Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Cameron does, as he totally taps Rhythm Heaven on the DS.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
This review was submitted by Cameron Chu. If you’ve played Rhythm Heaven, why don’t you let Cameron know whether you agree or disagree with his thoughts.
Rhythm Heaven (DS)
Don’t be fooled by its cutesy presentation; Nintendo have made one devilishly difficult game for the Nintendo DS. Sequel to Rhythm Tengoku, Rhythm Heaven takes its rhythm inspired game-play on to the touch screen where you flick and tap your way through a multitude of mini-games.
Loved
Mini-games: Despite only using two controls of tapping and flicking and the whole game revolved around mini-games, they are varied and creative enough such that the game does not feel repetitive and are immensely fun to play. Music complements this variety with styles ranging from jazz to j-pop, preventing the game from becoming dull. The mini-games are also well paced, with remixes combining several mini-games together that will keep you on your toes.
Presentation: The graphics, while minimalistic work well with the game as it doesn’t detract attention from players as they play through mini-games that require almost complete attention to pass. Comprising of crisp, colourful animations, the presentation of the visuals in fact immerses a player deeper in to the game as it helps capture the feel of the beat and rhythm as it moves in sync with the music.
Hated
Lack of support: As with all music games, Rhythm Heaven inherently relies on players to have a musical understanding to be able to play varying rhythms at changing speeds and complexities in order to enjoy the game to its fullest. Those who are unable to will find this game overly difficult as the marking criteria is ridiculously harsh, where just a few mistakes will lead to a fail. What makes it frustrating though is that the game provides little support, such as oh so useful in-game hints which appear when you fail like “You were as good as… a plate of nothing but garnish”… not very funny if you fail the same mini-game over and over, is it?
Enjoyment from Rhythm Heaven largely depends on how quick you are able to understand its rhythmic intricacies, as those who can will be able to seamlessly flow from one mini-game to another filled with addictive goodness. Those who can’t however will struggle to pass, and with the lack of any useful advice, will instead be in for one frustrating experience.
Reviewed by: Cameron Chu
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