this game is the third in a series of psp PD titles, mixing together mainly DLC content from the previous games in a standalone package with both new tracks and a couple of old ones (including songs up to that point only available in the arcade). what makes this worth checking out is that all of the content from the first game has been updated with more complex charts that take advantage of the d-pad being usable in gameplay, as well as the addition of extreme difficulty beatmaps. these tracks are some of the best in the game (including Hello Planet and Two-Faced Lovers) and it's satisfying to see them get the rhythm game treatment they deserve. the new songs are excellent choices as well, with picks meant to highlight interesting rhythm gameplay such as Close and Open, Demons and the Dead as well as Paradichlorobenzene. I would not hesitate to say this may be the most brutal of the console PD games (tho I have not played PDX) especially since achieving a great and excellent rating requires 95% and 97% accuracy respectively, significantly higher than in the later games. higher difficulty songs can take a good deal of practice to score well on the extreme charts, yet the difficulty is always manageable (except for Intense Voice of HM... yuck) and each beatmap brings a new set of ideas to the table.
the presentation here has also taken a step up from the previous psp games, specifically in the PV department. older PVs would typically feature a static backdrop and a single vocaloid dancing in front of it, usually with pretty serviceable camera work and nothing else. the new PVs here push the limits of the hardware much more, and approach a cinematic quality in the action they convey and the story they tell. there are still a decent amount of old-style PVs thanks to the copied songs/charts/PVs from PD2 and its DLC, but they still get the job done and suit the hardware. presentation outside of this is good in the menus, though I didn't explore the diva rooms significantly or the edit mode. what I'm here for is sega rhythm game excellence, and this game delivers that in spades. this is my favorite of the console project diva games no questions asked, and I can still find songs I haven't played enough in this game to practice more and more.
the presentation here has also taken a step up from the previous psp games, specifically in the PV department. older PVs would typically feature a static backdrop and a single vocaloid dancing in front of it, usually with pretty serviceable camera work and nothing else. the new PVs here push the limits of the hardware much more, and approach a cinematic quality in the action they convey and the story they tell. there are still a decent amount of old-style PVs thanks to the copied songs/charts/PVs from PD2 and its DLC, but they still get the job done and suit the hardware. presentation outside of this is good in the menus, though I didn't explore the diva rooms significantly or the edit mode. what I'm here for is sega rhythm game excellence, and this game delivers that in spades. this is my favorite of the console project diva games no questions asked, and I can still find songs I haven't played enough in this game to practice more and more.
Been slowing trudging through this for the best part of a year, but finally got it done.
Extend is likely the best of the PSP games in terms of the large song list, amount of customation and content on offer. Despite all that, I find myself preferring the songlist of 1st, which is ultimately what matters most to me in a rhythm game. Still, the mechanics of the OG/F DIVA engine were first solidified here, and it's worth your time to see where DIVA as we know it really began.
Extend is likely the best of the PSP games in terms of the large song list, amount of customation and content on offer. Despite all that, I find myself preferring the songlist of 1st, which is ultimately what matters most to me in a rhythm game. Still, the mechanics of the OG/F DIVA engine were first solidified here, and it's worth your time to see where DIVA as we know it really began.
there's something that should be said more often about "simpler" and "worse" and "outdated" games are sometimes more enjoyable than MORE. with every new generation we see a bigger push for games to have the maximum amount of content and graphics and replay value and hours and blah blah blah and while i'd NEVER go as far as to say the later project diva entries are even remotely comparable to ubisoft bloatware or some shit... i can't help but love how small project diva extend is. the song list is shorter (more intentional, perhaps) and therefore i feel less intimidated wanting to beat every track on every mode. the ui is low-res psp chunkadunk. the master-every-track format makes a little more sense on a psp given you can just whip the game out on the go rather than having to dedicate time to sit down and grind on a ps3/4/pc. the button patterns have to try harder to be interesting by nature of having less screen space and possible inputs. the videos for the songs have a low-poly diorama type of vibe and are much simpler than later entries which i find cute and appealing. i'm happy just watching miku do little dances, i mean c'mon. i also unlocked my favorite costumes and songs early on which colored my opinion positively. i think the psp has A Very Unique Vibe and this game exemplifies it hella goodly.
plus there's a sonic outfit.
plus there's a sonic outfit.