When the Hatsune Miku voice software program debuted again in 2007, few may have guessed the super affect it might have. The idea of a digital singer–one whose songs had been virtually completely user-generated–was a weird and intriguing novelty. 15 years later, Miku and her pals have endured, solidifying their reputations as pioneers throughout music, the web, and gaming cultures. Sega’s Hatsune Miku: Project Diva serves as a robust testomony to the aquamarine-haired songstress’ lasting legacy, and Project Diva Megamix+ is an exceptional reminder of Miku’s musical significance.Like earlier video games within the sequence, Project Diva Megamix+ is a rhythm recreation constructed across the widespread Japanese “virtual singer” characters of Hatsune Miku, the Kagamine Rin and Len duo, Megurine Luka, Meiko, and Kaito. Each recreation within the sequence affords a choice of songs sourced from impartial creators who’ve made songs utilizing these characters. Most of those tracks additionally characteristic an elaborately choreographed, real-time music video that performs within the background, which could be custom-made with costumes and equipment for the characters you earn with in-game forex.Megamix+ is an enhanced port of 2020’s Hatsune Miku Project Diva Megamix for Switch, which itself was a “best-of” compilation based mostly on the arcade and PS4 recreation Hatsune Miku Project Diva Future Tone. That may sound a bit complicated for those who’re not conversant in the sequence chronology, however the vital factor is that it implies that Megamix+ has no scarcity of music. From the second you boot the sport, over 100 tracks–including many who had been DLC-only on the Switch version–are able to play. There’s additionally elective paid DLC so as to add many of the songs from PS4/arcade Future Tone that did not make it into the Switch recreation, and with as much as 5 uniquely charted problem ranges accessible for every track, you get an enormous quantity of bang on your buck, no matter for those who spring for the DLC.What makes the sheer quantity of music contained in Megamix+ even higher is how a lot selection could be discovered among the many songs. The music of Hatsune Miku and pals is essentially made by impartial creators with various musical types and tastes, and the choice of tunes right here showcases precisely that. You’ll discover a bit little bit of the whole lot right here: cheerful bouncy pop (LOL Lots of Laugh, Clover Club, Dreamin ChuChu), fast-paced rock (Rolling Girl, Ghost Rule), techno-industrial (Sadistic.Music∞Factory), bossa nova (Tricolore Airline), prog-rock (Meltdown), novelty earworms (Po Pi Po), eurobeat (Luka Luka Night Fever), jazz and piano (On the Rocks, Piano x Forte x Scandal), traditional recreation music with new vocals (After Burner, Like the Wind) and even ridiculous memes (Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya! aka the Nyan Cat track). There are additionally lots of offbeat tracks which can be arduous to pigeonhole into particular genres, like Alien Alien, Jitterbug, and Ooedo Julianight. Sweetening the choice is that every track comes with a singular and lavishly produced video that includes distinct backgrounds, choreography, and character fashions. Suffice to say, even for those who’re not well-versed on the planet of Miku’s music and producers, you are sure to seek out rather a lot right here to enjoy–which makes Megamix+ a perfect entry level for these curious concerning the sequence.Like many music video games, the mechanics are deceptively easy initially. The notes that you must hit are displayed over the music video because it performs. The management pad and face buttons are used to hit these notes as they fly onto the display, whereas a spinning dial hand signifies the proper timing for every be aware (the proper timing being excessive midday). Both the d-pad and controller face buttons are usable for a similar inputs — for instance, for those who’re utilizing an Xbox controller, you may press both up on the d-pad or Y to efficiently hit a be aware labeled ↑ or Y. There are additionally slides, which could be carried out by tilting the left or proper analog sticks within the course indicated for a set period of time.Sega’s Hatsune Miku: Project Diva serves as a robust testomony to the aquamarine-haired songstress’ lasting legacy, and Project Diva Megamix+ is an exceptional reminder of Miku’s musical significanceSimple, proper? But the place issues begin to get a bit tough is within the introduction of maintain notes and linked notes. Hold notes give an additional rating bonus once they’re held down, however you may incessantly be requested to each maintain down that be aware and hit a bunch of different notes on the similar time, requiring dextrous use of each the D-pad and face button inputs. Linked notes require you to press two or extra buttons on the similar time, and could be maintain notes as nicely.As easy as this may sound, issues in Project Diva can begin to escalate in a short time. A track that begins with easy rhythmic button faucets can evolve into a fancy composition of sudden swipes, rapid-fire simultaneous multidirectional inputs, and difficult maintain patterns requiring you to rigorously (and shortly) coordinate D-pad and face button presses. Since an enormous chunk of the display is used to show inputs, notes can come flying in from each which approach, requiring you to maintain your eyes mounted on all the display lest a stray enter zoom in from elements unknown. There’s undoubtedly a studying curve in terms of something previous Normal problem, because the inputs that begin to be incessantly utilized in Hard could be fairly daunting. The recreation’s resolution to that is Challenge Time, a quick interval throughout songs on Easy and Normal difficulties the place you are given a few of the extra demanding inputs incessantly seen on greater difficulties. You cannot fail out of a track throughout Challenge Time, making it comparatively risk-free–though your efficiency does issue into your total rating, providing you with an incentive to carry out nicely. It’s a intelligent approach to assist ease gamers into more difficult mechanics and push them to strive greater difficulties as soon as they really feel snug. Charts throughout all difficulties are well-designed and interesting, making you’re feeling as if you are a part of the song–an completely make-or-break factor for rhythm video games that Megamix+ nails expertly.Aside from the expanded music choice, Megamix+ affords just a few extras over the Switch authentic. Players can now freely change between the less complicated character fashions of Megamix to the higher-polycount, extra detailed fashions of Future Tone. You may also change the in-song be aware shows to match a wide range of controller varieties, together with the PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch controllers–or even simply directional arrows. You may also use and customise a keyboard structure to play songs with, although it by no means fairly feels “right,” particularly when doing slide notes. (You can also’t customise the be aware show to precisely match your chosen keyboard inputs–even for those who’re taking part in with WASD and numpad you are caught with arrow, image, or controller button shows.) Mix Mode and Tap Play, the JoyCon and touchscreen modes from the Switch model, are each absent right here,–but given how gimmicky and unsatisfying these modes felt, I feel most gamers will not miss them.Gallery Is Megamix+ price it for those who already personal Future Tone or Megamix on Switch? It’s a really complete package deal, however until PC is your absolute most well-liked platform, it is arduous to advocate to sequence veterans who have already got each DLC pack for the earlier console video games. The further options are good, however not sufficient on their very own for a double- or triple-dip. Also, as a way to unlock the Extreme and Extra Extreme difficulties for every track, that you must clear every of them individually on Hard, which will likely be tedious for music recreation devotees who need these crazy-hard charts however should manually unlock all of them but once more.But for sequence newcomers and PC-focused gamers, Megamix+ is a simple suggestion. There’s a ton of content material right here, constructed upon a robust rhythm-game basis that challenges you to develop your expertise and intention ever higher–all whereas having enjoyable watching music movies, taking part in dress-up, and gathering all of the cool and wacky customizations for all the forged. But most significantly, Megamix+ is the very best showcase of Miku’s legacy to this point, showcasing the unbridled creativity and number of the net musical and inventive subcultures she’s impressed.