E3 2012: Hatsune Miku Project Diva F Hands-On

After seeing two extremely successful PSP games, Hatsune Miku is finally coming to the PlayStation Vita. This came as no surprise, but seeing it come stateside is quite shocking. While this is grand, many popular Japanese rhythm games have came and all have failed, so is Miku worth your time or not?

Hatsune Miku Project Diva has always been a deceptively simple game. All you need to do is input commands correctly, but it is far harder than it sounds. Each input will come from a random edge and move over an empty version of the input. Once the two are aligned, thats when you need to actually perform the command. Harder songs require more complex commands, like requiring you to hold it. While none of these are new, Project Diva F adds touch inputs.

A touch command is indicated by a star icon and simply requires you to touch the screen, then move it in a direction. The direction isn’t important, so it’s not that stressful to perform. Surprisingly these inputs are a welcome change of pace, though harder songs might abuse them.

Besides adding touch commands, the graphics are far nicer than previous versions. Every input looks to be on par with Dreamy Theater (PS3 version) and the animations are far more complex. Sadly this can lead to distractions or errors, but these also make the songs far more interesting.

In all and all, Hatsune Miku Project Diva F is looking to be the must have rhythm game for the Vita. Not only is it interesting, it also contains the original songs too. This means you can expect to hear Japanese songs, which might turn off some gamers, but it’s better than a butchered localization.