$14.99Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed Shred Hordes, Shred Outfits
Pick a two-hero tag team, combo through waves of monsters and turn torn costumes into comebacks.
Is Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed worth it?
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is worth it if…
- you want a Neptunia story with real-time combat instead of turn-based battles
- you like clearing huge waves of enemies with flashy combos and special attacks
- you enjoy swapping between two characters and building the perfect battle duo
- you want a funny, self-aware story you can play in short, satisfying sessions
- you like post-story challenges, unlockable equipment and reasons to replay quests
Screenshots
Tag teams and real-time brawling
Neptunia drops its turn-based habits here: combat happens in real time, in free-roaming arenas where monsters keep spawning until the quest is done. You fight with two characters at once and swap between them mid-battle with the Dual System, so when one heroine's health runs dry, the other steps in without missing a beat. Ground and air combos chain together, and each of the ten playable characters fights differently, so pairing them up is half the fun. Missions are mostly "clear everything", with the occasional hidden objective or mid-boss thrown in. It is a relaxing button-masher more than a precise action game, and that is the point: pick a duo, wade in, and start swinging.
Costume Breaks and comeback mechanics
The strangest idea in the game is also its signature. Take enough hits and your outfit tears in a "Costume Break": your defense drops, but your critical rate and EXE Drive Gauge get a boost. The road to a comeback is literally paved with ripped fabric, and the game knows exactly how ridiculous that is. The EXE Drive Gauge itself is the other half of the deal: fill it up and unleash two tiers of special attacks that clear a room, or call your partner in for a joint super attack. Characters can also transform into their HDD goddess forms for a stat boost and new moves. Losing your clothes, it turns out, is a strategy.
What is there to do after the story?
Is the story worth following, or is it all just combat?
Both, honestly. The plot is a proper Neptunia setup: Gamindustri is at peace, so journalists Dengekiko and Famitsu challenge the Goddesses to a series of missions for a good story, and everyone stumbles into a far bigger scoop. It is told with the series' usual comedy and fourth-wall pokes, and the writing is a big part of the charm. That said, the story is short, and the combat carries the rest of the game.
How long does it take to finish?
The main quests move quickly and the story mode stays casual in difficulty, so you can clear it in a handful of evenings. The real time sink comes after: extra challenges unlock once the story ends, characters level up, collect monster medals for stat boosts and equipment, and hidden "news" found on characters opens new quests. Players who chase everything report well over thirty hours.
Can you play it solo?
Yes, it is a singleplayer game throughout. The tag-team system means you always control a duo and swap between them, and there is a Gauntlet mode for one-on-one arrangements if you want to run a single character. No other people required.
Is the combat hard to learn?
Not at all. Combos chain from two basic attack buttons, enemies in the story mode are mostly slow and harmless, and there is no target locking to worry about, since normal attacks aim for you. If you want more challenge, tougher outfits, harder quests and self-imposed restrictions are where the difficulty lives.
