While most games have an “authentic” way to play through them, what about if you only purchased a game to play as a favourite character or perhaps want that finnicky thing called difficulty tailored to your personal preferences? Helping players alter their experiences to their wishes, Idea Factory International has detailed the Arrange Mode featured in their upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive release of Neptunia Reverse.
What is arrange mode? In contrast to Original Mode which is aligned much closer to the original release of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1, Arrange Mode will allow you to “enjoy a completely redesigned game balance”. Want to play as your favourite characters who may be content blocked until late game? Want to make your party members a bit more versatile on the battlefield? This is all possible – although in a more all or nothing scenario.
The changes adjusted in this mode are as follows:
CHARACTER ADJUSTMENTS
- Changed starting stats, and changed some of the initial skills that characters have.
- For characters who can transform into CPUs, made their abilities even more powerful than the original game post-transformation.
- The growth of SP from a level up has been reduced, but instead SP Skills’ effects and performance have overall been strengthened/adjusted.
- Reduced the amount of EXP needed to level up past Lv. 100.
- Characters’ initial MOV (movement ability during battle) has been set to “7” or more on average, and made the field easier to move in.
- Elemental defense has been set for all characters, and when taking the corresponding elemental attack from enemies, the damage can be drastically reduced. Because of this, even powerful enemies can be defeated with low levels.
- Physical and Magical typing has been added to each characters’ attacks, as well as Slash/Strike/Pierce/Gun/Beam typing, and damage dealt to enemies can increase or decrease drastically depending on typing.
- Lily Rank’s increase pace has been upped “x34”.
ITEM/EQUIPMENT ADJUSTMENTS
- At the start of the game, several items and equipment will have already been acquired.
- After defeating the game’s first boss, Guard Vermin, most of the equipment that modifies a characters’ appearances will be in the Shop.
- It is now possible to acquire some equipment in a first playthrough that was only available in a second playthrough.
- Equipment that can change appearances can now all be bought for 1,000 Credits, except for weapons.
- Lowered the cost of powerful equipment.
- Bracelet and Armlet type equipment have been adjusted, so that Bracelets primarily increase HP and SP, and Armlets primarily increase Physical and Magical Defense. Also, most equipment’s stats have been adjusted.
- The selling prices of materials collected early in the game have been increased.
- Changed the name and description of some equipment, or their graphics.
BATTLE ADJUSTMENTS
- Most skills now have an added knockback effect. Now, subsequent attacks during combos will not miss.
- All skills within the game have been adjusted. In addition to changing their power, the stronger the skill you use, the longer it takes for your next turn to come around, and when only Rush-type Combo attacks or support Skills are used, your turn will come around faster.
- During regular monster battles, their organization has been adjusted so that more appear than in the original game.
- All stats, whether minor or boss enemies, have been adjusted. Part of the skills they use and their movement patterns have been changed.
- Minor enemies that you are forced to battle for the story have been organized with their own status.
- Removed the auto-healing ability from enemies.
- Greatly reduced enemy Guard Break resistance values.
- Adjusted enemy MOV values, and made them vary greatly based on the enemy type.
- Increased item drop rate from defeating enemies.
- Changed the names, graphics and type of some enemies.
SUPPLEMENTAL
- Trophies can be unlocked regardless of whether in Original or Arrange Mode.
- Part of the trophies’ contents have been changed as well.
- The story and the game flow are the same as Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1, and there is no change with Original Mode.
The decision to make all trophies unlockable in Arrange Mode may raise a few eyebrows within the trophy hunting scene, however, it is nice that players who want a significantly more casual experience (or have played through the Re;Birth 1 experience multiple times) can experience the game at a relaxed pace.
Developed by Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory International in western markets, Neptunia Reverse will be released on the PlayStation 5 digitally from 8 June 2021 in North America and from 11 June 2021 in PAL regions.
