Rhythm Doctor

About

"Rhythm Doctor" is a rhythm game where you use the spacebar to defibrillate patients in sync with their heartbeats, set to music with complex rhythms and time signatures. The game features 20+ levels that teach different concepts of rhythm theory, a cast of doctors and patients in a character-centric storyline, and both single-player and local drop-in drop-out multiplayer modes. A level editor also allows players to create and share their own levels using their own music.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,520 reviews

music2k positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

music
3,898 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
48%
1%
The music in "Rhythm Doctor" has received widespread acclaim for its diverse and engaging soundtrack, which features a variety of genres and emotional depth that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate how the music integrates seamlessly with the game's mechanics, allowing them to feel the rhythm rather than just follow visual cues, making it both challenging and rewarding. Many reviews highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, with numerous tracks described as "bangers" that players enjoy even outside of the game, and there is a strong desire for an official soundtrack release.
- “Best rhythm game I've played, songs all slap, the feeling you get once you get the rhythm after struggling at a song for a while is crazy, no other game that I have played is like that.”
- “Truly a must play for any rhythm gamer, wonderfully unique soundtrack and somehow manages to surprise and delight throughout!”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, the music is some of the best I have ever heard, and it looks great.”
- “The music is bad at best and horrible at worst with a narrator shouting that a tempo change will occur.”
- “I love them, but I find at a certain point in the difficulty curve the inputs become untethered from the rhythm of the song and it becomes mush.”
- “The music chosen at some parts really amplify the character's emotion both when they're happy and sad, which is a lot of what music is about.”
story
1,714 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
49%
1%
The story of "Rhythm Doctor" is widely praised for its charm, humor, and emotional depth, effectively intertwining character arcs with engaging gameplay. Players appreciate the unique narrative approach, where each level introduces new characters and their personal struggles, often leading to heartfelt moments that resonate deeply. Despite being in early access, the game offers a well-crafted storyline that enhances the rhythm mechanics, making it a standout title in the genre.
- “It's easy to love the characters in this game and the story is pretty funny for it taking place in a hospital.”
- “Amazing music, great story, lovable characters, and fun gameplay.. what more could you want?”
- “The story, the characters, the gameplay, the music, the fact they do collabs and stuff, thank you to the developing team for making such a good game!!”
- “The story is worse than an afterthought, it's a waste of time.”
- “There's nothing linking the stories together besides that they happen to be in the same hospital and you happen to witness their stories, and so these stories don't link together well enough to form a cohesive, singular story.”
- “My only nitpicks for this game is that its really short and the story is... kind of all over the place?”
gameplay
1,692 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
52%
1%
The gameplay of "Rhythm Doctor" is characterized by its deceptively simple one-button mechanic that evolves into a complex and engaging experience, introducing new rhythms and mechanics at a steady pace. Players appreciate the fluidity and creativity of the gameplay, which incorporates various musical concepts and offers a satisfying challenge without feeling unfair. The combination of charming visuals, a captivating story, and a fantastic soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it a standout title in the rhythm game genre.
- “The gameplay is fluid and fun with good challenges that make it comprehensible while still not making it easy.”
- “Amazing music, great story, lovable characters, and fun gameplay... what more could you want?”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, the music is some of the best I have ever heard, and it looks great.”
- “A very well crafted game, I just happen to absolutely hate the x mechanic; it quite literally ruins the entire game for me.”
- “The game introduces new mechanics that literally change the rhythm itself, and it throws you out of sync, all while being very visually overwhelming.”
- “It's all content that is being front-loaded onto the player, new mechanics being introduced left and right, and next to no room for the player to relax and feel comfortable with any of it.”
graphics
730 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
46%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their charming pixel art style and innovative visual effects that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the seamless integration of visuals with the music, creating a captivating atmosphere that complements the rhythm mechanics. While some visuals can be overwhelming, they are generally seen as a delightful and engaging aspect of the game, contributing to its overall appeal and replayability.
- “This game has a fun story that made me laugh, visually stunning and very memorable graphics, and a great soundtrack.”
- “The visuals are fantastic, the music and vocals are superb, and you can really tell how much love and care the devs put into it.”
- “The visuals, the songs, the humor broke me (especially the 'you're lying!' 'yeah, i lied.' part, that one really got me) and just ohmygod, pick this game up please.”
- “The boss level is meant to punish people who mostly rely on visuals to keep time, as it forces the game into windowed mode, makes it tiny, and bounces it around a bunch.”
- “However, when you are learning a brand new mechanic and this is the first level, not having the visuals to get your bearings straight at first is frustrating, making the level where swing tempo is introduced easily the most frustrating level I have played so far, and by far my least favorite.”
- “There are cues, but they're not like cues in Rhythm Heaven, for example, no, the cues in this game are useless... and it's not like the visuals help either.”
emotional
340 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly praised, with many players reporting that it made them cry due to its heartfelt storytelling, relatable characters, and impactful music. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend humor and warmth, creating a unique emotional journey that resonates deeply, even within the rhythm game genre. Overall, it is described as a touching experience that combines challenging gameplay with a wholesome narrative, leaving players feeling invested and emotionally moved.
- “We all dream of the perfect game being a massive open world with a million features, but that game perfectly realized wouldn't even come close to emotionally impacting people the way this game does with text boxes and a spacebar.”
- “Playing through this was a challenging and emotional experience that I never thought I would get from a rhythm game.”
- “The story, without spoiling anything, made me surprisingly emotional and I still have yet to find another rhythm game that made me feel the way this one has.”
humor
182 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, often eliciting genuine laughter through witty dialogue and amusing character interactions. Players appreciate the blend of light-hearted and emotional moments, with many noting how the humor enhances the overall experience, making it both entertaining and memorable. The game's unique setting and engaging storytelling further contribute to its comedic appeal, making it a standout in the rhythm game genre.
- “Charming, fun, scratches the rhythm game itch, and has a great sense of humor - I failed a level so many times that the characters' dialogue changed to comment on it, and I was so focused on the level I nearly missed it!”
- “The story is well made, the dialogue is amazing, the humor is off the charts, and the intensity gets high!”
- “The dialogue and story content are entertaining, even laugh-out-loud funny at times, and they never feel like a chore you have to get through just to play the game.”
replayability
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
5%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its unique mechanics, engaging visuals, and extensive customization options, including a level editor and community-created content. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay, with challenging levels and a ranking system that encourages repeated playthroughs. Despite being relatively short, the ongoing updates and the potential for user-generated content promise a continually evolving experience that keeps players coming back.
- “The addition of custom levels and Steam Workshop integration will provide limitless replayability if you somehow can get bored with all the original songs in this game.”
- “Honestly, between the creativity of the main game levels and the tons of custom levels out for download, this game has some of the best replay value I've seen in a rhythm game this polished and visually engaging.”
- “The replayability is incredible, the music is beautiful, the visuals are amazing, and the game is just a work of art overall.”
- “Quite poor replayability.”
- “Some of the songs are less interesting than you'd get from other rhythm games, which hurts the replayability of some levels, but I can't really even call that a fault since those songs were clearly chosen to create interesting gameplay.”
- “YMMV depending on the quality of the community charts, but it definitely adds to the replayability.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
63%
32%
The grinding aspect of the game is described as extremely time-consuming, with players feeling they need "a second life" to achieve their goals, particularly for S+ ranks. While some find the process enjoyable due to the quality of the songs, others criticize the tediousness of having to restart songs without the ability to skip intros, making the experience feel repetitive. Overall, grinding is a significant part of the gameplay, with mixed feelings about its impact on enjoyment.
- “A lot of grinding.”
- “Short and sweet: no grinding and non-stop new content.”
- “And as such it's incredibly tedious to restart a song, because you have to go through the intro and whatever BS is there prior to the song, keeping you from playing the game. You can't skip it easily.”
- “The quality is definitely there but definitely feels short if you’re just playing the base story mode without much focus on grinding out S ranks.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability is characterized by a mix of intentional and unintentional glitches that serve both as a gameplay mechanic and a source of distraction. While some players appreciate the artistic use of these glitches, others report issues like freezing and stuttering, particularly on certain platforms. Overall, the game is considered to be somewhat buggy, especially in its early access state, but many players find these imperfections do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “It is a masterpiece, I love it. There's no glitches that I've encountered, the community maps are awesome, and the songs in-game are as well.”
- “The boss level has only one heartbeat, but the screen/beat frequently glitches in an attempt to throw you off.”
- “I was getting this game for Steam Deck but it freezes every 5 seconds.”
- “The obnoxiously loud and intrusive countdowns, various screen light glitches and shaking, act as an unnecessary distraction.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
50%
38%
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while many players appreciate its design and find it well-optimized, they also report occasional stuttering and visual glitches, particularly during tutorials. Some users express a desire for more optimization options, but acknowledge that minor issues are expected in an early access title.
- “The optimization is also a high point.”
- “Amazingly well designed and optimized game, but again, difficult.”
- “I wish there were more optimization options.”
- “Wait, did someone say actual moving windows flying across... your 'x' number of monitors, camera zooming in effects, stuttering in time to the beat, and many, many other distractions!?”
- “There have been a couple instances of the game stuttering or crashing on me, but I see no reason to fault a game in early access for that, as it's completely expected.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, characterized by its emotional depth, unique setting, and immersive music that enhances the overall experience. Players find it both challenging and rewarding, with many noting that the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's emotional impact and enjoyment. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a standout feature that elevates the gameplay.
- “I feel like I'm going to end up crying at some point eventually. This game is a masterpiece: so fun, challenging, rewarding, atmospheric, unique, and wholesome.”
- “Absolutely incredible game, amazing music, great atmosphere, and dedicated developers who have worked on this for so many years.”
- “I love the atmosphere, setting, and concept of the game.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Character development in the game is praised for its surprising depth and charm, with players appreciating the well-crafted individual stories of the characters, particularly the doctors and their interactions with patients. The art style and character designs enhance this experience, making the emotional growth and relationships feel heartwarming and engaging, even within a seemingly simple gameplay framework. Overall, the game successfully integrates character development into its mechanics and storytelling, leaving a lasting impression on players.
- “The act 2 boss in particular is beautifully clever both in terms of mechanics and storytelling, the pixel art is adorable, and the character development has a surprising amount of depth.”
- “And then there's the unexpected arresting character development.”
- “I honestly thought it would be too simple...and to be honest the early levels are, but my god I never thought you could fit this much charm and character development in a game with one button.”
- “Getting to know the doctors and solve the patients' problems and see them all learn to get along and have some character development is really heartwarming, and there's clearly a good amount of care put into their individual stories too.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game primarily relies on infrequent updates that mostly consist of minor fixes and advertisements for other games, which some players find disappointing given the game's quality. Despite this, players express strong enthusiasm for the game itself, urging others to purchase it.
- “The only updates are minor fixes and ads for other games.”
- “The game is honestly brilliant, but it's currently being updated only once every few months, and only with non-essential updates that are essentially ads for other games.”
- “Buy this damn game... I will post ads on every single one of my private social media... this game is just brilliant!!!!”