Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is out on the Switch now, and in some ways that’s a good thing. Getting more characters is great, and it’s always nice to be able to play a title on a new platform. However, it doesn’t feel like the best fit in some ways, even with the cast being interesting and a solid story for the series.
The thing about the Switch port of Neptunia: Sister vs Sisters is it still has the same problems as it did when it debuted on the PS4, PS5, and PC in 2023. There are a lot of empty and unused spaces, which can make locations feel less interesting or wasted even though there are more places to go. It’s like there’s too much padding for the excuse of saying, “look how big this area is.” You’re going through the same or similar spaces that might only look slightly different, and it’s frustrating.
I’d also say this is my least favorite battle system in a Neptunia game, simply because the combat in Neptunia: Sister vs Sister has too little control. The characters you aren’t controlling can mess up the combos you’re setting up. They can get themselves into bad situations, which you only realize when you swap to them or realize one is dead.
The Switch version also feels as though it adds its own hitches to the formula. The loading is a lot, for one. The lighting sometimes makes it feel like Nepgear and the other characters are random models inserted into the world, and the animations don’t feel as smooth as they should. Honestly, I think that’s another reason why the combat system bothered me, as things don’t really flow well in the Switch port. Considering how it prioritizes swapping between units, that’s a pretty big deal.
Which is a shame, because the story is interesting and the characters are in fine form. Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters can feel a lot like a return to the series’ roots in some ways, with clever humor and smart references to real world problems when handling things. Everyone gets their moment, and I loved the focus on the CPU goddess candidates, since they aren’t always getting as much attention as Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Vert. The new characters Maho and Anri are really compelling too, and I felt like there’s a good balance between the typical silliness in the series and heart.
Speaking of Maho and Anri, I also appreciated how the Switch version of Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters handled the playable versions of the characters. You gain access to them immediately after the introduction, as well as the characters Shanghai Alice and Higurashi. Anri is a close-range attacker who uses her fists, which can be handy since you otherwise need to pretty much rely on Nepgear early on for those sorts of attacks. Meanwhile, Anri is another ranged unit who can dash forward for a hard hit or two. Both fit in well with the existing roster. I actually had a few situations and parties where I used Maho as my primary melee unit instead of Nepgear, because I felt like her "boxing" hit harder than I expected. As for Anri, I'd typically use her in place of Uni from time to time.
I am glad that Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is on the Nintendo Switch now, because it’s great when titles are on more platforms and more people get access to them. I also appreciate the story in this one and the new characters that are playable. It’s just that the existing problems from this entry are still there, and I feel like it doesn’t run as well as it did on the PS5.
Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC, and the Xbox One and Xbox Series X versions will appear on April 16, 2024.
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