Rhythm Sprout: Sick Beats & Bad Sweets
- February 1, 2023
- SURT
- 4h median play time
"Rhythm Sprout: Sick Beats & Bad Sweets" is a rhythm-based dungeon crawler game where players control a vegetable hero defeating candy monsters with the power of music. Navigate procedurally generated levels, battling enemies in rhythm-based combat, and gather ingredients to craft powerful weapons and items. The game features a catchy original soundtrack and challenging gameplay for rhythm game enthusiasts.
Reviews
- The game features a catchy and diverse soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- It has simple controls that are easy to learn but provide a challenging gameplay experience as you progress.
- The humorous story and charming visuals add to the game's appeal, making it enjoyable for players of all ages.
- The music quality is inconsistent, with some tracks being less enjoyable than others.
- The game lacks ultrawide support, which can detract from the visual experience for some players.
- The difficulty spikes significantly in later levels, which may frustrate players who are not experienced with rhythm games.
- music214 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy, diverse soundtrack that spans various genres, including EDM, lo-fi, and rock. While some users noted that certain songs can feel repetitive or less memorable, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable and engaging. Additionally, the humorous story and charming visuals complement the music, creating a delightful rhythm game atmosphere.
“Excellent rhythm game with a silly and funny story, very catchy and original soundtracks, well-mapped levels, and a progressive difficulty curve with a high skill ceiling on later levels.”
“The music is out of this world and in of itself worth the buy, and the graphics and gameplay are, in my opinion, astounding!”
“The soundtrack is diverse and catchy, spanning various genres that honestly caught me off guard on several occasions.”
“The music is a bop, but the songs are split into sections that you must complete before moving on, leading to a lot of repetitive looping that makes them feel less memorable.”
“There isn't much to hold onto; often notes are synced to random rhythms that are more in the background of the song, making it simply boring at all times.”
“The transitions between portions of the songs become increasingly lazy, and the difficulty leap from the last story level to the first bonus level is impossible.”
- story155 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Rhythm Sprout" is characterized by its lighthearted and humorous tone, featuring a quirky plot where players control an onion knight on a quest to save a princess. While the main story is relatively short, lasting around 2-4 hours, it is filled with silly jokes and colorful characters that enhance the overall charm of the game. However, some players found the story to be somewhat basic or intrusive, with a few expressing a desire for more depth beyond the comedic elements.
“With the addition of a humorous story, a beginner mode, and a cast of colorful characters in a world full of veggies, fruits, and candy, Rhythm Sprout makes for an enjoyable time.”
“The story adds a surprising and hilarious element to the game, making it stand out.”
“I loved the story; it sort of reminds me of Scott Pilgrim where it's just funny and random, and you really never know what to expect.”
“My biggest criticisms lie with the story (which is pretty intrusive), how difficulty is handled, and how you gain stars within the game.”
“It was a big disappointment to me when I realized I had no desire whatsoever to keep playing after I beat the main story (and the prequel up to the final boss).”
“The only real negatives about the game are that while this game's plot/story is fairly basic, they really try to make the whole thing a bunch of jokes.”
- humor89 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and silly writing, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the combination of a funny storyline, engaging dialogue, and charming characters, which enhance the overall enjoyment of the rhythm gameplay. While some found the humor to be hit-or-miss, the majority agree that it adds a delightful layer to the experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Rhythm Sprout is a surprisingly hilarious rhythm game with some very challenging late levels and a cute art style and overall fun gameplay loop.”
“One of the funniest games I've ever played; I went in for the rhythm game mechanics (that are simple but very well executed) but stayed for the story (that may seem silly at first, but made me laugh out loud a lot of times).”
“The story adds a surprising and hilarious element to the game, making it stand out.”
- gameplay63 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simple yet engaging three-button rhythm mechanics, which are accessible for beginners while offering a satisfying challenge as players progress. The combination of a great soundtrack, humorous dialogue, and visually appealing design enhances the overall experience, although some users noted issues with specific mechanics and controls. Overall, the game successfully blends fun gameplay with a quirky story, making it enjoyable for a wide audience.
“Rhythm Sprout is a surprisingly hilarious rhythm game with some very challenging late levels and a cute art style and overall fun gameplay loop.”
“The gameplay is simple with only 3 buttons, but it's really fun, and the difficulty scaling as you progress is done well.”
“Tight gameplay, fantastic soundtrack, super visually pleasing levels/characters, unlockables, fun modifiers for lots of replay value... can't really ask for more.”
“Update: the game's 'finisher' mechanic also works rather poorly and is not well explained, and the game has started consistently launching on my second monitor, needing to be manually moved each time.”
“It's a shame, because the music, animations, and simple gameplay concept actually have a lot of merits, but it's nearly impossible to enjoy actually playing the game when the controls are so janky and uncomfortable in unique ways depending on the control scheme you choose.”
“The bomb mechanic is incredibly clunky at times, and the song length, in addition to the fact that there's no practice tool or replay function, makes getting a full combo on certain levels a hellish nightmare.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of Rhythm Sprout are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, reminiscent of games like Overcooked and classic PS1 titles. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals that complement the engaging gameplay and catchy soundtrack, although some feel the graphics could be more polished. Overall, the game's aesthetic is described as delightful and fitting, enhancing the fun and humorous experience.
“Rhythm Sprout has excellent visuals, humor, and music.”
“The graphics are cute and a mix of Animal Crossing and Katamari Damacy.”
“The tracks are awesome, coupled with the great graphics and scenery that makes each of the 30 levels unique.”
“Fun take on a rhythm game, but be wary, despite Rhythm Sprout's graphics, it gets really difficult pretty quickly into the story.”
“The visuals are cute, but feel like it's lacking.”
“Don't be scared off by its cartoonish art style; there is some serious love and attention here.”
- replayability21 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through various level modifiers, unlockable content, and challenges for completionists, despite its relatively short main story. Players can enhance their experience with options like turbo mode and randomized levels, making it appealing for those looking to improve scores or unlock all achievements. While some may not revisit the game after achieving perfection, the abundance of replay options ensures lasting engagement.
“The game itself is pretty short if you're an experienced rhythm game player, but it has good replayability, especially if you want to unlock all the outfits, weapons, and bonus levels.”
“With plentiful replayability options in customization, level modifiers, and bonus levels, there is an abundance of extra content to discover.”
“It's hard, especially if you want to 100% each track, but that gives the game so much replayability!”
“I also don't see myself revisiting this if I get a perfect on every stage, but that in and of itself is enough replayability to justify a purchase at some point.”
“Took me 4 hours to get all achievements in the game and the modifiers give the game some replayability.”
“While my playtime is short at the time of review, it does have the replayability of upping your scores as well as some extra content/levels to check out.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's emotional depth, highlighted by its varied and wholesome music that evokes nostalgia for the PS1 era. The intricate compositions reflect a rich emotional expression, drawing on historical musical forms and the romantic era's focus on individualism and cultural connection.
“The music was cool, varied, and wholesome, and the game had a weird aesthetic that reminded me of the PS1 era with games like Rescue Shot.”
“It has served as a means of cultural expression, religious devotion, entertainment, and emotional connection.”
“The romantic era, characterized by intense emotional expression and individualism, spanned the 19th century.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that grinding in the game is extensive, often requiring significant time investment to achieve all collectibles, such as CDs on every level, leading to repetitive gameplay.
“Grinding in this game is so engaging that you'll feel like you need a second life to keep up with all the content!”
“The grind is rewarding and keeps you motivated to push through challenges.”
“I love how the grinding system is designed; it feels satisfying to see my progress over time.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding achievements: getting all the collectibles on every level will make you replay each level a lot.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly and performs well, even on lower-end devices like the Steam Deck, although some may need to adjust graphics settings to optimize battery life.
“Looks great too and runs great.”
“Runs great on Steam Deck, but I turned down graphics to medium to prolong battery life.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers an enjoyable experience, but players report significant issues with control optimization, particularly with the left-hand controls and multiple dodge buttons, which can lead to discomfort during extended play. Additionally, the controller inputs are criticized for their poor responsiveness, hindering overall gameplay.
“The game is fun, but it needs some control optimization. You can't accurately play more than two songs without straining your forearm muscles. The left-hand controls are difficult to acclimate to, as it has two dodge buttons in the middle instead of one, and controller inputs are in just as bad of a state.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its charming and enjoyable atmosphere, contributing to an overall positive experience for players.
“Very cute and enjoyable game, great atmosphere.”