QCF: Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 1st

ippon Ichi's Hyperdimension Neptunia has seen a number of entries to its series over the course of the last five years or so. Most, if not all, have seen release in North America, two of which made it to the Playstation Vita; June's Hyper Dimension Neptunia: Producing Perfection was a shallow, mostly pointless mass of fanservice code that should pretty much be ignored. Hyperdimension Neptunia: Re:Birth 1^st, however, is worth a much closer look.

You would be forgiven if you didn't realize going into it that Re:Birth 1^st is a actually remake of the first entry in the series; albeit heavily remixed one, but that's exactly what it is. It tells the story of a fictional (and literal) console war, with nations modelled after all of the popular console brands you can find on store shelves even today. In each nation, a powerful goddess called a CPU fights for shares which represent their respective power amongst each other. Their battles were fierce and one CPU, Neptune, fell, crashed amongst the people of Gamindustri, and lost her memory. That's where the very typical story of Hyperdimension Neptunia picks up.

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QCF: The Guided Fate Paradox

IS has been publishing RPGs in North America for quite a while now. Whether it's their super-deep, wicked complex strategy games, turn-based RPGs or even a side-scroller or two, their efforts are decently enjoyable with only a few outright duds to speak of throughout its vast sub-genred library. Well, they're back yet again with their latest title, The Guided Fate Paradox. But this time, NIS brings another as-yet explored RPG genre subtype along with it; The Rogue-like RPG.

The Guided Fate Paradox follows the exploits of Renya, a downtrodden, luckless teenage high school student who, straight out of the gates, monologues his lament for having never won a thing in his life. In the midst of this down-and-out self-reflection, he is taken aside and talked into playing a random-draw lottery for a potentially fabulous prize. After far too much resistance, Renya wins the grand prize; he is to become God--of course.

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