Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd is a game I sought out at SEGA’s booth not for myself, but for the many people who were boiled over with excitement when they learned this would be localized. That’d be all of you reading this, I hope. Steve Baltimore, our talented Reporting Manager who is a big fan of the series (and who happened to review the previous game) has always told me I should get into these games. After sitting down to play, I’ve got to say I’m tempted.
This isn’t going to be like most impressions I write up for E3 2014. I have little experience (I’ve certainly heard of the games and know what they are) with Hatsune Miku games; I don’t think I could properly explain what sets this game apart from the one that came before it. Instead, I’d like to take just a brief moment to say a few things about the first time I sat down with one of these games.
For starters, of course I played the Easy Mode. I wanted a relaxing experience; it was never my intent to suddenly become a pro in the span of a few minutes. The button combinations were simple, but they offered plenty of variants to keep gameplay interesting. I played the first song on the list offered to me. At first, it was extremely intimidating; I think playing a rhythm game for the first time generally is. But…by the middle of the song (even though I was missing a ton of marks throughout), I could feel myself getting used to it. I think anyone on the fence about Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd should honestly give the game a try. It may seem intimidating at first, but…I was warming up to it by the end! I think practice would make perfect.
The visuals were impressive; everything went well. I never felt like the song was out of sync with the rhythm I was emulating through the button presses. The developers of these games truly take the music seriously. I honestly had a new respect for the series after trying it out. I encourage many of you who may be wary to do the same.
Before I go—I stuck around the display to check out other people playing the game. There were definitely people who were really, really good at it. I watched things I couldn’t begin to explain to you all as someone who’s just starting to get into the series, but…it certainly seems like it has enough to please hardcore fans who keep coming back to each new entry in addition to being welcoming to beginners. That’s something I like—I was never “failed” out of a song despite performing horribly.
For more, check out our previous coverage. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd will launch on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita later this year.
