The Idolmaster: Live For You!
Encyclopedia
is an Xbox 360
game only released in Japan
by Namco Bandai Games
on February 28, 2008. The game is the sequel to the arcade game
The Idolm@ster (which was later ported to the Xbox 360
) which followed the career of a producer who works for the fictional 765 Production studio and has to work with a selection of ten prospective pop idols
. In this game, due to the sudden absence of the original producer, the player is given the role of 'Special Producer' and is charged with coordinating the idols' concerts.
The game was sold in two versions, a Limited and a Regular Edition. The limited edition includes a custom slipcase and a special DVD containing an OVA and previews of remixed versions of the songs, available on the Xbox Live Marketplace
. Pre-reservations contained a download card that would allow users to download a new song, 'Shiny Smile' (3/27 release) for use in the game. A set of prepaid Microsoft Points
cards featuring the iDOLM@STER characters have also been released to accompany the game. Two different versions were offered in 3,500 point denominations.
As of 25 May 2008, two downloadable content updates have been released. The updates include new costumes, costume pieces, song remixes, themes, gamer pictures, and short videos. Also each update includes a completely new song. "Shiny Smile" was the 1st new song and "Do-Dai" was the 2nd song to be released. A 3rd downloadable content update is scheduled for a 18 Jun 2008 release with "My Song" as the 3rd new song. Each content piece ranges from 200 to 1000 Microsoft Points.
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game only released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
on February 28, 2008. The game is the sequel to the arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
The Idolm@ster (which was later ported to the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
) which followed the career of a producer who works for the fictional 765 Production studio and has to work with a selection of ten prospective pop idols
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
. In this game, due to the sudden absence of the original producer, the player is given the role of 'Special Producer' and is charged with coordinating the idols' concerts.
History
After the success of the Xbox 360 version of the game, Namco revealed the production of Live for You! in October 2007. The game focuses more on the concert event section from the original, with higher customization of the stage, costumes and songs.The game was sold in two versions, a Limited and a Regular Edition. The limited edition includes a custom slipcase and a special DVD containing an OVA and previews of remixed versions of the songs, available on the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
. Pre-reservations contained a download card that would allow users to download a new song, 'Shiny Smile' (3/27 release) for use in the game. A set of prepaid Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
cards featuring the iDOLM@STER characters have also been released to accompany the game. Two different versions were offered in 3,500 point denominations.
As of 25 May 2008, two downloadable content updates have been released. The updates include new costumes, costume pieces, song remixes, themes, gamer pictures, and short videos. Also each update includes a completely new song. "Shiny Smile" was the 1st new song and "Do-Dai" was the 2nd song to be released. A 3rd downloadable content update is scheduled for a 18 Jun 2008 release with "My Song" as the 3rd new song. Each content piece ranges from 200 to 1000 Microsoft Points.
Gameplay
The game focuses mainly on the concert coordination aspect of the original and expands on it in many ways. Kotori Otonashi again serves as the player's assistant. Before each performance, the player is able to customize the song, stage, costumes and performance. During the concert, the player is engaged in a rhythm mini-game using 6 different buttons to build up a voltage meter indicating the excitement of the fans during the concert. A higher meter corresponds to a better ranking and higher score during the post-concert evaluation.Reception
The game was received well, with initial Famitsu scores placing it higher than its predecessor. The game sold 40,000 copies of the limited edition and 2,000 copies of the normal edition on the first day, exceeding the first week sales of the original.Release history
- The limited and regular editions of The Idolm@ster: Live For You! were released on February 28, 2008
- The Idolmaster: Twins, a compilation of The Idolmaster and The Idolmaster: Live For You! was released on March 12, 2009.