Expanding on the Nintendo Switch release in 2020, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ is a colorful and exciting rhythm game based on popular Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku. Developed and published by Sega, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ gives fans of 2000s J-Pop the chance to explore a vast library of songs, customize favorite characters, and enjoy fast-paced rhythm gameplay similar to titles like Taiko No Tatsujin and Dance Dance Revolution. However, game control and performance issues make Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ unpleasant to play on PC.
Like most rhythm games, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ offers players the chance to select a song from a large catalog, choose a difficulty level, and then smash buttons to fun, J-Pop beats. The game doesn't use any overarching narrative, but each track is outfitted with music videos or performance reels of favorite characters like Hatsune Miku and other popular Vocaloid singers. Players can also create custom playlists of songs, eliminating the need to scroll through the entire song catalog before playing.
To get started in Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+, players must first go through a tutorial and set up their preferred method of playing. However, unlike the easy-to-use dance pads of Dance Dance Revolution, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ makes setup a chore. In the tutorial, it is explained that even when using keyboard keys, all button prompts will appear as the controller-specific "X,A,Y,B" buttons on the screen. Because of this, players must learn to associate their "W,A,S,D" keys with unmatching prompts, or connect and customize a controller. Despite practicing, most will likely find the keyboard setup ungainly, requiring the use of a Steam or Bluetooth Xbox One Controller in order to play intuitively.
One of the best features of Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ is the song list. Both new and long-term Vocaloid fans will find a selection of over 170 songs to pick from. Some cute options include a take on the "Nyan Cat" theme, as well as a wide variety of popular, classic tunes from Hatsune Miku's early performances. The variety in an updated game is both fun and nostalgic while making the content accessible to newer fans of the series. However, players will want to be careful when selecting a song to play, as the difficulty levels of the rhythm game can be inconsistent, and audio previews don't offer a good idea of which songs may be more or less challenging.
While the songs in Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ are bright and fun, the interface for the rhythm game is not as enjoyable. Players will find the prompts they must hit swooping in from all directions on the screen, instead of appearing in a specific area with clear visibility and direction. Because of this, prompts can easily get mixed up, or be hard to see as the video behind them changes colors. Additionally, the constant movement around the screen in combination with the movement of the performer models or video clips can be dizzying, creating vertigo or confusion when trying to keep track of each prompt. Similar to Rhythm Fighter, The overwhelming movements can also take away from the enjoyment of watching the characters perform, as players will be too busy chasing prompts to properly view the background.
For those who like customization, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ offers a wide selection of outfits, hairstyles, and accessories for each singer in the game. To obtain different options, players will need to save up "VP" while playing through songs, and then purchase each item in the customization tab from the main menu. While the selection of clothing is diverse, it can be confusing to set character outfits, and players may find that the outfit has only applied to one song. Because of this, they will have to bounce between menus to ensure that the desired outfit is appearing as an option when a specific song is selected.
While Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ does have a wide song selection and fun gameplay, it struggles as a PC and Steam title. The game often lags and drops frames, which can impact a player's score when interrupting prompts during a song. The limitations of a PC screen also make the gameplay feel cramped, appearing much better suited for a large TV screen and the powerful capabilities of an Xbox or PlayStation platform. Additionally, some of the music videos have choppy framerates and jerky motions that make the visuals look unpolished when sitting close to a PC screen, but would likely look smoother from a further distance.
Longtime fans of Vocaloid music will likely enjoy Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ for its nostalgic song list and updated character models, but this game isn't a good choice for casual PC gamers. Those without a good Steam Controller option and powerful hardware will want to skip the title and wait for a possible console release at a future date or try the original version on the Nintendo Switch instead. However, for serious PC gamers who enjoy a fun rhythm game rooted in 2000s J-Pop, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ could be a great addition to player libraries. Hopefully, patches to improve keyboard controls and framerate issues will be released to help create a more intuitive experience, improving overall accessibility for any Vocaloid fan wanting to give the game a try.
Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ releases today, May 26, 2022, for PC on Steam. Screen Rant was provided with a PC Steam code for the purposes of this review.
Hatsune Miku Project Diva Megamix+
