Diva-licious

Opening Logo of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva

I have been hooked in playing Hatsune Miku: Project Diva on PSP since I got a copy of the game 2 weeks ago. I am currently having a hard time unlocking the Hard mode for “Hatsune Miku no Shoushitsu -DEAD END-” by cosMo@BousouP” track. I am also beginning to feel that my buttons are getting softer and softer and the rubbers need to be changed. My addiction is rising up again… (*sigh*)… I know… I’m helpless… >.< But this game is not the ordinary rhythm game, it gets nasty difficult as the Star Levels increase. And I say, I’d play this one over Rock Band PSP version (no offense to Rock Band fanatics V^_^V).

What is a Vocaloid?

Just a quick background on whats on my blog today. Vocaloid is a singing synthesizer application software. You input the lyrics and the notes and the software’s output is a song. This is developed first in 2003 and was released in 2004, making Leon and Lola the first voices of the software. In 2007, Vocaloid 2 was released providing major upgrades in synthesis. In Aug 2007, Hatsune Miku was released as the first in the series of Japanese Vocaloid 2 character volumes.

• Little trivia: Hatsune Miku’s name was derived from Hatsu (first), Ne (sound) and Miku (future). Hatsune Miku’s voice is from Saki Fujita, a Japanese voice actress.

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva

Screenshot on the Game's Opening PV

Official Site: 初音ミク-Project DIVA

After discussing what Vocaloid is and who Hatsune Miku is, let’s proceed to the main article. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva is a PlayStation Portable rhythm game featuring Hatsune Miku. The game consists of 39 songs voiced by Miku. The first buttons you will be using are circle and X, but as the game progresses, you will be able to use square and triangle that increases the difficulty of the game. Gameplay Same as other rhythm games, as the song plays, there are button symbols that appear randomly on the screen. You must hit on the right button to get a “Cool”. Too early would give you “Fine” or “Safe”, and too late will give you a “Sad” or “Worst”. The challenge here is that, unlike the other rhythm games out in the market where bars fall on a line and you have to time your button press, the PSP symbols (circle, X, square, and triangle) are flying on different places in the screen, and you have to time your press until the symbols reaches their corresponding places.

There are three levels for each song: Easy, Normal and Hard.

For Easy mode, there are lesser notes to press and you have to push Circle only most of the time. In Normal mode, there is a Circle-X combination with more notes, and in Hard mode, it will be a Circle-X-Square-Triangle combination.

Miku on The World Is Mine PV

There are 39 tracks in the game.

• “World is Mine” by ryo
• “Koi wa Sensou” by ryo
• “Hinekure Mono” by ryo
• “MELT” by ryo
• “Sono Ibbyou” Slow Motion by ryo
• “Marginal” by OSTER project
• “Miracle Paint” by OSTER project
• “Koi suru VOC@LOID” by OSTER project
• “Dreaming Leaf – Yumemiru Kotonoha” by OSTER project
• “Fukigen Waltz” by OSTER project
• “Amenochi sweet drops” by OSTER project
• “Strabo Nights” by kz
• “Packaged” by kz
• “Last Night, Good Night” by kz
• “Far Away” by kz
• “Star Story” by kz
• “Kouya to Mori to Mahou no Uta” by Travolta-P
• “Kouya to Mori to Mahou no Uta” (Rin ver.) by Travolta-P
• “Kouya to Mori to Mahou no Uta” (Len ver.) by Travolta-P
• “Inochi no Uta” by Travolta-P
• “Inochi no Uta” (Rin ver.) by Travolta-P
• “Inochi no Uta” (Len ver.) by Travolta-P
• “The secret garden” by Hata Aki and Kousaki Satoru
• “Loveliest Koushinchuu?” by Hata Aki and Kousaki Satoru
• “Biroudou Arabesque” by Hata Aki and Kousaki Satoru
• “Dear cocoa girl” by Hata Aki and Kousaki Satoru
• “Hatsune Miku no Shoushitsu -DEAD END-” by cosMo@BousouP
• “Sakura no Ame” by absorb
• “IevanPolkka” by Otomania
• “Miku Miku ni shite ageru♪ [Shiteyan yo]” by ika
• “Anata no Utahime” by azuma
• “Miku Miku-kin ni Gochuui♪ by Hayaya
• “Hato” by Hatano-P
• “Electric Angel” by Yasuo
• “moon” by iroha (sasaki)
• “Kogane no Seiya Sousetsu ni Kuchite” by Deadball-P
• “starise” by Yodare-P
• “Love it” -Radio Edit- by CleanTears
• “Kikoete Imasuka…” by G@POPO
• “Shooting Star Prologue” (Short Edition) by Sososo-P
• “Setsuna” by shiki2
• “Yuugure Nostalgic” -remix- by Guri@guriplus
• “Oshiete!! Mahou no Lyric” (short version) by TakeponG@Chomu-P

The Hot!

A Cute Miku Expression on Miku's Room

Hatsune Miku is Hot – well, not the term hot used to describe a sexy woman, but Hatsune Miku, to be seen singin songs on an MTV, with her very cute face… Wha else can you say! She’s hot! hehehe.

The Songs – the songs genre varies from pop, ballad, techno and lots more. The music, (some) lyrics, and rhythm itself is very great. (If only i can understand Japanese more, it could have been better.

Dress Change Menu

It is interactive – with the Miku room and other gimicks instore on this game, (most specially to those Vocaloid fans) this is fair enough.

The Not!

Though players have the chance to choose who’s vocaloid is going to appear on the music videos, it is quite awkward having the vocaloid boy in scarf (forgot the name) to be performing in a girl’s song, dancing and making cute poses ala Miku-chan. i think if i were to promote Vocaloid using this game, it would be much appropriate to showcase each characters’ singing capabilities rather their dancing moves.

Another thing that quite intrigues me is if this game will be translated in English. Since the songs are all in Japanese, I can’t barely think of the possibilities that this will be released in English. Hopefully, let’s just wait.

Jam’s Rating:

Miku Thinking...

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva gets 7.5 stars.

[REVIEW] Mana Khemia: Student Alliance on PSP

Mana Khemia: Student Alliance PSP Cover

Last summer vacation, my PSP-addict hands found its way pushing on the buttons diligently on but one game: Mana Khemia: Student Alliance. I found myself, being alone in a room, trying to complete all the characters’ Grow Book *grins* \m/^_^\m/

So what is this all about???

Mana Khemia is a role-playing game mainly focusing on alchemy. The story jumpstarts with a boy named Vayne Aurelius, whom is invited to enter the Al-Revis Academy to learn alchemy. Together with his Mana, Sulpher, he faces his new found friends, teachers, and foes on his journey to unravel what is stored for him in the world of alchemy.

What’s HOT?!?!

Cute Character Sprites – this is the first thing that interests me when it comes to choosing a game. The sprites appears to be typical, but simply irresistable. ^_^ The graphics of the game is neatly integrated with the interface of the game. Just feels like you are entering a university on a weekly basis.

The Grow Book – if there is anything about this game that really intrigued me, it is the Grow Book. Each character has its own’s Grow Book. As you create a new item through alchemy, each character’s Grow Book will activate an item and will enable you to fill up AP points on the corresponding orbs that increases stats, battle efficiencies, and skills.

Synthesis – this is the essence of the game itself. The fun part here is that you have to dig thru the map in search of hidden treasures, or make sure you are in the right timing to catch fishes for item synthesis. also, synthesized items can be used to be a part of synthesizing a new item. There are two types of synthesis on this game:

• Use of Athenor – this is where you make your character’s equipment. You will have to see to it that the material you are synthesizing for your equipment will give you the ether effects that you’re character will use. I usually gave Jess the healing and heavy strike ether effects for character support.
• Use of Workshop – this is where you mix the materials to make new ones. In the game story, Flay recruits the rest of the gang to his workshop, like some kind of a club in our normal schools. Anyway, the tricky part on using the workshop is that you will have to compute for the possible outcome of the synthesis depending on the element outcome of the mx and the Ether levels of each characters that may add or subtract ether points on your product synthesis.

Chain Attacks- once you master this skill you will be able to use all your characters to strike your opponents and increase your gauge for Burst Finisher, which deals a lot of damage to your enemy.

Flay, Vayne, and Anna's Variable Strike as seen in the Game play

Flay – Flay is so cute on his comic character on this game. Imagine a hunk with a “heroic” deed on the school grounds roming around in mask @.@

What’s Not???

Multi-Story Ending – *Spoiler Alert* Depending on the character you are most likely interested, you will have to choose which character you are going to help on the game. Then the story ends with that character’s story.

Isolde’s Love Story- I dunno, i just hate love stories in games and anime @.@

Overall Rating: 8 (Jam’s Rating that is ^_^)