Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
A spin-off hack and slash set in Gamindustri's peacetime.
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a hack and slash spin-off in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, developed by Compile Heart and Tamsoft and published by Idea Factory International. Tamsoft, known for the Senran Kagura and Onechanbara series, began work on the game after Compile Heart announced it at the 2014 Dengeki Stage Event. It launched for the PlayStation Vita in Japan on August 28, 2014, and in North America and the PAL region in May 2015.
The story takes place in Gamindustri, a world protected by four goddesses (the CPUs) and their sisters (the CPU candidates). After a period of peace following the Console War, the goddesses and inhabitants grow bored because enemies are defeated too easily. To raise public awareness and attract non-CPU supporters, the CPUs agree to an unusual proposal.
During this peaceful era in an alternate, non-canonical dimension, the CPUs are approached by journalist Dengekiko, who offers to report on their guild missions. Meanwhile, rival journalist Famitsu covers the CPU candidates. The two groups soon merge, and both journalists receive transforming combat armor from their employer, granting them near-CPU abilities. After completing missions and slaying monsters, the party is publicly humiliated by a new enemy, Next Gen Mech, who tears off their clothes on live television. The team recovers, realizes their attacks lack coordination, and trains to integrate their fighting styles. They defeat Next Gen Mech by working together, and the journalists agree to publish a single joint article. The CPUs' friends IF and Compa then organize a friendly tournament, culminating in a rebuilt Next Gen Mech at the top of Neptral Tower.
Playable characters include the four goddesses Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Vert, their sisters Nepgear, Uni, Ram, and Rom, plus two new characters based on Japanese gaming magazines: Dengekiko (representing Dengeki PlayStation) and Famitsu (representing gaming review magazines).
Reception was mixed or average according to Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu scored the Vita version 27 out of 40, with three sevens and one six.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Hyperdimension Neptunia U: / Action Unleashed
- Developer
- Compile Heart / Tamsoft
- Publisher
- JP · Idea Factory · WW · Idea Factory International
- Producer
- Naoko Mizuno / Damien Urvois
- Artist
- Kenji Teshima
- Writer
- Satoshi Tsuchiya
- Series
- Hyperdimension Neptunia
- Platforms
- PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows
- Released
- PlayStation Vita / JP · August 28, 2014 · NA · May 19, 2015 · EU · May 22, 2015 · AUS · May 27, 2015Microsoft Windows / WW · March 21, 2016
- Genre
- Action role-playing, hack and slash
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game is set in a world known as Gamindustri, a pun on the Japanese term for 'game industry,' protected by the four CPUs (Console Patron Units) and their sisters, the CPU candidates. During peacetime after the events of the recurring 'Console War' of previous games (in an alternate, non-canonical dimension), the CPUs seek to raise awareness from non-CPU supporters by improving their public profile. They are approached by journalist Dengekiko, who offers to report on them during guild missions, while rival journalist Famitsu is assigned to report on the CPU candidates; the two factions soon merge. Dengekiko and Famitsu, based on the Japanese gaming magazines Dengeki and Famitsu, are issued transforming combat armor by their employer, granting them near-CPU level abilities. The party slays monsters and completes guild missions but is defeated and publicly humiliated by a new adversary, Next Gen Mech, who tears off their clothes on live television. After analyzing their battle strategy and undergoing training to integrate their attacks, the girls defeat Next Gen Mech by working together. Dengekiko and Famitsu then agree to cooperate on a single article, and the CPUs' friends IF and Compa arrange a friendly battle tournament, followed by an intense combat arena in Neptral Tower with a rebuilt Next Gen Mech awaiting them.
Reader's Guide
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is notable as a spin-off that shifts the series from its traditional role-playing gameplay to a hack and slash style, developed by Tamsoft, a studio known for action games like Senran Kagura and Onechanbara. The game introduces two new playable characters based on real Japanese gaming magazines, Dengekiko and Famitsu, who serve as journalists and fighters. Its plot, set in an alternate non-canonical dimension, explores themes of public relations and teamwork among the goddesses, culminating in a battle against Next Gen Mech, a metaphor for next-generation console threats. The game received 'mixed or average' reviews on Metacritic, with Famitsu giving the Vita version a score of 27 out of 40. Its legacy lies in expanding the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise into a new genre and incorporating real-world gaming media as characters, though its critical reception was modest.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Tamsoft, known for the Senran Kagura and Onechanbara series.
- The world of Gamindustri is a pun on the Japanese term for 'game industry'.
- The adversary Next Gen Mech represents the threat of next-generation consoles to older platforms.
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