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.