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Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP

Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP

Idea Factory, Frontier Works, tiny cactus studio, WSS playground · released Jan 19, 2022

ActionPC

Older Neptune and friends shoot and slash through enemies of Gamindustri in this rail shooter!

87
VGC Score
Stablemedium confidence
85%
At launch
95%
Steam all-time
73%
Press
72%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)739
All-time Steam reviews95%89370
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)72%692
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 6 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 1.3 up / 0.5 down · computed 5h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (11)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    trust 67Feb 2, 2022

    Overall, I have to say I really liked this Nep-Nep spin-off. While Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP might not be long, it’s definitely a really fun rail-shooter. It’s also pretty cheap, so it doesn’t feel like you’re losing out really either. The soundtrack is good, the gameplay is smooth, and while it is rather short, you can always aim to beat your high score on subsequent runs. Top Nep gets 8 puddings out of 10. Score: 8 / 10 puddings

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  • 70
    trust 66Feb 6, 2022

    Top NEP pays great homage to the Sega arcade game Space Harrier down to every fiber of this title's being. At $5 it's a worthy addition to any Steam library!

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  • 80
    trust 61Jan 21, 2022

    Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP‘s ace up its sleeve is the fact that it costs just £3.99/$4.99. And for that price you just can’t go wrong. Whether you’re a fan of Neptune or rail shooters, it’s highly recommended that you add this to your Steam library. It may be short, but it’s also very sweet.

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  • 80
    trust 60Jan 22, 2022

    It doesn’t try to hide the fact it’s basically a Space Harrier clone with kawaii enemies and a waifu for a protagonist. It is short but replayable. It is a sight for sore eyes. It’s not as challenging (or dare I say, unfair) as its sources of inspiration, since Idea Factory isn’t here to get your quarters, but it will test your skills on harder difficulties. What really matters is that it is a really fun little title, one I surely wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did.

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  • 75
    trust 57Jan 23, 2022

    Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP feels like an appetizer of a full game, but it’s a damn tasty one. Boasting five defined stages, well-designed boss battles, and remarkable sound design and art direction, this on-rails shooter is an experience that can be easily enjoyed by fans and non-fans alike. Still, more incentivization for replayability aside from reaching higher scores would’ve been appreciated. Moreover, simply having more content would have been ideal since 15-minute playthroughs can be a tough sell, even when accounting for intention. Still, at least at the end of the day, I can say that Neptunia seamlessly stuck the landing for a first genre attempt.

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  • 80
    trust 56Jan 21, 2022

    There isn’t too much to say about Dimension Tripper Neptune: Top Nep outside of what I’ve already said. It’s a short, and incredibly stylish, arcade-style rail shooter that plays almost identically to Space Harrier. I do think, however, that this might be one of the few Neptunia titles which could bring in a larger crowd than normal. It may be entirely rooted in a very fanbase-centered meme, but it’s legitimately a fun and addictive little game, and one which deserves the attention of both arcade shooter fans and Neptunia fans.

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  • 60
    trust 54Jan 25, 2022

    If you do like Space Harrier and similar, and you're familiar enough with the Neptunia series to know the characters and enemies without needing to have them introduced to you, then Top Nep is a short burst of nostalgic-themed fun. It's also a decent game to introduce people to the genre, thanks to the modest difficulty option, while eventually scaling to something more challenging to give the genre faithful something to sink their teeth into. I have very few issues with Top Nep as an arcade action throwback. My issue is that, as a Neptunia fan, the less-than-lip service paid to the property left the overall experience feeling humourless and soulless. For all the faults and missteps of Neptunia over the years that is something I never thought I would be saying about a game in the series.

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  • 75
    trust 53Jan 24, 2022

    Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP is a vibrant rail shooter that manages to be a good entry point in the genre. Even with low difficulty and little incentive to play again besides the scoring system, the title is competent in what it proposes and a beautiful addition to the Gamindustri universe.

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  • 80
    trust 53Jan 24, 2022

    Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP is an easy recommendation for anyone who ever loved Space Harrier. It’s honestly more enjoyable than Space Harrier II was and delivers a fantastic modern interpretation of that kind of rail shooter with a level of color and polish that’s unmatched. It does feel too much like an homage at times, but stands out with things like allies helping on-screen and a completely insane premise that keeps things in-line with the main series while also working as a standalone product. It’s a visual treat and controls perfectly, but does suffer from a less-than-memorable soundtrack.

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  • 80
    trust 35Jan 23, 2024

    Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP is a very short but fun title. If you have a thirst for a quick rail shooter, it’s worth the pickup.

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  • trust 55Jan 21, 2022

    It’s clear that was the sole intention behind this game, and in that regard they’ve succeeded admirably. Whether or not you love Nep, this is a delightful arcade-style game that pays loving and respectful homage to an all-time classic, and which provides enough twists on the formula it’s referencing to feel like its own distinct and worthwhile experience in its own right. A definite winner. Top Nep indeed!

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Patch history

No patch announcements found on Steam yet.