Crafting Games Within A Game: A Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution Review

By JT

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is perhaps the one and only Neptunia game, since the inception of the Neptunia series as a whole, which I actually preordered. The idea of becoming a game developer might be what initially draws someone in, but that wasn't the case here. There are elements that lead your mind into thinking about game development, and there are elements where the creation of a video game is referenced in the story, but the execution is very different. Neptunia Game Maker is not the game you might think it is. Everything is interwoven into a story that pits a single small company against a global market. Is that market over-saturated with others attempting to make new games, or is it still ripe for the picking? How deep into game development is someone willing to go before the chaos becomes too much to handle? Let’s dive in and find out!

Neptunia Game Maker's story is centered on a world called Gamindustri, where most of the Neptunia series of games take place In this world there are Game Makers battling for control of the market, which comes off like a simplified version of what happens with real-world corporations. There are numerous dungeons to explore, and battles to fight, with the completion of each level leading closer to higher market share and company value. Something as simple as 100% map exploration of a dungeon can grant those rewards. Many dungeons also have event markers, and it's these that serve to advance the main story. These vary greatly in length, sometimes only taking up a minute of dialogue or less, and other times stretching into several minutes. While most are entertaining to watch, players can easily skip some without really missing anything. A simple bug in a game can become an entire separate process, but it can be entertaining depending on whether you're one that finds the constant back and forth pull enjoyable.

Neptunia games have never been very deep when it comes to story or dialogue options, and Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is no different. You may have the option to choose which faction to assist during a particular event, but it’s a very small part of the story, and any differences between the choices are negligible. One of the first missions you get involves figuring out who stole your games, and then you set out to retrieve them. That simple premise gets dragged out a lot longer than I think it deserved. Admittedly that’s somewhat expected in the Neptunia series, so much of the dialogue went right over my head. At the end of the mission nothing felt like it had much weight, so much so that it felt like I had no real enemy. Everyone within the main story eventually felt like they were slowly becoming an ally or just a rival character. The stakes never felt high enough to make me care about whatever mission I was on. So I began doing a lot of side missions, both inside dungeons and experimenting with Neptunia’s version of game development.

What Neptunia Game Maker gets very right is the idea of making your own games, even if the execution of that idea comes out a bit poorly in the end. Nostalgia hit me a little with how emails are sent to you, giving small nods to widely known IP, such as Pokémon or Mario. There might be emails asking to develop an Action RPG or Classic RPG, and then it’s up to you to decide how to best execute that idea. Although, the range of options are very thin, especially in the beginning, there's enough there to keep you invested. There are options to unlock more genres and styles of games, but sometimes it’s barely worth thinking about. You also have "Sales Areas" that you complete in order to be given more creative freedom when it comes to upgrading to increasing sales. It can all easy turn into a rather messy experience, but one where I had fun exploring. The game itself was never about the experience, but the idea. How does Neptunia Game Maker fair against other games with a game developer simulation type of experience? Well, if you’re looking to fill that little niche, think again. While it may take inspiration from other types of games of similar genre, it doesn’t deal with it enough to justify that part of its premise.

Neptunia Game Maker could be considered an Action RPG, but one that locks you into battle on a set stage. You're able to battle every monster you can see in the field at any time. Simply go up to one and be sure to hit it so you gain a turn advantage with combat. Even without getting that first easy turn in, battles are simple and easy. I found myself striking the first blow most of the time, even without that initial surprise turn. During combat you’re able to switch between characters and are able to perform combos with two, three, or even all four, characters. The ability to transform during battle also makes fights considerably easier, and it'll soon feel as if you're fighting flies the whole time. Some sub-boss battles have a lot of HP or armor to chip away at, but overall most battles were over in less than a minute. Motorcycles are also considered to be a part of the game, but that would mainly be up to how useful the player finds them to be. Some dungeons can utilize the bike in a way where the tedium can vastly improve, making running back to newly open doors or finishing up a side quest that much easier. Adding different types of bikes is a nice splash of color to a game that feels somewhat lacking in that area. Minigames also help, but it’s not enough to keep my mind occupied throughout the whole experience.

While Neptunia Game Maker does have its flaws, the game makes up for it with its beautiful music and gorgeous artwork. The graphics can range from PS2-levels of visuals to beautiful 3D works of art. Certain dungeons are certainly more impressive than others and take advantage of the current generation of graphics, while others seem like they weren't rendered properly. Overall, the look of the game is solid, and the music can really hit hard. Idea Factory really knows their audience when it comes to the type of gaming experience they know and love.

With as much emphasis as I put on Neptunia Game Maker being a disappointing game throughout this review, you probably think I didn't care much for it. The game is harmless, simple fun. While the antagonists may be weak-willed, the story a bit too convoluted, and lacking in focus on certain gameplay elements, Neptunia is a series that is very consistent on what it brings to the table. I wasn’t feeling well for the few weeks I was given to play it, and Neptunia helped me get through it all. Most of the time, when I wasn’t having a headache, I would sit down without a care in the world and just play. No appetite? Okay, I’ll just stay here with my controller in hand. I could barely type anything, let alone actually lay myself down. The only thing I could realistically do was sit up in a chair or stand and walk around. Does that change my review though? Well, I guess it doesn’t. It just changes my perspective on a particular type of mindless game. If this was a bullet hell shooter, there would be no way of completing it. My mind simply wouldn’t be up to the task. As an RPG though, it’s something people can come back to if they are not up to play anything with a strong focus on gameplay or story. At any time, I knew I could quit thanks to the autosave mechanic, and that was the kind of commitment I was looking for at the time.

Overall, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is a decent game with a decent story that sadly fell a bit short of the expectations I had for it. Any extras added into the game all felt like missed opportunities at best. The gameplay isn’t too deep, and almost every enemy felt far too easy. I enjoyed the vast world, but the dungeons were always a hit or miss affair. Puzzles do fill in the tedium of dungeon crawling, but backtracking will become your biggest enemy. All that aside, the $50 price tag isn't that bad. Though I think I'd have to suggest getting it on sale if you plan on picking it up. This game had so much potential, but it ultimately feels like just another Neptunia game. That’s fine for most players, but I expected more from something with “Game Maker” in the title. I hope we get another Neptunia Game Maker title in the near future, and that it build on the formula laid out here. I love simulation-type games, and Game Maker titles could really shake up the series if executed well.

Check Out Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution on PlayStation 5:
https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10007142

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Story: C+
Gameplay: B-
Graphics: B
Sound: A
Value: B

Overall: B-

Pros:
+ Is a strong entry into a series that has lots of fans. (Read: It's a Neptunia game, you know what you're getting!)
+ Both the 3D models and 2D artwork look amazing.
+ Every aspect of the game's sound design was great.
+ There are several neat references to popular franchises.

Cons:
- Story is a bit of a mess, and there's often only the illusion of choice.
- There's a lot of backtracking between areas.
- Stakes never really felt very high, with no strong antagonist. This ultimately meant there was weak story development.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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