POSTED 8/12/14


HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA F 2nd

SEGA

It’s been described variously as divine, fascinating, a mystery and even a dancer.

The ‘it’ in question is, of course, rhythm, and it’s something that you either have a connection with or you don’t. As much as we try to fool ourselves into thinking that we’re some majestic goddess of rhythmic aceness, in truth we’re a bit shit.

But this latest edition of Project Diva isn’t. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the series, you’ve likely joined the dots. Yes, it’s a rhythm game, a Japanese rhythm game from a very popular Japanese rhythm game heritage. So, of course, it’s almost entirely bonkers.

We like bonkers though, and this collision of beat matching various J-Pop with ‘Vocaloid’ (read synthesized) lead singing performed by scantily-clad anime girlie (and occasional boy) Tamagotchi pop star dress-ups certainly fits the description. It takes 20 songs previously available on the PSP, adds 20 new ones, and lets you loose trying to time split-nanosecond button presses perfectly as symbols shoom friskily in from all sides onscreen.

Depending on which difficulty level you brave you’ll have a combination of the traditional PlayStation face buttons, those combined with the appropriate directional button and also assorted star combinations to swipe at. All in time to the music. When a song’s skulking about the hundred or so BPM mark you’re fairly set. But when it makes The Prodigy sound like balladeers then only the most rhythmically dextrous will survive. Naturally, accuracy means scoring.

Basically, beneath the often way-too-distracting psychedelic imagery and occasionally Chipmunkesque bouncy-bouncy pop, HM:PDF2 is punishing. We’re surprised you can’t unlock whips and chains for its characters. Actually, maybe you can, as there’s an exhaustive array of stuff to be purchased with in-game currency.

If you’re after a real rhythmic challenge, we’re serious as cancer when we say Miku is the answer...

CLICK THIS!



CLICK THIS!