Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters – Deluxe Edition (v2023.08.07)

Gamindustri trades its usual carefree chaos for a surprisingly somber recovery story, though the series’ bright anime style and self-aware humor still keep the mood from becoming oppressive. Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters follows Nepgear, Uni, Rom, and Ram after a two-year magical sleep leaves Planeptune broken, Neptune missing, and a strange tech-driven disaster spreading across the nation. The younger Goddess Candidates finally take center stage, giving the adventure a more personal underdog energy than the franchise’s usual Neptune-led antics. It remains a colorful, joke-filled RPG, but its plot has real stakes as the party searches for their lost family and a way to restore their home.

Combat plays as a fast real-time action system built around chaining custom attacks into combos, juggling groups of foes, and choosing the right skills for each encounter. Up to three fighters enter battle together, while a partner-link system rewards thoughtful team pairings with improved attributes and elemental advantages. Dungeons provide the usual Neptunia mix of enemy-filled corridors, loot gathering, boss fights, and optional errands, with the in-universe Chirper network acting as a feed for side quests and rewards. Character growth comes through equipment, abilities, party composition, and transformations, so players can lean into favorite heroines rather than treating the roster as cosmetic.

Its strongest hook is the blend of a more polished action-RPG structure with the series’ distinctly silly satire of gaming, social media, and consumer technology. The rPhone and Chirper storyline gives the setting a timely angle, while costumes and accessories let players dress the cast in appropriately ridiculous fashion; a post-game Photo Mode adds another outlet for that customization. Returning fans will appreciate the focus on the Candidates and the guest-inspired characters, while newcomers can follow the central crisis without encyclopedic franchise knowledge. Anyone who enjoys the light action of games like the earlier Neptunia action spin-offs, paired with anime banter and a manageable RPG campaign, finds plenty to like here.