Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX
Overview -
Although it is immensely popular in Japan, the Western audience is still quite new to the Hatsune Miku craze. What started as a Vocaloid package (Vocaloid being singing synthesizer software) has exploded into a series and franchise of its own, spawning more character-based packages as well as a slew of other bits of media.
While there are over ten 'Hatsune Miku' games in Japan, with more to come, Sega has only released a couple of the titles in the West, and that's only started in the last year. However, they are slowly being localized, as the release of the 3DS spin-off game 'Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX' shows.
Video Review
The graphics are going to be hit or miss with most people. Instead of using the typical Miku style of "realistic" characters (or rather, realistic by anime standards), Miku and her friends are super deformed, becoming chunky chibi characters. Not everyone is going to be a fan of the cutesy look, but I personally think it's endearing. It also works well for the 3DS, as the system probably couldn't handle the graphical style that most of the 'Miku' games follow. Also, as is important for a rhythm game, the notes and prompts are easy to discern, even if the videos in the background are made to be distracting.
Audio Review
The most important aspect of any rhythm game is its music—no matter how good the mechanics are, a rhythm gme isn't going to be fun if the songs are subpar, after all. Thankfully, 'Project Mirai DXs's Vocaloid playlist is very solid. It is worth noting that the majority of the songs fall squarely into the J-Pop category, so those that have an aversion to that genre of music certainly won't want to pick this title up. For everyone else the soundtrack on offer is good.
Final Thoughts
Despite being a spin-off of the main series, 'Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX' is a very solid rhythm game. There are a ton of songs to play, and the two modes allow for a lot of replayability. The art and music might be a little too cutesy for some, but many will find an enjoyable time with chibi Miku and her friends.
