I don't normally play a lot of rhythm games but if they have good music, it's not hard to fall in love with them. Rhythm Doctor has more than an outstanding soundtrack: its graphics often transcend the boundaries of pixel art, its characters have narratives that are tied together by a loose overall plot, and it boasts exclusively one-button gameplay that manages to constantly evolve despite its simplicity. The hospital and heartbeat theming works well too—it both provides a backdrop for the beat-based gameplay and sets up the story arcs for the patients you are trying to cure.

The difficulty is exactly where I want it to be as well. Most levels weren't hard enough to halt my progress in the story, but A ranks or higher take some practice that is addicting and satisfying to master. The game is still in early access and new content is still being developed, and I can tell the later level packs are starting to get more challenging. I was disappointed to learn the game isn't complete, but there's a plethora of content already available including five story acts, bonus collab levels, story-based minigames, a level editor, and even a two-player mode.

I loved almost every moment of this game and really have nothing to nitpick. At the time of this review, it's been in early access for almost two years and it seems like it may take another two years for the full release to be ready. If the final chapters and story continue the quality of the rest of the game, this could easily be one of the all-time greatest rhythm games.