Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed Review

Since Hyperdimension Neptunia’s debuted in North America there have been 10 total games in the series, but Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is the first action-RPG set in the world of Gamindustry.  The player will use 10 different characters to hack and slash their way through over 40 missions and 3 game modes.

Each character comes equipped with a different weapon that changes the way character plays. Some of the character weapons you should expect are swords, staves, hammers, guns, and even a lobster-like blunt object. These weapons dramatically change the way one character plays from another. The sword wielding characters will fill more natural to anyone who has played an action-rpg, but there are a few weapons that feel a little stiffer and out of place. Out of all the character weapons, Uni’s gun was the only that I didn’t really enjoy playing. At times it felt too stiff and it lacked a proper way to aim. This being said, I am impressed overall that out of 10 characters there was only one that I thought could use improvement.

As you start playing through the quests in Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed you’ll start to notice that a lot of the objectives are pretty similar. Most of the objectives revolve around killing bosses or killing X amount of enemies. I figured that after 8-10 hours this would start to become tiresome, but it never did. There is enough character interaction and story moments to keep the player engaged with the game. Let’s be honest, killing waves and waves of enemies can get boring, but Action Unleashed does a masterful job creating an experience that players will want to continue to enjoy.

One of my favorite aspects of Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed was medal collecting. Whenever you kill an enemy they have the chance to drop medals. Once you collect enough medals you can then use them to purchase accessories, better weapons, and global stat upgrades for all of your characters.  Collecting medals is probably the most grindy thing you’ll run into during your experience, but it doesn’t take too long to collect them all.

The Hyperdimension series is no stranger to fan service. In Action Unleashed you’ll find yourself battling groups of enemies when all of sudden your clothes get ripped off! One feature that may please gamers is that you eventually can get clothes that rip easier or clothes that don’t rip at all. So regardless of how you feel about fan service, Action Unleashed gives the option to enjoy the game as you’d like.

Overall Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a game that I feel that anyone who enjoys the Hyperdimension and/or Dynasty Warriors series would have fun playing. It’s also a great game for people who want an introduction to the Gamindustri, but aren’t the biggest JRPG fan.

4.75 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Idea Factory for supplying the review code.