It's a good time to be a Miku fan. Just this year we were treated to a portable iteration of Hatsune Miku Project Diva f and now we have a follow-up with a simultaneous release for the PS3 and PS Vita. While Project Diva F 2nd doesn't change up the formula that worked so well the first time around, it does have a few additions to its already solid gameplay, complete with over 40 songs (some only available in AR mode) to jam out to.
Like previously, a bulk of your time will be spent in the game's main performance mode, where you'll pick a song and press buttons in time to the prompts while a colorful music video complete with performances by the Vocaloids plays out in the background. If you're not familiar with Miku and don't fancy the sound of J-Pop blasting through your speakers, chances are Project Diva F 2nd won't do much to change your mind on that front though, so be aware of that when considering a purchase.
The genius of the gameplay lies in its unique screen layout. Unlike traditional rhythm games that generally tend to have note highways that stay in place, the Miku series instead has button prompts appear all around the screen, making sure you're always engaged and aware. While it may sound chaotic, the button prompts generally do appear in a way that's somewhat easy to follow. Newcomers will certainly need to adjust to this, but it won't take that long.
But regardless of getting used to the gameplay, the difficulty can still be quite high. As a rhythm game enthusiast and being familiar with the past games, I hopped directly into the game's Standard difficulty, opting to skip Easy, and found that I barely passed the first song. It's a game that expects you to replay a song multiple times, getting used to the note layout and perfecting your scores each time. What adds to the difficulty this time around are the new double scratch notes. Scratch notes previously required you to swipe your finger across the touchscreen, much like emulating a scratch on a turntable. Diva F 2nd now has new prompts which requires you to scratch with two fingers. At first, this really threw me off and as a result, it led me to nearly fail a few songs until I adjusted, but I certainly welcomed the challenge.
That's really the theme here; challenge. Outside of the game's Easy Mode, the game doesn't hold your hand at all. The songs themselves are already somewhat difficult on Standard Mode, let alone Hard or Extreme, so if you like rhythm games that are challenging right from the beginning, then Diva F 2nd doesn't disappoint.
The game also comes with the absolutely fantastic Edit Mode, but certainly isn't for everyone. Hardcore Miku fans can really dive into this mode to create their own choreographies and even altering the music videos to their liking. I personally wasn't very good at it, but if you're willing to put the time into it, you can make some truly awesome rhythm patterns. It is important to note that the Edit mode doesn't come standard with the PS Vita game, and must be downloaded separately, though it is obviously free.
Of course the Diva room is back in Diva F 2nd, and it's just as weird as it was previously. You once again have the ability to interact with various characters, be it from gentle taps or rubbing their head, or even poking them to make them mad. It's honestly a mode that, once again, only hardcore Miku fans are really going to enjoy. You can buy gifts for your Vocaloid, new room items and then ultimately play voyeur as they go about their day in their isolated room. It's a test of patience to level up their relationships since you can't just sit there and rub their heads until they like you. These girls have limits too so you'll constantly have to come back at a later time to advance your friendship. The only major enjoyment I got out of the Diva room is that you can listen to the various songs you unlocked through the Jukebox or even just watch any of the music video on the TV.
The Vocaloids themselves are still just as customizable, with unlockable costumes and accessories to personalize them with, which is always immediately reflected in the song you choose to play. It's a nice touch, but your focus will be on the myriad of button prompts that pop up all over the screen, so changing all that up is fairly trivial.
If you've played either the portable or console iteration of Diva F, then Diva F 2nd is certainly more of the same, which isn't a bad thing. SEGA has already announced DLC support for the game, so the already large track list will get even bigger with months to come. It's certainly a good time to be a Miku fan.
