Lyrica2 Stars Align

Genre: Music-Rhythm

Players: 1

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Review:

Lyrica2, released on Nintendo Switch in 2021, is a Music-Rhythm game that closely follows its predecessor, for better or worse. It has the same good things going for it, and the same niche of having a focus on Chinese poetry and history, which is still pretty unique for the genre. But it also has the same flaws as the first game.

The gameplay is once again very much in line with games like Elite Beat Agents and Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, with players tapping, dragging, or holding on notes using either the touchscreen or the controller. And as with the first Lyrica, the gameplay here starts right out the gate being very fast-paced and challenging, and in particular there’s a lot of multitasking required right from the beginning, with one pattern of notes being cleared by one hand while the other works on a separate series of notes.

This multitasking can be difficult regardless of what controls you’re using, and while I do think the touchscreen controls feel more natural, they still run into trouble because the game doesn’t take into account where your arms and hands are, sometimes forcing you to cross one hand over the other to reach a note, or having notes hidden behind your arm as you move it over.

This game also has the same presentation issues as the first game. While the game’s hand-drawn character art is gorgeous, you’ll still find the game tossing up “notes” that aren’t meant to be played and serve little more than distraction. And as for the soundtrack, while it’s well-made, historically-inspired Chinese pop songs are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.

Despite all its issues, I still think Lyrica2 has a lot to offer, but what it’s offering is aimed at an exceedingly small target audience. If you’re the sort of person who enjoys pop songs inspired by traditional Chinese music and you like a challenge and you prefer playing using the touchscreen, then like its predecessor Lyrica2 is going to be a delight. But if that doesn’t describe you, then there are likely other Music-Rhythm games on Nintendo Switch that are more likely to entertain you.

tl;dr – Lyrica2 is a Music-Rhythm game that, like its predecessor, combines themes of Chinese history and poetry with gameplay that follows the Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan formula. What’s here is mostly decent, but it’s extremely niche due to its theme and high challenge level requiring a lot of multitasking with both hands. This game will absolutely not be for everyone, but if you’re enticed by its themes and not scared by a challenge, you may enjoy this.

Grade: B-

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