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At times, it can be a bit daunting to get into rhythm games. Chances are you have seen gameplay videos of different rhythm games, where notes rush at a fast pace and it looks extremely difficult to get through them. Despite appearances, there are many rhythm games out there that cater to both seasoned veterans and beginners who are new to rhythm games in general. Plus, rhythm games offer a wide variety of music tracks that span different genres and provide players with different music tracks they can enjoy, even outside of the game. That said, here are our picks for beginners who are looking to dive into the rhythm game genre.
3. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+
Release Date: May 27, 2022
Developed by: SEGA
Published by: SEGA
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+ is a rhythm game developed and published by SEGA. The game is available on PC through Steam.
The Project DIVA series has been around for quite some time now, with the first game released back in 2009. The series features Vocaloid, a series of singing synthesizer programs developed by Yamaha Corporation, and the songs created with these Vocaloids. This includes the virtual singer Hatsune Miku, who is featured in different songs throughout the game's tracklist. Other characters like KAITO, Megurine Luka, and MEIKO are all featured in songs that use their respective Vocaloids.
The gameplay of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+ is simple. Notes rush toward the middle of the screen, and players must press their corresponding buttons in time with the music. The base version of the game includes over 170 songs, and each song has a music video that plays in the background as you play through them. Each song also has multiple difficulty levels, which provides something for both beginners and experienced players to enjoy. Another nice feature in the game is that you can customize each of the Vocaloids to your preference. The game provides over 500 different customization options, ranging from hairstyles to outfits and accessories. This will affect how they appear in the music videos.
My song recommendations for this game are DECO*27's “Ghost Rule”, kurousaP's “Cantarella”, and livetune's “Catch the Wave.”
2. Ensemble Stars!! Music
Release Date: June 16, 2022 (global version)
Developed by: Cacalia Studios
Published by: Happy Elements K.K
Ensemble Stars!! Music is a mobile gacha rhythm game published by Happy Elements K.K. Originally released in Japan last March 2020, the game received a global version on June 16, 2022. It is available for free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. The game is a sequel to the 2015 game Ensemble Stars!, which was an idol-training game.
The gameplay of Ensemble Stars!! Music is also simple. Notes come down from the top of the screen and onto a curved line, and players must press these notes in time with the music. Each song has four difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Expert. Players must also make use of character cards to score as high as possible.
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This is where the gacha element of the game comes into play. Players start the game with low-rarity cards of all the characters. From there, they must build their collection of cards through the in-game “Scout” mode, where they obtain random cards of varying rarities for the different characters. Players must then upgrade these cards using resources earned during gameplay. Generally speaking, using higher rarity cards and upgrading them yields a higher score. While that mechanic may seem complicated at first, it does not affect the core gameplay, and the game does a great job of teaching beginners how the system works.
Outside of the main gameplay, the game also features an Office mode. Here, players send their characters off to perform idol activities, like handshake events, radio shows, and photoshoots. This increases certain character stats and also gives players money to customize their very own office space with different items.
The game features a whopping 49 characters spread out across 15 different idol units. Each of these characters has a unique personality and backstory, and all of them are voiced by popular Japanese voice actors (who sing in character!). Aside from that, each idol unit has its unique theme and music style. The game also features its own extensive story. A year after the events of the first game, all of the units are now working under different idol agencies. The main story, as well as the game's limited-time events, fleshes out each of the 49 characters and shows their struggles as they balance their idol activities with their daily lives.
My go-to songs for this game are Valkyrie's “Enthralling Theatre”, Eden's “Paradise Banishment -Faith Conquest-“, and Crazy:B's “Be the Party Bee!” More songs will be added to the game over time as it catches up with the Japanese version.
1. DJMAX RESPECT V
Release Date: March 12, 2020
Developed by: NEOWIZ
Published by: NEOWIZ
DJMAX RESPECT V is a rhythm game published and developed by NEOWIZ. It is a PC port of the original DJMAX RESPECT, released to PlayStation 4 back in 2017.
The game is a reboot of the original DJMAX series, which started back in 2004 with the release of DJMAX Online. Since then, the series has spanned multiple games across different platforms, including the PlayStation Portable, arcade, and mobile. Before the release of DJMAX Respect on the PlayStation 4 in 2017, the last game in the series was DJMAX Technika Q, released for mobile in 2013 and shut down in 2019.
Much like the games mentioned previously, the gameplay for DJMAX RESPECT V is very straightforward. Notes come down from the top of the screen, and you must press their corresponding buttons in time with the music. The core gameplay features four different button modes: 4 buttons, 5 buttons, 6 buttons, and 8 buttons. Each song has its respective charts across the four button modes, providing something for those who want to start small or ramp up the game's difficulty.
The game features several modes for players to choose from. Aside from being able to play available songs in the game's FREESTYLE mode, DJMAX RESPECT V also offers an online mode. This online multiplayer mode is split into two. The first online mode allows players to match with up to six other players for casual multiplayer. The second is a competitive online mode, where players can compete against other players in real-time to rank up.
Another mode available to players is the MISSION mode. This mode requires players to play a set of songs and fulfill certain conditions in the process. The base game includes 60 missions, and players can get more by purchasing certain DLC packs. The final gameplay mode is AIR mode, where players go through continuous, random playlists of songs that they can play or watch others play.
The base version of the game includes over 150 songs. Some of the base songs are locked at the start of the game, but players unlock more songs as they level up and go through the game. The game also features plenty of downloadable content (DLC). The DLC includes songs from previous DJMAX games, while others contain new compositions. The game also features collaboration DLCs from other rhythm games, such as Muse Dash, Cytus, CHUNITHM, and Groove Coaster.
For the base game, I recommend trying Nauts's “Far East Princess”, Forte Escape's “Another Day”, and NieN's “Only For You.”
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