Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters Nintendo Switch Review

I originally reviewed Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters when the game first came out on PC and PlayStation 4/5. If you want a deep dive into the mechanics and my overall thoughts on the game, please go to that review. This article will mainly discuss the Nintendo Switch port of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters.

Game Name: Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters
Platform(s): PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch (Reviewed)
Developer(s): Compile Heart
Publisher(s): Idea Factory International
Release Date: January 24th, 2024
Price: $49.99 (Available on Amazon)

Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters on the Nintendo Switch has some caveats for being a game that is on weaker hardware than it is used to. It still retains the same story and the same engine. Nepgear is thrust into a world without Neptune as she awakes from a two-year slumber and has to be the leader to sort out the problems that come from the rPhones stealing shares from the Goddesses. If any of that confuses you, I want to iterate that if you haven’t played any of the previous Neptunia games, this is not the best launch point into the series.

The Good

Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters runs surprisingly well on the Nintendo Switch, which tells that Idea Factory put a lot of effort into optimizing this game to play well on the hardware they were given. In fact, this game utilizes a brand-new engine compared to the other games in the Neptunia series. I thought for sure this would have some major dips in the game, especially when you get to the larger areas like Planeptune. I didn’t go over Planeptune in the first review because it was a spoiler before, but I was so happy we could travel there during gameplay. Usually, Planeptune and the other cities are just cutscene places, but here you’re able to traverse and fight in Planeptune.

The Nintendo Switch version of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters might as well be the game’s definitive version. You get access to Maho, Anri, Alice, and Higurashi from the get-go when you start the game. I played my entire playthrough with Maho and Anri as my allies. Maho is great to be able to play, even if her move set isn’t nearly as fun as Anri’s, in my opinion. Anri has guns and more guns and then uses more guns, though her final move in her basic combo is smashing the person next to her with her gun. The issue, though, is Anri is a glass cannon. If she takes a hit, she is down for the count.

I played the majority of my time in handheld mode. Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters is a game that does well from a handheld perspective. I knew that would be the case before, though, since I played many of my old playthroughs on Steam Deck.

The Bad

With the release of Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters on the Nintendo Switch, certain caveats were made. The most egregious one is when you are out in the main dungeons and heading to fight enemies. In the PC version and PS5 version, there was pretty much no change from fighting to exploring. In the Nintendo Switch version, there is a buffer of time that the game pauses, and the whole screen, except your character, turns into a blur, and then the transition is made. It is still impressive for the time it takes since it is still quick but very noticeable. Having no time to transition versus having a few seconds to transition may not be something to scoff at. However, it still hurts the overall experience if you have played this game already on a different system.

During combat or exploring, there can be moments where the game will freeze for several seconds to allow the Nintendo Switch to process what is going on in the game. This takes you back and out of the game at times. It also hurts in combat if you are trying to switch up your combos, as you have to wait for the game to come out of its moment of freezing before it lets you continue your button inputs.

Overall

Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters on Nintendo Switch is a great port of one of the best new Neptunia games we have as fans. If you have a PS5 or a decent PC, I recommend you get it on those platforms instead. If you only have a Nintendo Switch or want to play as Maho or Anri, then I would say this is a solid purchase.

Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters will be released for the Nintendo Switch on January 24th, 2024. It is already available on PS4, PS5, and PC.

Review Disclosure Statement: Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters was provided to us by Idea Factory International for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy.

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