Neptunia Virtual Stars

Neptunia Virtual Stars is an action-focused spin-off that blends hack-and-slash combat with third-person shooting in a virtual-world setting. The game’s concept revolves around idols, digital worlds, and internet culture, giving it a distinct tone within the Neptunia franchise. It aims for a mix of energetic gameplay and colorful presentation rather than mechanical depth.
The combat alternates between melee-focused Goddess characters and VTubers who specialize in ranged shooting. This dual-style system provides variety, though both sides of the combat feel simplified. Melee characters rely on basic combos and dodge mechanics, while shooting characters use lock-on aiming and special skills. The overall gameplay loop remains straightforward but serviceable for players seeking light action.
The story centers on saving the digital world of EMO from destructive forces known as Anti. The narrative plays heavily into themes of online entertainment, fan support, and virtual celebrity culture. It is delivered with the familiar humor and self-referential tone of the Neptunia series, appealing to players who enjoy its comedic style.
One of the standout elements is the inclusion of real VTubers as guest characters. They appear with voice lines, visuals, and in-game abilities, adding novelty for fans of the VTuber scene. Their roles are mostly supportive within gameplay, but their presence reinforces the game’s theme of collaboration within a virtual space.
Visually, the game uses bright colors, stylized character models, and lively effects that suit its digital-world aesthetic. Environments are simple but colorful, designed more for fast movement than detailed exploration. The soundtrack, heavily influenced by idol-pop and electronic music, supports the energetic tone throughout the campaign.
Progression involves leveling characters, unlocking skills, and equipping stat-boosting items. The systems are simple and easy to manage, reflecting the game’s aim to remain accessible. Despite limited mechanical depth, players can experiment with different team setups and skill combinations to suit their preferred playstyle.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is best suited for fans of the franchise or players who enjoy light, fast-paced action with a strong focus on fan culture. Its strengths lie in its playful tone, vibrant visuals, and unique crossover with VTubers. While its combat and level design are modest, the game delivers a colorful, upbeat experience for those who appreciate its niche appeal.

im such a fat ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ chud for buying this. 💀
the shootings different from what im used too that's normal for jp titles imo its apart of their charm in a way examples are lost planet,resident evil and more follow the same but are are easy to understand even if they function different. this game is weird as a whole it was supposed to be ile hearts game from what i remember. ile heart is my oshi i can say with full confidence she's goated. the game is a mix of a tps and hack and slash with rpg elements. im only a few hours in this is what i've got. the marketing for vtubers at the time is really in your face if you love vtubers and are chasing for some that you may not know(this is from my pov) then this is the game. the game is fun the writing is goofy(in a goodway) i laughed too yes...i am slow. As expected the game is different from what we;yes WE! played growing up. put respect on ile hearts name her youtube-@ileheart(she's the cute thing winking making a heart symbol with her hands. she has pink hair and blue high lights) you'll thank me later. virtual stars is a weird game i give it a thumbs up for being weird :T

Okay, hear me out. This game has terrible reviews but it's a great game, in theory. You have to use the auto-aim button constantly when using shooter characters, you should turn off the setting that moves the camera around and ruins the game and the tutorials for the game rush through important information. But if you look at the tutorials in the menu, practice a bit, it's really fun. Songs play during boss fights and depending on where the song is will determine if you play defensive, aggressive, or maybe focus on collecting the things that drop from bosses to boost the special gauge? (I don't remember what the third one does). When the play button has red all around it, you can press the back button to trigger the special and upon collecting enough of the things that drop from bosses you can press back again to trigger a special (which from my experience was really weak but it probably depends on damage and stuff). Vtubers have defense whereas Neptunia's team has team attack which maybe increases the special damage? You can equip different things to boost stats, first is Vcubes which work better on Vtubers or the Nep gang usually. You can also equip accessories which you can hide how they change the characters with the back button. I don't know how the Vtuber finisher thing works. When the heart gauge fills on an enemy they're stunned briefly, I'd recommend trying to max one character's stats and then focusing on the others later. You'll see cubes which will drop different types of items depending on what type is shown when you open it, I prioritized dropped items (which can give you the broken item to reset all cubes on a map), then CDs (I like the music and there aren't many options), then Vcubes (they can make a huge difference to stats, I'm pretty sure after you rescue a Vtuber you can get their cube so in the beginning your options aren't great). When using Vtubers one is controlled by AI so it's very susceptible to dying, probably why you can switch between them, when one of them is dead, I'm pretty sure you can't use their special. Dodging with Vtubers is really strong against some bosses, but seems pretty bad against regular enemies or single hit attacks. I think the rest is pretty self explanatory, I haven't died yet so I don't know what the penalties are, and I also don't know what buffs different songs give (which might be in the game but it should be more obvious). I think the game has a bad reputation simply because the tutorials aren't great and most people don't bother changing the settings (pretty sure you want to change Vtuber lock-on from free to fixed, it's a minor improvement but it's a big deal) which fix the game and hold down (I think it's left trigger) for auto-aim when you're not using Vtubers. I don't know if Vtubers have an auto-aim button or not. Reaching the second area isn't intuitive since you're supposed to go up to a blank TV screen in the cloud and interact with it rather than using the warp function you've always used previously. If you enjoy Neptunia and watch any Vtubers you'll definitely enjoy it as long as you remember the game is really short (like SK vs. Neptunia, maybe a little shorter). You get new characters rather quickly making the old ones pretty obsolete (not that I minded), the game does have an unfortunate (and bizarre) propensity to put in some weird stuff, like the scene with Vice battling one of the eight, some of the Vtubers lines and designs (the sumo guy and I believe it's Mari with some really avoidable bad lines). The game would undoubtedly be better without that stuff and I don't think anyone wanted it but that's Neptunia for you, like the second mainline game, SK vs. Neptunia, etc. Almost an amazing game with some weird unnecessary stuff. Lots of equipment customization and you eventually are able to easily get V-cubes and MOE equipment so it feels like a waste to use the boxes for them. I think eventually you're able to reset the boxes by consistently getting a boss drop item but I'm not sure. The music is great and the story is interesting enough, it's kind of like the third game where you go "maybe the good guys aren't so good?" There's so many side missions that you kind of forget about them, they're there if you want to pursue them but definitely optional, not enough to be overwhelming. I also wish the game let you know that eventually you can unlock V-cubes by using Ponos coins because the first search function is useless but the gacha system is amazing (which you unlock at like the third upgrade). You'll use the back button a lot since it's a really powerful ability with no downside on regular enemies and some of the later areas get a bit annoying with dogoos having built in invincibility that looks like a glitch and falling off stages multiple times since you can fall off in later stages and sometimes enemies actively make you fall (it seems to exist just to be annoying). There's even what seems like a glitch again (but it's not) where you can get stuck in the book area on a lone island you can jump to if using Nep and her crew. You unlock BeatTik when the dog TV guy joins or a little after. Which is weird since you accumulate the items to use it for like 3 or 4 stages before actually being able to use them. BeatTik is used alongside the one building that requires video stones but can't be used for a while. Around chapter 9 when you're looking for Vcubes the number you want is minimum 43% which the game does a poor job of explaining. There's a route in Cookunia around three star gourmet (the second location) to grind getting new Vtubers. It's after I believe three sets of macarons or two pancakes. Just follow the orange slices after you drop to the lower level and you should see a screen with a new Vtuber.

Its okay. The gameplay is okay and the plot is whatever. There is fun to be had here, you'll probably feel it in the first few hours, but as you continue to play, you'll soon realize that first few hours is REALLY how the entire game is gonna feel, especially if you already have a "main" and you choose to mostly play as her.

The combat becomes mindless as you equip the best vcubes to max your damage, then every encounter becomes trivial.

Probably the most disappointing thing about this game is just how the actual Vtubers are treated here, as you'll only ever see them in loading screens. Yes, you can see them on monitors throughout levels, yes you can occasionally see them pop up in a little window every now and then, but the only time you're gonna get a good view of them is during the load times, and they have no impact on the plot, despite Vtubers being super critical for the plot. Instead, we get 6 Vtubers created specifically for the game. I wish they were more recognizable / popular Vtubers instead so that fans could find more reason to connect with the game, especially since the girls we do get are as interesting as butter on toast.

Outside of the 6 original Vtubers made for the game, the only other Vtuber that gets any spotlight in the plot is Ileheart, Compile Heart's official Vtuber, but those spotlights only show up when she is first introduced at the beginning of the game and then she gets another one at the very end of the game, and it is very minor. OUTSIDE OF HER, there is also Kizuna Ai and Towa Kiseki, arguably the most popular Vtubers in the entire collab (at least at the time of the game's release), but you'll only get to see them if you get their DLC. They're actually playable and have their own DLC story but I haven't tried that yet, I can say Kizuna Ai is fun to play as at least.

Every other Vtuber in the game feels like an afterthought.

That is my only complaint with the game, and I admit it is a nitpicky thing to complain about. The game is fine, if you're a fan of any of the Vtubers present then go for it, if you're a fan of Neptunia, there's something here for you, I'm sure. But it is just an okay experience, not an awful game by any means, but not anything worth noting either. Also this port is very buggy that makes some achievements almost impossible to get so good luck with that.

Neptunia Virtual Stars, developed by Idea Factory and Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory International, is a spin-off entry that pushes the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise into new territory, merging its usual self-aware humor and action gameplay with the growing culture of virtual idols and online content creators. Set in a digital dimension known as Virtuland, the story begins when the familiar goddesses—Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Vert—are summoned to rescue this realm from digital corruption. Alongside two new characters, Me and You, who represent virtual performers from another world, the group must battle enemies known as Anti and restore the flow of content to Virtuland. The premise is an inventive blend of satire and modern internet culture, giving the series a unique opportunity to explore themes of creativity, fandom, and digital identity within its trademark comedic framework.
From a presentation standpoint, Neptunia Virtual Stars carries the vibrant energy and aesthetic style long associated with the franchise. The environments are colorful, the character models are polished, and the game’s tone is consistently lighthearted. The use of virtual idols and VTuber cameos adds an unusual but intriguing layer to the visual presentation, with real-life digital personalities appearing throughout the game in short clips, holographic projections, or supportive roles. This collaboration between fictional and real virtual entertainers is one of the title’s most distinctive ideas, giving it a personality that stands out even within the already eccentric Neptunia universe. The soundtrack complements the experience with upbeat electronic tracks and catchy vocal themes that enhance the digital idol atmosphere. Some of the boss battle themes are particularly well-crafted, combining pop melodies with an energetic electronic edge that suits the rhythm and spectacle of the combat sequences.
In terms of gameplay, the developers aimed for a hybrid action experience that combines third-person shooting with melee combat. Players can freely switch between the goddesses, who specialize in ranged attacks, and the VTuber duo Me and You, who excel in close-range combat. Each character has unique abilities, special attacks, and cooldown-based skills. Unfortunately, while the concept offers variety, the execution lacks precision. The shooting mechanics feel floaty, the camera struggles to keep up with the action, and hit detection can be inconsistent. Enemies are often repetitive in design and behavior, which makes many encounters feel more like button-mashing marathons than strategic battles. The leveling and upgrade systems allow for some customization, but they do little to alter the fundamental simplicity of combat. This makes the gameplay loop enjoyable in short bursts but monotonous over extended play sessions, particularly since missions and environments follow a predictable structure of clearing waves of enemies before moving to the next arena.
Another system included in Neptunia Virtual Stars is the BeatTik mode, a rhythm-based mini-game that lets the idols perform dance sequences set to music. This feature initially seems like a charming addition that fits the idol theme, but it lacks the depth of dedicated rhythm games. Its limited song selection, basic input system, and minimal reward integration make it feel like a side activity rather than a meaningful component of the overall experience. Still, for fans of idol aesthetics or those who enjoy customizing character outfits and performances, BeatTik provides a bit of lighthearted fan service and visual flair.
Narratively, the game retains the series’ signature self-referential tone and playful writing. The dialogue is full of meta jokes, gaming references, and cheeky commentary about online culture. The interactions between the goddesses remain one of the highlights—each character’s distinct personality ensures that the banter stays entertaining, even when the plot itself doesn’t push forward in a meaningful way. The newcomers, Me and You, bring a refreshing perspective as outsiders navigating the chaotic world of the Neptunia cast. However, the story structure is uneven, alternating between lengthy dialogue segments and shallow mission design. While the humor is endearing for fans of the franchise, the lack of narrative tension or emotional stakes means the story rarely feels urgent. The inclusion of real-world VTubers, though clever in concept, often functions more as cameo content than as an integrated narrative element, which diminishes the potential impact of this crossover idea.
From a technical standpoint, Neptunia Virtual Stars performs adequately but shows signs of limited optimization, particularly on PC. The frame rate can dip during heavy action sequences, and the camera’s occasional jittering or collision detection issues can break immersion. While the character models and effects look good, some environments appear flat or under-detailed, reflecting the game’s mid-budget nature. Despite these shortcomings, the overall visual direction succeeds in maintaining the series’ colorful charm and anime-inspired energy. The music and voice acting, as usual for the series, are strong points. The English and Japanese audio options both capture the comedic tone, with performances that suit each character’s personality.
Neptunia Virtual Stars ultimately feels like a game that experiments with bold ideas but doesn’t fully realize their potential. It tries to merge idol culture, VTuber fandom, and traditional action gameplay into a cohesive whole, yet each component feels underdeveloped. The combat lacks the satisfying precision of more refined action titles, the rhythm gameplay feels tacked on, and the story never digs deeply enough into its intriguing premise. Still, for fans of the Neptunia series, the charm of its cast, the humor, and the sheer oddity of the crossover make it worthwhile. The game’s self-aware spirit, colorful visuals, and energetic music maintain a sense of fun even when the mechanics falter.
In the end, Neptunia Virtual Stars stands as a peculiar entry in the Neptunia franchise—a creative experiment that succeeds more in personality than in polish. It’s an uneven but entertaining blend of satire, fandom, and digital culture that appeals primarily to loyal fans who enjoy the series’ quirky characters and tongue-in-cheek writing. For newcomers or players seeking deep, satisfying gameplay, its simplicity and repetition may prove disappointing. But for those willing to embrace its eccentricities and appreciate its attempt to bridge gaming and virtual entertainment, Neptunia Virtual Stars remains a bright, eccentric, and distinctly Neptunian curiosity in the ever-growing multiverse of Compile Heart’s creations.
Rating: 5/10

Game is alright, though I have several issues, while I enjoy it, these issues actually gives me grief.
The game is pretty badly optimized, the borderless just makes the screen smaller and there is no option to make it fit the entire screen at all
There are times where it actually crashes during boss fights and I have no way of saving well beforehand as I have backtrack so far back to even save, or even leave the entire dungeon just to do so
The 3D Models during the Events looks so weird, I refuse to elaborate further on this
There isn't anyway for me to set any of the controls to how I like it and I actively have to guess whats what on my Controller because I couldn't figure out whats what on my Keyboard because it doesn't actually do any of the controls as it explains it during tutorial for the keyboard control

After finishing this game multiple times I think this is my favorite Nep game ever form gameplay standpoint (aka the most important part when talking about the game) and yes I see Westroids giving a game a bad review because and I quote "story is bad"....no it isn't, its just good its not perfect like some other Neptunia games but it isn't bad. It makes sense and its just there to be fun and not too serious. Now even if you think that story is bad and lets say it is they never talk about the gameplay of the game that is IMO the best this series has to offer (and yes I finished most other Neptunia games 100% and all on different consoles.)