Mesmerizer: trippy vocaloid fangame combines saving Hatsune Miku with Undertale-style battles  

Mesmerizer is a bizarre turn-based rhythm game based on the Vocaloid song of the same name. Developed by Atena and Nanashi 321, Version 2.0.0 of the full fanmade game was released for free on September 15 on itch.io, adding new endings, maps, enemies and skills. It is playable on PC in English, Japanese and Korean. 

In this bold, colorful game you play as the fan-made Vocaloid Teto Kasane. With fellow Vocaloid Hatsune Miku as your partner, you must move to the rhythm to avoid various attacks. Unfortunately, Miku is acting a little strange. She seems to have been brainwashed or hypnotized by someone or something, so the aim is to turn her back to normal. 

The Mesmerizer game has a battle system that is reminiscent of Undertale and Earthbound. Like Undertale, you must dodge enemy attacks and projectiles while moving inside a square. When it is your turn, you can unleash attacks or perform commands that affect your status, such as healing or upping your attack power. Before each stage, there is a shop where you can buy items to boost your stats. The shopkeeper is your doppelganger, which leaves you wondering which one is the real Teto Kasane?  

The fanmade game is based on the Mesmerizer song- a duet between Teto Kasane and Hatsune Miku that was released back in April 2024. Specifically, the game takes its cues and art style from the song’s popular animated music video, which shows Hatsune Miku gradually getting hypnotized. The game riffs off the colorful and cute, yet slightly disturbing atmosphere of the music video. 

Unsurprisingly, the game’s soundtrack incorporates various fan favorite Vocaloid songs such as Ochame Kinou. Overall, the Mesmerizer fangame should appeal to Vocaloid fans and those who like Undertale-style mechanics and bizarre games in general. 

The Mesmerizer fangame is available on PC via itch.io for free. A previous build of the game (Version 1.1.5) is playable on Mac. 

Written by Verity Townsend based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2024-09-16 15:10 JST)