KIZUNA AI: TOUCH THE BEAT! Better touch grass
ETA 22 FEB / PUB GEMDROPS DEV GEMDROPS / PLAYERS 1
While Kizuna AI was one of the first virtual celebs to make it big as a successful VTuber, she’s been on an indefinite hiatus since early last year. If you’re not one of the millions of preexisting fans desperately clamouring for a new Kizuna fix, there’s a strong chance that this Beat Saber-inspired rhythm game isn’t the one for you.
Offering just 15 of her most popular songs (including Hello, Morning) to be played in a flagship mode that has you wielding the PSVR2 Sense controllers like swords against a barrage of flying neon blocks, the core activity isn’t exactly anything that we haven’t seen before. However, as it also gives players the option to watch her VR performances like a virtual concert, not to mention customise her costumes and move freely around the stage, it’s clear that any dedicated Kizuna AI fan will still be able to find plenty to love here.
Despite launching alongside PSVR2, the game includes a solid non-VR mode that allows you to experience the songs on a television without the pricy headset. Here, the action is more akin to the Project Diva series and a native PS4 version with its own PSVR support is arriving at a later date.
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Although the noticeably small number of songs that will be available at launch is undeniably a little disappointing, the slew of already announced post-launch DLC, including a number of cutesy costumes and the addition of several new tracks by KZN-chan (Kizuna AI’s more music-focused fuchsiahaired successor), promises to round out the package more fully with time. Still, with three separate difficulty modes to tackle per song, even at launch there should be enough content to keep you busy chasing high scores for the time being.