Hatsune Miku Keeps Swinging in Project Diva X for PS4 & Vita [TGS Hands-On Preview]

Did you like Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f and/or Project Diva f 2nd? You’ll probably enjoy Project Diva X, if so. After playing multiple rounds on various difficulty settings at the Tokyo Game Show, I felt like I was simply playing an expansion or DLC pack for Project Diva f 2nd, with the simple gameplay addition of a button mash mechanic, called “Rush.”

Rushes work just like any other note: hit the right button at the correct time. The only difference is, when you see “Rush,” underneath that note, keep cranking whatever button that was. You’ve seen this mechanic in some other music games before, most notably Taiko Drum Master. Usually, this was used at times when Miku held a note out for a long time.

In the past, holding the button down and waiting for a timely release was what players would most often do during long notes. This was still very common as well. The “Rush” added another possibility to the stage. Nothing major, but it’s something. Miku also changed outfits in the middle of the song, which, again, wasn’t a major deal to me, but it was, undeniably… something. I guess.

The graphics and sound effects were about the same as we’ve seen in past games. Miku’s movements and dance routine were fun and peppy, and the color palette was bright and varied. Oh and here was the song that the TGS demo featured, though keep in mind that this is not a video from the game.

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X is coming to both Vita and PS4, but Vita gets it first with a March 2016 release in Japan. The PS4 version will follow at a yet-unspecified time the fall. There’s no announcement for international release, but I predict that the two versions will launch simultaneously in the West in late 2016, with Vita getting a digital-only release. Let’s see if I’m right roughly a year from now.