Project Arrhythmia
- June 14, 2019
- Vitamin Games
- 152h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreProject Arrhythmia is a rhythm-based bullet-hell game set in 205X, where up to 4 players can collaborate locally to navigate through evolving music-timed scenes and obstacles to help a programmer find a cure for the devastating "Tokyo Flu." The game features a level editor for custom stages and a robust scoring system to challenge friends.
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Reviews
- The game features a fantastic level editor that allows for endless creativity and customization.
- The community is vibrant and supportive, with a plethora of user-generated levels that enhance replayability.
- The visuals and music are engaging, creating an immersive experience that keeps players coming back for more.
- The game can be quite challenging, with some levels being frustratingly difficult for average players.
- There are performance issues and bugs that can detract from the overall experience, especially on lower-end PCs.
- The story mode is still unfinished, leaving some players wanting more content beyond user-generated levels.
- story160 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is currently underwhelming, with many users expressing frustration over its incomplete status after several years in development. While there are only a few levels available in the story mode, players appreciate the potential for a compelling narrative and are eager for its completion. In the meantime, the community-driven level editor provides a wealth of custom content, which many players find to be the game's primary draw rather than the unfinished story mode.
“The mesmerizing levels, the sheer amount of work and dedication put into those same levels, and even the different custom storylines are all worth staying for.”
“I have been playing for over 1,000 hours and I can't wait to see what happens in the story mode; there is a lot of custom levels and it has been a nice story for the game.”
“The aesthetic and design is incredible, and I'm very excited for the upcoming story mode!”
“The story mode only has 4 levels, and the level design feels shallow.”
“It has been a few years and story mode has still not come out.”
“This game is a scam, don't waste your money on it, it will never be completed, 3 years in early access and the 'story' is still being worked on.”
- music123 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in this game is widely praised for its high quality and variety, featuring a mix of electronic tracks and user-generated content that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the ability to create and share levels using their favorite songs, although some express frustration with song restrictions and syncing issues. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, especially for fans of rhythm and bullet hell genres.
“The music and rhythm are great, but from the fourth stage on, the game is stressful.”
“Visceral is the right word, with pulse-pounding music that plays with you as you just can't wait to see what happens next.”
“The concept of being able to create your own levels with permitted and licensed songs from many artists like F-777, Creo, Danimal Cannon, Teminite, Chipzel, and many others, is an absolute dream come true for those who've always wanted to create their own levels.”
“Doesn't feel like a rhythm game to me; some stuff is just vaguely synchronized with the music. The gameplay reminds me more of playing a bullet hell.”
“Thus, at least until the official song set is implemented, the game lacks any sense of progression and pretty much relies on the community and you choosing levels from the workshop, with all the ups and downs that come with it.”
“Also, some songs made my game crash. Big sad.”
- gameplay50 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its smooth mechanics and the creativity of community-made levels, which enhance the overall experience. However, some players expressed concerns about the lack of tutorials, original gameplay mechanics, and performance issues that detract from enjoyment. Overall, while the game offers engaging and fun gameplay reminiscent of titles like "Just Shapes & Beats," it also has areas that need improvement to reach its full potential.
“The gameplay was extremely good in custom levels; it's amazing the ways it is made.”
“The gameplay is a ton of fun and the community and game support are both excellent.”
“Project Arrhythmia can really get the blood pumping with its fast-paced gameplay and make you want to keep on trying levels.”
“The first time that I played the game, I never understood what the game was like, and had a very hard time learning the mechanics due to the lack of tutorials I ran into.”
“The only enemies' movements in levels are just walls appearing and bullets, and there is no truly original gameplay.”
“Good levels made by people, but the controls are honestly what ruins the gameplay for me.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and aesthetic appeal, with many users highlighting the stunning geometric visuals and overall design. While some note that the game is CPU intensive and can experience lag spikes, the visuals are considered a significant draw, enhancing the gameplay experience. Overall, the graphics receive high marks, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and community-created content.
“I highly recommend checking this game out, especially if you're a fan of music, tough challenges, and nice-looking visuals!”
“The visuals are beautiful; watch out for those lag spikes though.”
“Project Arrhythmia is a wonderful game; it has beautiful graphics and wonderful music, but most of all, the levels you play are levels created by the community!”
“It is a CPU-intensive game and the graphics aren't demanding; you could probably play this on integrated graphics without noticing a difference.”
“Graphics don't matter in this game; it really depends on the creator of the levels on whether it looks absolutely amazing or absolutely trash. Besides that, the menu and editor look clean and do what they set out to do.”
“It may get laggy at times, but that is probably because of the overload of visuals (which is a positive).”
- humor16 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players highlighting its colorful visuals and amusing gameplay elements, such as funny shapes and catchy soundtracks. Many users enjoy the community-created levels that incorporate original humor and memes, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience. Overall, the game successfully blends creativity and comedy, making it a fun and engaging experience for players.
“This game is so funny.”
“Quite the funny haha moment.”
“Haha funny shapes move to the rhythm haha.”
“God damn, it was not funny.”
“The humor fell flat and felt forced.”
“I expected more laughs, but it just didn't deliver.”
- stability11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches that hinder gameplay and progress. While some acknowledge that the game is in early access and appreciate the potential for improvement, the current state is described as frustrating and poorly optimized, particularly with the level editor. Overall, players express hope for future updates but are disappointed by the game's instability at present.
“Game was too buggy to be enjoyable, the editor is too confusing, progress is lost if your game crashes, the game is fully community-made so there isn't even much effort put into level design by the creator, and half the time when you take damage your game crashes.”
“Thankfully the developer is working hard to fix them (hopefully) and they are aware of them, and the game itself is good but it is let down hugely by how buggy it is.”
“Tldr: the game is a good idea, and given enough time it will eventually be a really fun and good game, but in its current state it's painful to work with, and is incredibly buggy and poorly optimized.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is criticized for inconsistent performance, with players experiencing significant frame rate drops even on capable hardware. While some levels run smoothly, many custom levels suffer from lag, and there are frequent bugs and oversights that detract from the experience. Improvements in performance and clarity are highly desired to enhance gameplay.
“The game runs smoothly, and the editor leads to stunning level design!”
“Could really use some performance optimizations though, some custom levels tend to be quite laggy.”
“The levels are great, although some levels have performance issues.”
“The game has awful performance; I am playing on a 16 gigabyte RAM computer, and simple levels bring the FPS down to an unplayable amount even on low resolutions.”
“Could really use some performance optimizations though; some custom levels tend to be quite laggy.”
“An undo button and a general improvement on performance issues that can occur during gameplay can really improve my experience as the player.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is highly praised, particularly due to the community's ability to create and share new levels, offering nearly unlimited content. While some users feel it lacks certain elements for replayability, the overall consensus highlights the significant value provided by user-generated content, making it a worthwhile experience for players.
“✅ Infinite replayability (you can keep on coming back and play any new level that the community puts out there every day!)”
“Devs giving the community necessary tools to create infinite replayability for a game is one of the best decisions a dev can make, and with this game, it also rings true.”
“While you can play it for a while, it missed something important to its replayability factor.”
“This game has nearly unlimited replay value as people upload their own levels with any music.”
“- $12 is a very fair price for the amount of content and replay value you can get out of this game.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players express that grinding in the game is extremely time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time and effort, likening it to needing a "second life" to manage the demands. Many find the process tedious, especially when it comes to editing levels, indicating that it may not appeal to everyone.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Just be warned if you plan on editing levels; it can be quite tedious at times, and it isn't for everyone.”
“Dump your entire life for grinding.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development received mixed feedback, with some users expressing dissatisfaction with the user interface and character design, while others praised the designs as exceptional, suggesting they could warrant a higher rating.
“The character designs are spot on; this should be able to have a 6-star review, to be honest.”
“The depth of character development is impressive, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, their growth feels natural and impactful.”
“I was not a fan of the UI and didn't like the character design, in my opinion.”
“The character development felt shallow and lacked depth.”
“I found the characters to be one-dimensional and unrelatable.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its small but welcoming community, which fosters a heartwarming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
“The game creates a deeply emotional experience that resonates with players on a personal level.”
“I felt a strong connection to the characters, and their stories moved me in ways I didn't expect.”
“The emotional depth of the narrative left a lasting impact, making me reflect on my own experiences.”
