Media from Project SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku Closed Beta Testing

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Project Sekai Media

As we speak, the closed beta test for Project SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is going on, and gaming media writers are revealing brand new information and screenshots of the game from actually playing it! See below for what is being talked about in some of these publications.

※ All translations on this page are unofficial.

※ All game content shown below is still under development and subject to change before release.

Dengeki Online

Article: https://dengekionline.com/articles/35387/

The Dengeki Online writer was surprised to see that, despite the game title, Hatsune Miku is not the main character in Project SEKAI as they were greeted to the game’s cast of (mostly high-school age female) characters. They reveal that Miku and her virtual singer friends play the role of navigators connecting the real world with the ‘sekai’ worlds born out of people’s thoughts and feelings, guiding the game’s original characters to understanding those feelings. So VOCALOID fans who were wondering if Miku would be the main character need not feel too disappointed; she still plays a prominent role in the game, so fans will be seeing plenty of her.

  • Miku: “Yes. This ‘sekai’ was created by her thoughts, and is devoid of life.”
  • Tsukasa: “Whoa-! Aren’t you KAITO…!? So characters from Miku to KAITO are appearing before us…”

The writer compliments how well designed the outfits that Miku and her friends wear are, each one made to fit the theme of the game’s various music units. They also praised the voice work of the voice actors and VOCALOIDs alike, and how well they naturally meld into one another despite some of them being voiced by humans, and the others being synthesized voices.

The writer also mentions how the game features a developing story for each of the different music units, but could not say any more about the story lest they leak spoilers.

Touching upon the gameplay, the writer mentions how Project SEKAI is a pretty orthodox rhythm game in which you tap on notes as they scroll across the screen and reach the bottom line, timing your taps with the song. Any rhythm game fan will feel at home playing it even without going through the tutorial.

The bottom line that the notes fall to has 12 divisions on it. On easier difficulty levels, the notes will be large enough to encompass several of these divisions. However, on higher difficulty levels, they will get more and more narrow and encompass less line divisions. The notes range in variety from taps to long holds, flicks, and sliders.

During gameplay, member portraits will also cut in from time to time and exchange dialog with each other. Furthermore, players are free to mix and match characters from different units together for play sessions. That being said, you cannot have more than one of the same character in a group, so no group of all Mikus, not even if they all sport different outfits and designs.

One example of a character cut-in exchange that the writer observed goes as follows:

MEIKO: “Let’s draw more people into the groove”
Luka: “Yeah, let’s do it, MEIKO”

Note that these conversations that character have during cut-ins are voice-only; they aren’t subtitled.

For songs with 2DMV play mode, the middle of the screen will be playing the song’s MV during gameplay.

Customization options include the screen brightness, speed and timing of the notes, visibility of the bottom line and cut-ins, transparency of the lanes and much more. Each song can also be played in lightweight mode for those who are worried about their device performance.

Then the writer goes on to the adventure portion of the game. They show screenshots of both the real world areas and various ‘sekai’ worlds.

Areas shown: Center Street (locked), Kamiyama High School, Scramble Crossing, Shopping Mall, Music Shop, and presumably Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy on the bottom.
Akito: “…hm? This song…”
Emu: “This crossing is featured in dramas and movies…”
‘Sekai’ shown: Uninhabited Sekai, Wonderland Sekai, Classroom Sekai, Street Sekai, Stage Sekai (locked)
Miku: “Did you come up with any good lyrics?”
Luka: “Drum preparations going well?”

As previously reported, players can purchase songs in the game’s Music Shop, as well as craft outfits in the Shopping Mall. Materials can be acquired by playing lives, and created outfits will appear on the character during 3DMV lives.

  • Finishing an outfit for An Shiraishi, and can have her wear it immediately.

Furthermore, in both the real world areas and in the ‘sekai,’ players can buy and set various area items that will boost the characters’ status, and therefore boosting their overall power during live performance to increase scores!

Setting a Miku doll area items in the Street Sekai
Len: “Miku and MEIKO as well…”

The Dengeki Online writer concludes by saying how Project SEKAI is a wholly different experience from Project DIVA games with its original characters. Some Project DIVA players may be thrown for a loop when they start playing Project SEKAI, but the writer strongly encourages them to give the game a try!

Gamer

Article: https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202005150001/

Gamer’s publication opens up by showing us some opening screenshots for each of the five units’ story modes.

  • Miku: “Yup, that’s right. Nice to meet you, Ichika.”
  • Minori: “I’ll pass the written exam next time, for sure!”
  • An: “Ah, do you work here? Sorry, but could you tell me where I am?”
  • Tsukasa: “I’ll become a star for sure!”
  • Kanade: “If I can’t create songs that can make someone happy, I’ll…”

They also show us some of the area conversations, area items, and optional outfit variations that have been implemented in the closed beta test!

  • Kohane: “…Ah, An-chan was saying how she likes this artist…”
Items shown: Miku’s CD, Feni Plushies, Starry Sky Guidebook, Shiho’s Bass, Miku’s Guitar, Luka’s Bass, Astronomical Telescope, Picture of 4, Music Speaker (offscreen)

They then reveal to us the 8 songs that were available for closed beta testing:

  1. Tell Your World
  2. ロキ
  3. ヒバナ-Reloaded-
  4. ハッピーシンセサイザ
  5. 劣等上等
  6. スイートマジック
  7. 自傷無色
  8. Blessing

When talking about gameplay, the Gamer writer mentions that MASTER difficulty for a song has to be unlocked by clearing certain special conditions during EXPERT play. They also mention how live bonuses can be consumed to multiply the amount of rewards that you get by clearing a live performance. However, they are not required for play, so as long as you don’t care much about the rewards, you can play lives anytime.

The Gamer article also praises SEGA and Craft Egg for creating colorful and enjoyable 3DMVs for several of the songs. You can see their article for more screenshots!

4Gamer

Article: https://www.4gamer.net/games/476/G047609/20200512018/

4Gamer covers much of the same content, and also reveals some more area conversations.

Honami: “Yeah. I’d like to listen to a song by a band with a drummer whom I can learn from, but which band I should go with?”
Luka: “Fufu, I’m looking more and more forward to seeing you two improve.”

They also reveal that you can level up a character whom you collect by playing the rhythm game portion, and by consuming items when you have them “practice” (probably akin to BanG Dream’s “Studio Ticket” item).

When characters reach their max levels, players can then put them through “training” to get them to level up more, use “skill ups” to raise their status, or even do “master training” which uses special items to raise their power for even higher scores during lives.

Furthermore, each character will have individual character ranks that you can raise by completing their specific character missions. Doing so will give you bonuses to their cumulative power and help you get more rewards.

Character Missions
Make Emu Otori the leader and play 50 Lives
Obtain 2 different outfits for Emu Otori
Read 2 of Emu Otori’s side stories

Pash! +

Article: https://www.pashplus.jp/game_app/189516/?body_dsp=1

Screenshots from Pash!+

Shiho: “On a nearby street…”
Akito: “Have we decided on the next event to sing at?”
Mizuki: “Ah, I’m sorry, Miku. This place doesn’t exist for that kind of purpose.”
Nene: “So, umm, have we decided on what the next show will be about?”
You have run out of life. You can spend 10 crystals to recover life and continue.

GAME Watch

Article: https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/kikaku/1252626.html

Screenshots and videos from GAME Watch. See their article for more!

Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy area
Airi: “It’s a magazine, not a book.”
Mizuki: “Yoohoo, Miku! I came to see you♪ Did you miss me?”
Obtaining crystals, presumably from watching the area conversation
Miku’s “Midnight Fiction” outfit and material cost

“Timing adjustment” option for when the sound timing gets off sync for Bluetooth users.

Happy Synthesizer on EASY
Tell Your World on HARD

App Media

Article: https://appmedia.jp/preceding-play/4854832

Screenshots from App Media. See their article for more!

Kohane: “Ah… umm, there’s a new Miku song. I-If it’s okay, would you like to listen to it?”
Member Details: “I’m Gonna Be An Idol!” Minori Hanasato

Famitsu App

Article: https://app.famitsu.com/20200515_1635411/

Shopping Mall area
Tsukasa: “W-What!? This musical film…”
Give a “Mysterious Seed” to the gardening club member
Get the item in lives and events
Boost your band power
Saki: “Hmm… I wonder which blush I should go with. The color on this one of nice. So is this one, though.”
Tsukasa: “What is it? You’re handing a camera to me? Ah, I get it! You want a picture with me!”
Luka: “Fufu. Springtime makes me want to hum a song on a whim. Strange, isn’t it?”

Understandably, the beta testers cannot reveal all that they have been playing, but we appreciate the tidbits of information that these gaming media publications have been allowed to share with us. Look forward to much more on Project SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku!

Links

Character Profiles

Virtual Singers
・Hatsune Miku
・Kagamine Rin
・Kagamine Len
・Megurine Luka
・MEIKO
・KAITO
Leo/need
・Ichika Hoshino
・Saki Tenma
・Honami Mochizuki
・Shiho Hinomori
MORE MORE JUMP!
・Minori Hanasato
・Haruka Kiritani
・Airi Momoi
・Shizuku Hinomori
Vivid BAD SQUAD
・Kohane Azusawa
・An Shiraishi
・Akito Shinonome
・Toya Aoyagi
Wonderlands x Showtime
・Tsukasa Tenma
・Emu Otori
・Nene Kusanagi
・Rui Kamishiro
25 o’clock by Night Code
・Kanade Yoisaki
・Mafuyu Asahina
・Ena Shinonome
・Mizuki Akiyama

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