Most rhythm games train you to stare at the screen and hit notes on sight. This one keeps trying to mess with that habit. The whole display can shrink, stretch, flash, or suddenly do something completely ridiculous, and after a while you stop chasing the visuals and start listening properly. Counting beats and picking up the rhythm becomes much more useful than trying to keep up with every little thing happening on screen. It sounds awkward on paper, but once it clicks, it feels surprisingly natural.
The music is a big reason it works. The original tracks are memorable on their own, and the story actually knows when to let the music do the talking. The pixel art may look simple, but the game gets a lot out of it, especially during the more dramatic scenes. There were quite a few moments where I expected a goofy little rhythm game and got something far more sincere instead. It is the sort of game where you finish a section and find yourself replaying the song in your head afterward.