Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars
Idea Factory International (2022)
Description
Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars is an action role-playing game that serves as a crossover collaboration between two prominent niche franchises: Hyperdimension Neptunia by Idea Factory/Compile Heart and Senran Kagura by Marvelous/Tamsoft. Released initially in Japan in 2021 for the PlayStation 4, the game saw its international release in 2022, expanding to the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The title was developed by a coalition of studios including Compile Heart, Tamsoft, and Acquire, and published in Western regions by Idea Factory International. It blends the lighthearted, fourth-wall-breaking narrative style of Neptunia with the high-speed ninja combat aesthetic of Senran Kagura.
The game is set in a world known as Gamninjustri, a playful reconfiguration of the Neptunia series' "Gamindustri." In this setting, the nations are not divided by console wars but by warring ninja schools. The two primary powers are Heartland, home to the Compa Style (representing the Neptunia cast), and Marveland, home to the Honeypa Style (representing the Senran Kagura cast). The Compa Style focuses on "Command Technique" ninja arts, a nod to the turn-based RPG roots of the Neptunia series, while the Honeypa Style masters "Action Technique," referencing the real-time hack-and-slash nature of Senran Kagura. The story begins with these two schools locked in a struggle for hegemony until a third faction, the Steeme Legion, invades using an army of mechanical ninjas. Led by the antagonist Yoh Gamer, the Steeme Legion forces the two rival schools to declare a ceasefire and form an alliance to protect Gamninjustri from the impending "Super NINJA War."
Gameplay in Ninja Wars is a hack-and-slash action RPG that leans heavily into the development style of Tamsoft. Players control a party of two characters, switching between them instantly to chain combos or recover health. Combat is fast-paced, utilizing a combination of standard weapon attacks, ranged projectiles (kunai and shuriken), and stamina-based special moves called Ninja Art Skills. A central mechanic is the "Furinkazan Drive," a transformation system allowing characters to adopt different elemental stances—Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain—each providing distinct passive bonuses such as increased attack power or damage resistance. Additionally, players can trigger a powerful ultimate attack known as the "Shinobi Extreme" to deal massive damage to bosses and hordes of enemies.
RPG elements are integrated through a system called Spirit Gems. Rather than a traditional equipment system with complex armor slots, players collect and arrange Spirit Gems on a grid board for each character. Placing these gems in specific patterns or combinations yields stat boosts and bonus effects, allowing for a degree of customization in character builds. Between combat missions, the game utilizes a visual novel format typical of the Neptunia franchise to advance the plot, featuring animated 2D character portraits and fully voiced dialogue (in Japanese). The narrative retains the comedic tone of its parent series, filled with meta-humor, gaming industry references, and character banter.
The playable roster features key characters from both franchises. From the Neptunia side, the four CPU goddesses—Neptune (Purple Heart), Noire (Black Heart), Blanc (White Heart), and Vert (Green Heart)—appear in ninja-themed redesigns of their deity forms. The Senran Kagura side contributes four of its most popular shinobi: Asuka, Homura, Yumi, and Miyabi. The game also introduces two original characters: Yuuki, a cat-eared ninja, and Goh the Crow, a mysterious figure designed by Acquire. DLC content later added additional costumes and difficulty settings to the game.
Beyond the main campaign, the game features side content such as the "Peaches & Cream Meditation" minigame. In this mode, players must use controller inputs to balance a character on a giant peach, a mechanic that provides temporary stat buffs for subsequent battles. For players seeking a greater challenge, a post-game mode called "Yomi-Training" offers a series of high-difficulty trials with restrictive conditions, testing mastery of the combat system.
Critically, Neptunia x SENRAN KAGURA: Ninja Wars received mixed to positive reception. It was praised for successfully merging the aesthetics and character dynamics of both series, with fans appreciating the interactions between the goddesses and the shinobi. The combat was generally considered solid and accessible, though some critics noted it lacked the depth found in mainline Senran Kagura titles. Common criticisms pointed to repetitive environment design and a relatively short campaign length. Despite these points, it stands as a significant title for fans of "moe" culture and action RPGs, acting as a bridge between two long-running franchises.
Release Date: 2022
Genres: Action, Role-playing, JRPG, RPG, ARPG, Hack, slash
Developers: Idea Factory, Tamsoft, Compile Heart, Acquire
Publishers: Idea Factory International
