Hop Step Sing! Astral Piece
- December 12, 2019
- Kodansha VR Lab
Get on Steam"Hop Step Sing! Astral Piece" is a VR rhythm game that lets you experience Niina Nijikawa's first solo live performance in a virtual setting. Join her and her classmates after school hours as they dazzle you with their singing and dancing. This release is the group's fifth single and first solo live performance, following their debut hit "Kisekiteki Shining!". Interact with the idols in a whole new way in this immersive VR experience.
Reviews
- The directing and non-linear movement in the VR experience are well-executed, making it enjoyable for those who are prone to motion sickness.
- The music and choreography are well done, appealing to fans of anime idol music videos and providing a fun interactive experience.
- The experience is a great way to wind down after playing other VR games, with rewatchable content that fans of the franchise will appreciate.
- The content is very short, lasting only around 5-6 minutes, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- The asset quality and interactivity are considered lower compared to other experiences, leading to disappointment for some users.
- There are limitations such as the inability to turn off comfort vignettes, which can detract from the overall experience.
- music21 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the VR experience has received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the unique integration of anime music videos in a virtual reality format, highlighting the engaging visuals and choreography. While the songs are generally well-received, with recommendations for specific tracks, some users feel the content is limited in duration and may not appeal to those outside the anime music fanbase. Overall, the experience is praised for its innovation in VR music presentation, though it may not fully satisfy all audiences.
“Continues to be the gold standard for anime music virtual reality.”
“I like how each new song they push VR further each time.”
“It's great having music videos like this in VR and I would love to see more artists/groups utilizing the medium.”
“10 dollars for a music video that lasts something like 6 minutes, and as a standalone VR experience, just didn't provide anything unique or interesting.”
“If you aren't a fan of anime idol music videos, this may not convert you, but any hop step sing fan should grab it.”
“2 slight annoyances though - there's no way to turn off the comfort vignettes at all and the Niina model from music vid 4 seems here to stay; of all the Niina models used, I preferred any of the others to 4 and this one.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics across the reviewed songs are generally praised for their high energy and surreal qualities, with standout visuals in "kimamani summer vacation" and "kissxkissxkiss." However, "astral piece" is noted for having weaker visuals compared to later works. The live concert recording offers a solid introduction but lacks the unique visual elements present in the individual music videos.
“1) Kimamani Summer Vacation - good high energy song with great visuals.”
“2) Kissxkissxkiss - a bit down-beat compared to their other stuff but still a great song and very surreal visuals.”
“4) Astral Piece - great song and visuals but this one's a solo featuring only Niina (Shikiri #1!, lol).”
“The graphics in their first song are a lot weaker compared to their later songs.”
“The live concert recording includes all of the songs, but it lacks the unique visuals found in the music videos.”
“The visuals in the game are disappointing and do not match the quality of the later content.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting it as one of the worst in terms of performance.
“Its performance is one of the worst.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“Optimization issues lead to long loading times and frequent crashes.”
