Houkago no Love Beat


Houkago no Love Beat is a Japanese-only PlayStation 2 otome game released on June 10, 2004. A notable feature of the game is the integration of real J-pop songs into the gameplay, and the ability to watch and listen to the songs again once you have mastered them in-game, as well as the fact that the main character has a voice. The publisher classifies it as a 'love adventure' game.

Gameplay

There are two main elements to the gameplay of Houkago no Love Beat. The narrative element involves the main character having conversations with other characters, making choices that affect the storyline. The 'live part' is a minigame where the player uses the PS2 controller to affect the performance of the band during various songs. If the player does a good job, the song is performed well, and if the player misses a lot of cues, the band performs badly. This in turn affects how well the band is received, whether they get a contract, etc.

Plot

The main character is a high school girl trained in classical piano who has just transferred to a new high school, Aobadai Gakuen. On her first day, she gets lost and meets 4 boys there who are secretly practising as a band. She eventually becomes the songwriter for the band, using her classical background to create fresh melodies for the band to build on.
There's a rival band, Kamui, that also plays a couple songs during the game and provides some plot devices regarding a big band contest with a recording contract as the prize.

Characters