Let’s show some school spirit and fight zombies while we are at it!
Tamsoft, Compile Heart, and Idea Factory add another Neptunia game to the franchise. MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies is a fun spin-off of the series. With school girls. And zombies.
Story
The Gamindustri cast is studying abroad at Gamacademi when suddenly, ZOMBIES?! If you enjoy the random exploits of our beloved Gamindustri cast, then you’ll have fun playing through the story mode. The girls are just as silly as you remember them, and the plot is all over the place; in a good way. The story itself is lighthearted and strays away from anything serious.
Gameplay
Throughout the game you pick two characters, go into a “scene”, then hack ‘n’ slash your way through hordes of zombies. If you’ve played Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed the game is easy to pick up. Although moves and combos are simple to access, you do need to strategize your moves. Enemies can be knocked out of your range with special moves and your attack can easily be aimed in the wrong direction. Also keep in mind that some characters will re-sheathe/re-load/rest/etc. after an attack or combo causing a second delay before their next move.On top of the main cast, we are introduced to 4 new characters: Plutia, Tamsoft, Peashy, and Uzume. Unfortunately, (Spoilers ahead!) you don’t unlock all of them until Scene 10. You don’t get much screen time with them in the story mode to try out their new moves and combos. Online Mode, however, has every character already unlocked for you.
When you tire of the story mode you can jump onto the Online Mode where you can rank up, go item hunting, or level up your character. Both online and ad-hoc mode allows you to play with up to three other players. On top of the Online Mode the game also has an option to upgrade and customize your characters. You’re also offered support characters, that you can also customize, who buff your main character in battle.
Graphics
Since this is a zombie game, the color scheme for the game is pretty dark in some areas; a contrast to previous games that take place in the Gamindustri world which are bright and vibrant. There are only a few maps to play on, and they’re simple; they just create the space you slay zombies in. Some maps feel like they’re empty; you will have so much space but zombies will only populate in one area. Other maps are so small the camera glitches. In the Gamacademi Campus level, I defeated a Shadowen simply by getting it stuck behind a wall. Speaking of camera, it always seems to conveniently fall at the perfect panty shot angle… Just so you know.
Replay Value
At the end of my initial run I discovered that I didn’t unlock everything in my gallery. If you’re a completionist, you’ll have to revisit certain scenes, select the correct characters, and play through the mission. Revisiting the scenes gives you a chance to try out different duos you may not have originally picked. There are also a lot of items you do not find during the initial run through so you have to go back to find them. Fortunately, you don’t have to replay the story to obtain the items since you can do that through the Online Mode.
Verdict
Cons:There really isn’t much variation in enemies. Most of them are taken from previous games and given a slight zombie spin. The game is also really easy. Sure, I was taken out a couple times by some big guys, but once I figured out a strategy and leveled up my characters I went through the levels fairly fast. Once I made it to the end, the boss fell extremely short; there was almost no challenge. New characters, aside from Tamsoft, are introduced late in the game. You go about four Scenes without unlocking any new characters and when you do unlock them you’ve already leveled up your favorite characters.
Pros: The game is really easy to pick up. I didn’t have a hard time figuring out buttons or controls. It was also easy finding different strategies to defeat certain bosses. While the story wasn’t the greatest, it was still pretty fun to just jump in, take out some zombies, and play around with combos. The customization also has a lot of depth. Not only do you get to pick an accessory you decide where it goes, how it will sit on your character, and how big/small you want it. Aside from altering your character’s appearance you can also use “ability points” to upgrade your character; the more you upgrade, the more combos you can unlock. You can pick up MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies on the PlayStation Vita now. Which is your favorite game in the Neptunia franchise? Let us know in the comments!
New Challenger Gaming 