It’s too common to see a video game release that takes itself too seriously. When things are taken too seriously and fun is removed from the grand scheme of things, you are left with an industry that recycles old game concepts and does little to introduce fresh ideas to reinvigorate the industry. Every so often a title comes along that turns the gaming world on its head through means of great humor and original conceptual design. Hyperdimension Neptunia is that kind of game.
Taking place in a realm known as GameIndustri, Neptunia makes fun of the home console war and this clever idea creates a pathway for a title to have limitless potential. The idea behind Hyperdimension Neptunia’s main story is brilliant, clever, and has all the elements to make it rich and entertaining, but the way it is told negates some of those positive attributes and the delivery instead comes off more dry than one would have anticipated from the initial vibe the game conveys. Tranquil character portraits tell the story and there are many circumstances of long, drawn-out dialogue sequences that get are borderline boring.
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Players seize control of Neptune – a Sega inspired character based on the concept of a Sega 32X and Genesis/MegaDrive combo system that never saw release – whom happens to be one of the console goddess that looks over the human word. After commencing in battle with her three sisters, Neptune is exiled to the human world where she awakes with amnesia. Upon her reawakening, Neptune is told by a mysterious voice that she must travel the human world’s four realms: Planeptune, Leanbox, Lowee, and Lastation to collect key fragments and bring about a revolution in GameIndustri.
As you can tell based on the realms’ names, t...
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... that bounce about in the game and that will make some gamers happy. Hyperdimension Neptunia is a lengthy journey that has plenty of side-quests to take on even after completing the main quest. It will take the average RPG gamer around 30hrs to complete if you mix in some side-quests along with the main game’s missions.
If you enjoyed Trinity Universe even a little bit, then Hyperdimension Neptunia is something that’s worth checking out. It has some odd design choices like the complicated item system, but combat remains deep and fun for those willing to invest the time. The story has an intriguing concept but the narration fails to keep it interesting throughout the entire adventure. For the crowd the game is appealing to, it’ll be a worthwhile investment, but the typical RPG gamer may want to rent it first and test the waters before committing to a full purchase.
Kent, S. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games. New York City, New York: Three Rivers Press.
Video games started as arcade machines with simple graphics and even simpler stories, soon evolving into home gaming with The Magnavox Odyssey, the world’s first home-gaming console. It invaded living rooms in 1972, selling 300,000 units. Since then there has been many consoles and games released, some have been huge commercial successes which
...oughs. I had a lot of fun playing this game. It’s like an interactive book: a book-like plot mixed with engaging game play and fantastical events that give a sense of wonder. I forgot to add that the game also incorporates Japanese pop music into the full motion video scenes. This game may not be perfect but it is amazing to see that the flaws of this game, I think are very little and easy to overlook. It goes without saying that for me, thirteen is no unlucky number for this new installment of the legendary series.
Video games have become a hot topic recently. There have been a lot of controversy over whether to play or not to play. The controversy is due to them being arguably more captivating than all other forms of entertainment. Video games narrate an epic tale like no other form of entertainment can. You can become immersed in video games, because of this they are both a highly entertaining escape from the real world and a complete waste of time.
Mythology is constantly being reincarnated into new mediums. It began centuries ago as oral stories being passed from generation to generation and has weathered the test of time to present day. Mythology influences current day literature, movies, and even video games. One video game that heavily draws on mythological themes is The Legend of Zelda created by Japanese video game designer and producer Shingeru Miyamoto. Through Zelda, gamers are exposed to and are able to play through a hero’s journey filled with mythological motifs such as the idea of creation and destruction, the struggle between light versus darkness, the subconscious in relation to reality, and the idea and distortion of time.
"The history of video game consoles - SlipperyBrick.com." SlipperyBrick RSS. Slippery Brick, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. .
Instead of the franchises popularity having a positive impact, overtime, it infected the gaming market along with it’s consumers and developers such as Microsoft Game Studios and EA. It has become an aggrandized cancer on the face of video games everywhere, destroying franchises a...
Since the introduction of Tomb Raider video games to the world in October 1996, Lara Croft has proved to be a laudatory heroine within the world of gaming. The strong, determined, and fierce character provides her audience with the opportunity to immerse itself in an environment of mystery and daring triumph. Although traditionally Lara Croft is portrayed as an unfaltering adventurer, her most recent performance demonstrates the human and vulnerable side to her character. Tomb Raider (2013) reimagines the familiar heroine through her origin story; one filled with tragedy, sacrifice, and wavering morals. Through the strife now discovered within Croft’s history, one may question whether Lara Croft still portrays a character of great heroism. Lara Croft’s portrayal in Tomb Raider’s storyline and gameplay influence her transition into a dynamic, relatable character; thus it is through the obstacles faced in her backstory that she becomes a laudatory heroine.
While it is as far from the eventual commercial videogame systems that come later as a walk in the park is to a walk on the moon, a physicist trying to make the public tour of his lab a little more exciting to bored visitors designs what some consider as a precursor videogame system in 1958. Working at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a US nuclear research lab in Upton, New York, William A. Higinbotham notices that people attending the annual autumn open houses, which are held to show the public how safe the work going on there is, are bored with the displays of simple photographs and static equipment. Educated at Cornell University as a physics graduate, Higinbotham had come to BNL from Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project, and had actually been witness to the first detonation of the atomic bomb. A chain-smoking, fun-loving character and self-confessed pinball player, he wants to develop an open house exhibit at BNL that will entertain people as they learn.
“The Last of Us” is an award winning video game developed by Naughty Dog and produced by Sony Entertainment for the PlayStation3 (PS3). It features a blend of action-adventure, stealth, and survival horror genres, and is set in the post-pandemic ruins of the United States. Yet, while those elements make the game interesting and enjoyable to play, it is the story that motivates the player forward. Equal parts fiction and nonfiction, a bit of real world truth goes a long way in making this game significantly better than the vast majority of other horror-adventure titles. Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us” is the single greatest experience in video gaming to-date and, as the fastest selling new IP in PS3 history , is proof that Naughty Dog is one of the best video game development companies in the market.
Video games have come a long way. They have evolved from the simple game of Pong into a complex, multi-platform, multi-genre, multi-billion dollar industry.
...an enterprise underway to create a video game about how to make enjoyable video games.
In the video game Enter the Matrix, released in 2003, the players take on the role of supporting characters in the film sequel Matrix Reloaded. They play the side stories; those that not appear on screen in the film. The game is inspired by the world that is depicted in the film. Enter the Matrix displays distinct visual parallel between the film and the video game. The overlook of the film and video game is similar and distinguishable because the video game mimics the visual style of the film. It gets players satisfied with their purchase of the game. Playing the game is a different experience for the players because it connects them with the source material. It allows them to be part of the story and to feel to be the character of their franchise. Players are considered spectators too because there are some cinematic cut scenes that are shown in the game which makes them observe and do n...
In 1978, Roy Trubshaw at the Universe of Essex in England created a program he called a “multi-user Dungeon” (Reid, 1994). This game was...
"What to Expect in the Future." What to Expect in the Future for Virtual Reality Games. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. .