This is a pretty great rhythm game, and is doubly impressive for being this content-packed and challenging while still being in early access. I was initially worried that the game only using a single button could grow stale as it went along, but the introduction of countless new beat types and balancing multiple beats made for some ridiculously challenging and rewarding stages, especially later on.

The visual style is nice and simple, with a lot of great visual tricks the game pulls to make it a bit more challenging. The theming and story was unexpectedly enjoyable, with good writing that justifies the rhythm games quite well. The music was a bit hit-or-miss for me, although I mostly enjoyed what was here. At worst, there were a few songs I didn't care for, but nothing I found annoying. At the very least, the stages are all mechanically different and fun, so even those are fun to go through.

There's a lot of stuff to do, and I'm glad there's a lot for those who want to seek a greater challenge. Locking harder remixed versions of stages behind getting a good rank was a smart move, and makes accessing these stages more rewarding. Speaking of challenge, the game's hard. It's not too ridiculous to just complete it, since you can miss quite a lot and still pass. However, going for better ranks and trying to get perfect ranks is insanely difficult. I like that, gives me something to keep coming back for every so often.

All in all, a very solid package that will only get better and better as time goes on. While not all the music landed for me, it's a well made, varied, fun, and engaging rhythm game.

It's obvious when games bear the heart & soul of their developers. It's immediately apparent that Rhythm Doctor is one of those games. It's an early access game so there isn't a ton of content, but for what is here, it's thoughtful and heartfelt enough for a game 3x its length. The rhythm sections are fun and nowhere near mindless. But what's going to keep you coming back is the stunning 8-bit art and the clever ways the game changes the level design, especially in the boss battles. It's a little treasure and I'm excited to play the full version one day!

i can't quite pinpoint what exactly rhythm doctor's charm is. maybe it's the pixelart, maybe it's the heartfelt dialogue, maybe it's the absolute bop of an ost, but i think it's a mix of that and its creative level design. and the fact that im talking about LEVEL DESIGN for a rhythm game really should say enough, the way it manages to tell stories through each level truly something amazing. act 2 is where the game peaks, but the new act 5 boss might just be one of the best things i've had the pleasure of witnessing.

I completed the early access version 0.11.5 (r25)
Man, even in its current, unfinished state, this is the best rhythm game I've played in recent memory! And it only requires one button!
The theme is kinda weird: you are a remote-working doctor, on defibrillator duty, and all your patients have different conditions that cause their hearts to beat in a slightly different pattern. This ties in nicely with the gameplay: you have to consistently tap the spacebar on the seventh beat, so you have to keep up with the rhythm.
Every level corrisponds to a song and a patient (or combinations of patients) that you have to help out.
The hospital setting is just set dressing, but it gives way to heartwarming little stories between the patients, who you'll come to know and love both through their dialogue and the gameplay. This is because each one of them has a signature beat, and kind of a musical leitmotiv that you'll get familiar with throughout the experience.
The OST is full of amazing songs that really fit well with the different beats the game has you keep up with. It had me dancing in my chair with a dumb smile on my face multiple times.
Even better, the game constantly finds new, devious, groovy ways to throw you off, be they visual effects, coreography, weird beat combinations or more "metagame" distractions that I won't spoil here.
If I had to find a nitpicky complaint it's that some songs can get too chaotic to track. The visual representation of the beats can be a tad unclear and overwhelming (especially if you have to juggle 3 or more patients).
But that's a non-issue since on your second try on any given song, you'll have internalised all of the patterns, and you'll be able to go by heart, quite literally playing with your eyes closed.
I can't recommend this game enough, and I can't wait to see the final product.

I think a one button rhythm game might be all that I can handle, but that's okay because this game stretches the mechanic to wildly fun and unique proportions. I love the way that most of the levels in this game bring something new to the table, and I like the soundtrack quite a bit. It feels very connected to the story which links the song to the experience in a neat way. Also, the game looks great and has a fun story. There's a lot to love here even for those who aren't interested in rhythm games.