It’s the troublesome second album, as LOUD: My Highway to Fame brings in some paid, day-one DLC within the type of LOUD: My Journey to Japan.
‘Paid, day-one DLC’ is sure to provide grumbly avid gamers an eye-twitch or two. There’s an excuse, when you’re , as a result of LOUD: My Highway to Fame launched in February 2023 on different methods, and the DLC dropped barely later. Since Xbox is getting a belated launch, the 2 have launched as one. Now, we might get sniffy and say {that a} mixed launch would have been good, however we’ll take the neutral route and level to the mixed £11.68 price ticket, which feels about proper.
LOUD: My Journey to Japan takes place after the occasions of LOUD: My Highway to Fame. The principle character has had a style of success, which implies a tour to Japan. It offers her a number of alternatives: the possibility for a vacation, the power to fulfill some weeb urges, and, in fact, a furthering of her profession, as she creates new followers and probably indicators an area contract for her album. Issues are on the up, even when her album obtained a poor assessment from Gitaroo journal (we obtained that reference, cheers Hyperstrange).
That is all an excuse for seven additional songs, courtesy of Re:NO, Mutant Monster, Babybeard and Doll Elements. Now, you’ll have to excuse us for not having heard of them, however going by their varied Wiki pages, they’re all J-Rock and J-Pop bands who’re common sufficient to have, nicely, Wiki pages. What we are able to say with confidence is that they produce the perfect songs within the LOUD collection by a distance.
A part of that’s right down to – lastly – introducing LOUD to some vocals. Highway to Fame had a pair, principally squirrelled away within the bonus songs, however the songs listed here are all sung. Lyrics don’t routinely make a very good tune (Mogwai be praised), however right here they add some much-needed persona and individuality. All of the sudden songs are hummable, and we even added a pair to Spotify playlists, one thing we didn’t do with the unique sport. There is no such thing as a doubt in our thoughts that LOUD: My Journey to Japan represents a musical step up.
It’s additionally a step up when it comes to problem. For the primary time in our profession on the ‘Chilled’ problem, we failed a tune. We’re nicely used to failing on the upper difficulties, however this one ‘chilled’ us in a really totally different method. The rationale for our incompetence is basically right down to the frequency that notes seem on each side of the display screen. Usually, the sport will swing from one facet to the opposite in fast succession. Barely much less typically, they are going to arrive each without delay. It performs to one in every of LOUD’s faults – that it’s exhausting to see each side of the display screen on the similar time with the bare eye – nevertheless it additionally makes loads of sense. In the event you’ve purchased LOUD: My Journey to Japan, you’ve seemingly completed so since you kicked the unique’s ass.
The step up in musical high quality and problem ought to make LOUD: My Journey to Japan one thing of a victory lap, however the presentation is one thing of a step down. In LOUD: My Highway to Fame, it took three songs earlier than the story developed and extra cutscenes and dialogue have been airlifted in. Even then, three songs felt too lengthy. We have been looking forward to stuff to occur, the backdrop to alter maybe, and for these three songs every part was static. Nothing modified, not even a hair shifted on the principle character’s head.
Right here, the six songs are bookended by some fluff about coming to Japan and what it means to the principle character, however there may be nothing else moreover. It’s the identical backdrop throughout all six songs, and not using a mumble from the principle character as commentary. In the event you have been hoping for a neat coda to seek out out extra about the principle character’s successes after her first album, you may be sorely disillusioned. That is purely a musical booster to the primary sport, some bonus tracks with a distinct style bent.
However for all of the safeness of the presentation, which is admittedly lazy, the songs slap. And that’s ninety % of what we wished from LOUD: My Journey to Japan. We wished songs from Japanese artists that have been a step or two past those in the principle sport, and we obtained what we wished for.
Yeah yeah, it ought to have been baked into the principle sport, however as an EP of additional songs go, LOUD: My Journey to Japan is a somewhat welcome enchancment on the LP.
