJintor Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I suddenly imaged Game Dev Story crossed with Tron. Where the progress of your Avatarised console is measured by the crazy development practices you push, and your power is measured by software sales, and grargahlgakjsdaslkjdklsaj

    Jintor on
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