The Hyperdimension Neptunia series has established quite a name for itself on both the PS3 and Vita platforms as a charming and engaging JRPG series. With many of the original titles as well as remakes and idol simulators that have graced Sony’s consoles and handhelds, the long awaited Re;Birth3 has arrived on the Vita. Idea Factory and Compile Heart have taken the original Neptunia Victory title release on the PS3 and enhanced it on the Vita to complete the Re;Birth trilogy as promised to Neptunia fans worldwide.

Re;Birth3 takes place in an alternate world where Lastation, Lowee, Leanbox and Planeptune exist in the year 1989. A couple years after the Deity of Sin’s defeat, Gamingindustri has enjoyed peace and prosperity under the watchful but carefree CPU Goddesses. One day, Neptune (one of the CPU Goddesses) is suddenly whisked away to a parallel universe where Gamingindustri exists with a touch of nostalgia and a retro vibe. An enigmatic group called “The Seven Sages” poses a new threat causing widespread panic and fear to all the inhabitants. With no time to lose, Neptune must rally support to oppose this evil threat while figuring out a way to return back to her original world.

Much like the previous Re;Birth games, the battle system is a mixture of turn-based and real-time combat as you maneuver your party members strategically. The vertical action order gauge displays the turns for you and your enemies as you attack, defend or flee from your foes in a circular perimeter. Enemy stats and guard points are visible in the top right hand corner with your party member stats filling the bottom width of the battle screen. Transforming into the HDD mode allows you to unleash more powerful attacks and combos as expected from previous Rebirth titles.

The highlight of Rebirth3 is the return of Stella’s Dungeon that is accessible from the menu to equip and send Stella off on her way to traverse and fight monsters in the Neptral Tower. If Stella perishes in battle, she loses all her equipment and items with higher risks as she climbs to higher levels of the tower. When Stella returns safely, you will be rewarded with a variety of items and if she clears the area, you are given a generous gift for your troubles. Her status can be tracked in her progress log as you use trial and error to get Stella to the top of the Neptral Tower to conquer her enemies.

New features in this game include the addition of a face icon on the world map, a notification that you may converse and interact with local residents as well as the added function, a nifty feature that provides information on how and where to obtain spoils on the planning menu. You may also preview how a weapon or costume appears on Neptune prior to buying it to boost buyer confidence and decrease the chances of buyer remorse. Battle combos can now be customized in various slots with a fifth combo slot and if that’s not enough, the inclusion of an EX Finisher opens up the possibility of a six-attack combo on the battlefield.

Visually, Re;Birth3 is detailed and a vast improvement over Re;Birth2 on the Playstation TV that is leagues ahead of the original Neptunia Victory on the PS3. Character models are detailed and polished and the Gaminindustri world remains vibrant and colorful. There are intermittent frame rate issues and periodic “lag” moments but nothing that detracts from the game’s appeal as a whole. On the upside, the speed at which you can access the menus and user interface is smooth and has been vastly improved compared to the earlier Re;Birth instalments. 

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3 is faithful to its Neptunia Victory with better visuals, new additions and features that warrants another visit back to the Neptunia series. As Re;Birth2 had recently arrived on Steam, Neptunia fans can rejoice as the third Re;Birth title has arrived on the Vita with nifty extras and bonuses. Those without a Vita or PSTV need not fret as Re;Birth3 will be making its way over to Steam in the near future for JRPG fans to enjoy in the PC gaming community.

PROS – Gorgeous Visuals, New Features, More of Stella’s Dungeon

CONS – Excessive Grinding, Frame Rate Issues

SCORE – 80%

This review is based on a digital copy of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth3: V Generation provided by Idea Factory. The game was reviewed using the Playstation TV system.