Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart

Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (超女神信仰ノワール　激神ブラックハート, Chō Megami Shinkō Nowāru Geki-Shin Burakkuhāto, literally "Hyper-goddess faith Noire: fierce god Black heart") is a 2014 tactical role-playing game developed by Compile Heart and Sting Entertainment. The game is a spin-off title of the Hyperdimension Neptunia game series featuring Noire as the main character. The game was released in Japan on May 29, 2014,[3][4][5] and in North America and Europe in February 2015.[1] It was originally a PlayStation Vita exclusive. A port for Microsoft Windows was released on April 26, 2016.

Hyperdevotion Noire:
Goddess Black Heart
European cover art
Developer(s)Compile Heart
Sting
Publisher(s)
Artist(s)Tsunako
SeriesHyperdimension Neptunia
Platform(s)PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation Vita
  • JP: May 29, 2014
  • NA: February 24, 2015[1]
  • EU: February 27, 2015[1]
  • AU: March 4, 2015
Microsoft Windows
  • WW: April 26, 2016[2]
Genre(s)Tactical role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay
In-game screenshot of the battle system, demonstrating how units appear on the field.

The game features chibi versions of the original Hyperdimension Neptunia characters which battle against enemies on a tactical grid map.[6][7] The gameplay is turn-based, and map elevation has an effect on characters' abilities and mobility; certain units are more capable of climbing to higher terrain than others, and units take damage from falling.[8] The field maps feature various gimmicks, including rail cars, flaming pits, logs, artillery batteries, laser beams and moving platforms.[9] Each of the playable characters move by traveling along each square of the map grid, however certain enemies are able to take up more than one square on the map grid.[10][11]

Prior to beginning a mission, the player is able to select characters as participating units, equip them, and designate a mission leader. Akin to various other tactical RPG games, the battle system is separated into player and enemy phases, where each side takes turns in moving characters and executing commands. There is a new mechanic known as "Lily Boost", which involves adjacent units developing special bonds that grant special skills and abilities such as goddess transformations; kissing animations are displayed upon activation.[8] During battle, characters can become affected by a series of status ailments which alter the state of battle, which include zombification, cowardice, turning into tofu, meganekko, becoming 8-bit, and infatuation.[9] Items can be crafted from raw materials. The player is also able to customise Noire's room within the "Sim Noire" mode, using furniture purchasable with in-game points.[8]

Plot

Unlike previous Hyperdimension Neptunia games, Gekishin Black Heart is not set within the world of Gamindustri (ゲイムギョウ界, Geimugyōkai), but instead within a similar but separate world known as Gamarket (ゲイムシジョウ界, Geimushijōkai).[6] The goddesses of each of the four nations battle against one another for hegemony over the world day by day, however just as Noire is one step away from complete domination, the goddesses' powers are robbed by an unknown force. In order to save the world from destruction, the four goddesses cooperate with one another with the aim of unifying Gamarket.

Characters
See also: List of Hyperdimension Neptunia characters

The game features the four main characters from previous games, in addition to a series of 18 new playable characters, each a parody (or an apotheosis) representing a game franchise, genre, or game developer.[6][12]

Main characters
New characters

DLC characters

Additional playable characters can be added to the game via paid DLC.[13]

  • IF: From the previous Hyperdimension Neptunia games within the series. Voiced by: Kana Ueda
  • Compa: From the previous Hyperdimension Neptunia games within the series. Voiced by: Kanako Sakai
  • Tiara: Character from Fairy Fencer F who makes a cameo appearance. Voiced by: Kaori Ishihara
  • Sting: Character representing Sting, the developer of the game. Voiced by: Ai Nonaka

Development

The project was initially announced during the Game no Dengeki Kanshasai 2013 festival.[3] The game is produced by series producer Naoko Mizuno, producer Higashiro, and development producer Hikaru Yasui.[14] The opening theme song is "Jet Black Sustain" (漆黒のサステイン, Shikkoku no sasutein) performed by Asami Imai and produced by 5pb.,[15][16] and the ending song is "Hug" by Marina.

Reception

The Vita version received positive reviews in Japan. Famitsu gave it a review score of one seven and three eights for a total of 31 out of 40.[20] Said Vita version sold 28,397 physical retail copies within the first week of release in Japan, placing fourth place amongst the Japanese software sales charts for that particular week.[23]

In the West, the game received "mixed or average reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[17][18] Hardcore Gamer said that the Vita version "offers great gameplay with the unfortunate caveat that you’ll need to waste more time than expected waiting on enemies to enjoy it."[24]

References
  1. Luster, Joseph (January 7, 2015). "'Hyperdevotion Noire' Set for February in North America and Europe". Crunchyroll.
  2. Romano, Sal (December 4, 2015). "Monster Monpiece, Hyperdimension Neptunia U, and Hyperdevotion Noire coming to Steam in 2016". Gematsu.
  3. Nelkin, Sarah (March 17, 2013). "Hyperdimension Neptunia's Noir/Black Heart Gets Her Own Game". Anime News Network.
  4. Romano, Sal (December 5, 2013). "Noire Gekishin Black Heart debut trailer, screenshots". Gematsu.
  5. "コンパイルハートからHOTなプレゼント！PS Vitaの新作ティザームービーが公開 ― 『モンスターモンピース』のオットンの様なキャラも" (in Japanese). Inside for All Gamers. December 24, 2013.
  6. Romano, Sal (November 26, 2013). "First look at Noire Gekishen Black Heart". Gematsu.
  7. Romano, Sal (December 3, 2013). "First gameplay screenshots of Noire Gekishen Black Heart". Gematsu.
  8. "ノワール様はぼっちじゃない！　美少女武将を仲間にして「超女神信仰 ノワール 激神ブラックハート」でゲイムシジョウ界の統一を目指そう" (in Japanese). 4Gamer. May 23, 2014.
  9. "超女神信仰 ノワール 激神ブラックハート - ＳＹＳＴＥＭ" (in Japanese). Compile Heart.
  10. Spencer (December 4, 2013). "New Screenshots Of Noire's Spinoff Show The Neptunia World As A Strategy RPG". Siliconera.
  11. "『超女神信仰 ノワール 激神ブラックハート』に待望の続報！ ノワールファンが震え上がるスキャンダルのスクープも!?【電撃PS特報】". Dengeki PlayStation (in Japanese). December 26, 2013.
  12. Spencer (January 20, 2014). "Noire's Vita Spinoff Turns Video Game Genres Into Characters". Siliconera.
  13. Spencer (June 23, 2014). "Sting And Fairy Fencer F's Tiara Join Noire's Strategy RPG This Week". Siliconera.
  14. Romano, Sal (November 26, 2013). "Noire Gekishin Black Heart Japanese release date set". Gematsu.
  15. "今井麻美さん12枚目のシングルは『超女神信仰 ノワール 激神ブラックハート』オープニングテーマ『漆黒のサステイン』" (in Japanese). Famitsu. January 17, 2014.
  16. "今井麻美さんが歌う『超女神信仰 ノワール 激神ブラックハート』OP曲が3月26日にCDで発売！ 『コープスパーティー BLOOD DRIVE』OPも収録". Dengeki Online (in Japanese). January 20, 2014.
  17. "Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  18. "Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart for PlayStation Vita Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  19. MacGregor, Kyle (April 28, 2015). "Review: Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (Vita)". Destructoid. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  20. Romano, Sal (May 20, 2014). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1328". Gematsu.
  21. Brown, Lewis (March 25, 2015). "Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (Vita)". The Digital Fix. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  22. Lechevallier, Mike (February 26, 2015). "Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (Vita)". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  23. Romano, Sal (June 4, 2014). "Media Create Sales: 5/26/14 – 6/1/14". Gematsu.
  24. Estrada, Marcus (March 9, 2015). "Review: Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (Vita)". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
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