Rhythm Doctor Review

I’m a sucker for rhythm games; there’s something incredibly satisfying about keeping time with the music and hitting the note at the precise moment. In Rhythm Doctor, all you need to do is hit one button. It sounds simple, but you’ll be surprised at how challenging it can be! Developer 7 Beat Games has created an addictive title here, with a story that is far deeper and more moving than you would ever expect.

You are taking part in the remote defibrillation internship program. Treating patients with heart issues in Rhythm Doctor is done by SLAMMING the button so you can hear the CLACK of the keys. It lets you know when the sound is in time with the beat. If you don’t want to aggressively hit the button, you can select click instead.

You begin by calibrating the visuals to the sounds you are hearing, and then determining the delay on your controller input to account for that. Once everything is calibrated, you are ready to treat patients. I highly recommend playing with the volume up or wearing earphones when you are treating patients; it’s much easier to time your button presses when you can clearly hear their heartbeat.

When you start the story mode, you learn that you are their first remote intern at this centre, so no pressure at all! Doctors Ian and Paige will train and supervise you while you treat patients. Musical doctoring is a new experimental healthcare initiative, essentially music-based cardiological treatment. When you synchronise with a patient’s heartbeat, you can calm the irregularities. Since it can be done remotely, waiting times are shorter and the other doctors can focus on more pressing cases. The way you treat patients is by pressing one button in time with the seventh beat on their cardiogram. As you progress, you will learn other treatment methods based on each person’s symptoms.

At first, you are given visual cues, and once you get your timing down, you do it yourself by listening to the beat. Sometimes it’s slow and steady, but it can switch up and speed without warning. The songs aren’t long, only lasting like two minutes which is enough to treat your patient. When your treatment is complete, you will be given a grade. If you receive a B or higher, you can move on to the next stage. If not, you’ll need to rechallenge it until you do better. You can replay any challenge to improve your score or unlock the night shift, which requires an A rank before it becomes available.

Check your pager to get information on each patient; it fills you in on the symptoms they’re experiencing. One patient is an excessive coffee drinker whose heart has become irregular, another is experiencing extreme stress at work, and you will even treat a teenager who gets butterflies in his stomach, along with an irregular heartbeat, when he thinks of his crush. These stories make the characters feel like real, everyday people, as you have likely experienced some of these situations yourself. I know I’m guilty of drinking way too much coffee and getting over-caffeinated!

There are over seven acts, with more than 20 main story levels in different wards around the hospital. But that’s not all, there are also extra night-shift versions to challenge, plus a level editor that allows you and the community to create your own stages. The game even features special collaborations with other titles like Muse Dash, which was brilliant to see.
You won’t just be seeing regular patients, either, there are boss fights to challenge. The first is a Battleworn Insomniac, a sword-wielding patient who hasn’t slept properly in seven years. I relate way too much to some of these people! A Wi-Fi-signal-jamming virus shows up as well, messing up the display on the screen and the cardiogram itself. This adds a whole new layer of challenge to the treatment, but if you keep your timing consistent and ignore the visual chaos, you should be fine.

Rhythm Doctor features charming pixel graphics, and all the characters have their own personalities, which pair perfectly with the backgrounds for each stage. My favourite stage is one that looks like a traditional dojo, complete with paper lanterns and rice-paper doors. The music is fantastic and incredibly catchy, with a beat you can easily keep time with while treating patients. When you time a hit perfectly, you’ll see a little firework burst, which is so satisfying. Little touches like this give the game its own distinct charm and kept pulling me in to keep trying to treat all the patients.

I found Rhythm Doctor extremely rewarding, especially when you successfully help a patient with their various issues. I love putting on my headphones, closing my eyes, and getting into the zone. This is one of the most unique rhythm titles I’ve ever played, hitting notes in perfect time with a cardiogram is such a clever idea! If you enjoy rhythm games like I do, Rhythm Doctor absolutely needs to be on your list. It’s incredibly challenging and makes you feel genuinely good about helping each patient, besides being a ton of fun!