Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is not reviewing too high right now. It’s also not gathering a lot of coverage in general. Both series are fairly niche. Even though these franchises might not be for everyone, they have existed for more than a decade now. Hyperdimension Neptunia started in 2010 while Senran Kagura began in 2011. Those are the Japanese launches anyway.
That’s how dedicated the fan base is. Their small numbers are enough to support these franchises for this long. So, while the numbers may not be high for the aggregate reviews, longtime fans may dig this crossover. There are some mechanics in the game that not even the diehards may not enjoy though. Let’s go through everything Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars manages to do right and what things the game could improve on.
6 Best: Character Variety
Both series are well represented in Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars. There is an even number of characters from each franchise to make fans happy. Some are playable while others are not. The ones who aren’t do appear in the story though and some even become bosses.
For the playable characters, each one has a distinct flavor to their play style. This is thanks to the vast array of weapons in the game from swords to spears. It’s also great that players get to take two girls into battle to then freely swap between them on the fly. This can create some dynamic combos.
5 Worst: No Co-Op
Hack and slash games like this are often best paired with another player. Hyperdimension Neptunia hasn’t had much multiplayer in its series since they are mostly a turn-based RPG. Senran Kagura has had more multiplayer features in its spinoffs so it’s a shame to not see co-op in Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars.
Couch co-op could have improved some of the monotony players can feel playing the game due to the grind for levels. If the developers don’t want to feature co-op in the main game then they could add in a multiplayer mode down the line through DLC. A free patch would be better though.
4 Best: Ninja And Elemental Attacks
The basic attacks for characters are not that great. Players will smash the Square button on the PS4 for the most part. However, each warrior is equipped with three different power moves. The first is ninjitsu which runs on a special meter similar to MP in other RPGs.
There is also the Fuurinkazan Drive which adds elemental power to the girls such as fire or wind. Players can only use these powers a set number of times in a match. Finally, each girl also gets their own distinct finishing move. These three options more than make up for the lacking basic attacks.
3 Worst: The Story
The story may have fans of both series excited, but it’s lacking in its overall narrative. There is a lot of extra dialogue that doesn’t need to be here. Much of it could be cut or refined to make Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars a tighter experience.
There are definitely some funny moments that even non-fans can appreciate. The Hyperdimension Neptunia series is all about making fun of the games industry as many of the core characters are plays on popular consoles or companies like PlayStation. There is even a boss in this game that mocks YouTube. While these jokes can be fun, they are far and few between in an otherwise slow story. Players who don’t like the story will appreciate that there is a skip button at least.
2 Best: Monster Design
The art style in this game fits the bubbly nature of most of the female cast. The girls are also all unique and aren’t that risqué compared to other iterations of Senran Kagura especially. The cel-shading works well even if the graphics aren’t that high as a PS4 title.
The best thing about the overall art style is the monsters. Most of their designs are too adorable for words. There are some pretty good puns in here as well such as the Dogoo monsters. They look like dogs and they’re made out of goo. What’s not to like? Another fun early design is the Ghost Watermelon which is literally a typical-looking spirit but with a watermelon hat.
1 Worst: Missing Quality Of Life Options
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars doesn’t have much in terms of options. There are no set difficulty modes. Levels instead show recommended levels to reach before tackling them. That’s nice at least. There are some technical issues as well such as dips in the frame rate when the action gets too chaotic. The menus look a bit chaotic as well such as the Spirit Gems feature.
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars has watermarks but they are very small thankfully. It’s more of a question as to why they are there in the first place since most players may need a magnifying glass to see them. It’s also a little disappointing that there is no English dub in the game. The Japanese anime-like cast is great of course, but more options are always nice.
Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars was released on October 26, 2021 and is available on PS4.