Developer: SURT
Publisher: tinyBuild
Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Tested on: Switch
Rhythm Sprout – Review
In the past, we’ve explored many unique video game concepts, ranging from the delightfully whimsical About an Elf to the sheer madness of DEEEER Simulator. However, Rhythm Sprout might just take the cake when it comes to bizarre ideas. This rhythm game pits a medieval vegetable in a battle against sentient candy, and this certainly piqued our interest. Given that it’s a rhythm game, the true test lies in the gameplay of course. Can Rhythm Sprout deliver an enjoyable and memorable experience beyond its odd premise? Let’s dive in and find out.
Story
It’s not common for rhythm games to have a strong narrative, which made it all the more delightful to discover that Rhythm Sprout boasts an engaging storyline. The plot is whimsical and overflowing with charm, guaranteed to put a smile on players’ faces as they progress through the game. The game’s eponymous character is Sprout, an onion clad in a tracksuit and knight’s helmet, residing in the Vegetable Kingdom. He is summoned by King Brock to help fend off his rival, King Sugar Daddy, and his army of Bad Sweets, who are threatening the kingdom’s rule. Adding to the predicament, King Brock’s daughter, Princess Cauliflower, is missing, leaving Sprout with the task of rescuing her while fighting off the candy-themed invaders. The story plays out like a family-friendly Saturday morning cartoon, complete with cutscenes that punctuate each level. Despite Sprout’s limited dialogue, only able to respond with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, the silent protagonist exudes a ton of personality. The supporting characters are also delightful, making us hopeful for more adventures in the Vegetable Kingdom in the future.
Graphics
The aesthetics of Rhythm Sprout‘s story exude a vibe similar to Saturday morning cartoons. The character designs, though simplistic, are vibrant and pleasing to the eye, while the environments are varied without being overly intricate. When it comes to performance, Rhythm Sprout excels with a consistent frame rate and no discernible issues. Naturally, input lag is the last thing one would want from a rhythm game, but it’s evident that enough care was taken here to ensure a smooth performance. It helps that the game’s overall art direction ensures that things aren’t too taxing on hardware, while still looking great.
Sound
Music is a critical factor for the success of any self-respecting rhythm game, and Rhythm Sprout certainly delivers in this regard. Not only are a lot of the tunes straight-up bangers, but the game offers a surprisingly wide array of genres, ranging from disco to metal and everything in between. A particular highlight is a stage where the music matches up with the laughter of one of the game’s bosses. The game is best enjoyed with headphones, of course, not just because this lets you enjoy the music to the fullest, but also because this ensures that you can focus on the rhythm-based gameplay with the least amount of distractions. The focus is on the music too, with characters not talking with actual voices but with Animal Crossing-esque gibberish instead.
Gameplay
The majority of rhythm games are themed around music, obviously, but we’ve seen plenty of alternate takes on the genre that combine the traditional gameplay seen in titles like Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival or Loud with combat elements, like Crypt of the Necrodancer or Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Rhythm Sprout falls in the latter category. It’s a rhythm game through and through, but Sprout’s fast-paced fights against the Bad Sweets add a sense of adrenaline that makes the game feel like a true action title as well. Rhythm Sprout’s gameplay isn’t original in the slightest, but it is expertly crafted, and both rhythm game veterans and newcomers alike will find what’s present here rewarding and satisfying. It’s definitely not the easiest game out there, but despite the relatively high difficulty level, it doesn’t feel unfair or frustrating. In fact, we found ourselves encouraged to push through its 20-level main campaign just to see how the story unfolds, even though things did get uncomfortable. We’ll get back to that, but for now, let’s take a look at Rhythm Sprout‘s core concept.
If you’re unfamiliar with rhythm games, the general idea is that you’ll see colored prompts move along a track in line with the game’s music. You’ll need to press the corresponding button in time and score points accordingly. The complexity of rhythm games is typically tied to the number of tracks and different possible button combinations. In this regard, Rhythm Sprout’s setup is fairly simplistic, and at first glance, the game looks like one of the easier titles in the genre, with only two tracks and three button inputs, one of which is a dodge button for incoming attacks. Levels take on the shape of roads that Sprout travels along, and each of his steps and attacks corresponds to a button input. The game has a rather steep difficulty curve as music tracks become more complex, and the latter half of the game ramps things up considerably.
Aside from that 20-stage story campaign, Rhythm Sprout has a rather meaty selection of bonus content, including a brutally difficult Prequel story where you’ll face off against the devious Miss Chili. Apart from this Prequel, which offers a 5-level mini-campaign, there are another five unlockable bonus levels and a range of cosmetic items for Sprout. The bonus content is tied directly to your performance in the main levels. Completionists certainly have their work cut out for them. We felt like Rhythm Sprout offered a rather robust package of content for its €14.99 asking price, especially since the replayability is on the higher side as you attempt to obtain those extra stars or reach that score threshold.
Looking at Rhythm Sprout from a technical perspective, we were also happy with how things were handled. Latency is incredibly important for a rhythm game, and it was satisfying to see that SURT put in the effort to ensure that your gameplay experience is as worry-free as possible. Not only does the game start with letting you calibrate your button inputs, but there are also slides in the menu that allow you to tweak everything to your liking. This isn’t just limited to minor adjustments for those looking to min-max their experience, as there are modifiers here that allow you to straight up change the gameplay itself, further increasing the game’s longevity. Turbo mode lets you take on the levels at a higher speed, for example, and Mirror mode inverts the required button inputs. Those that prefer a challenge rather than relying on muscle memory can even turn on Randomizer mode, which maintains the rhythmic flow of a level but randomizes the required button inputs. Rounding things out is a Beginner mode for newcomers looking to dip their toes into the genre.
That said, there are a couple of minor nitpicks to be found here. Despite the cutesy aesthetic and the presence of a Beginner mode, we’d actually refrain from recommending Rhythm Sprout to those looking for a relaxed or accessible rhythm game experience. For the Switch version in particular, we found that the game’s tight control scheme led to a feeling of discomfort in our wrists during prolonged play sessions in handheld mode. The game was a lot more comfortable when played with a Pro Controller in docked mode, but Switch Lite owners in particular should keep this in mind. Your mileage may vary here, of course, especially on PC where keyboard inputs are an option. This isn’t an issue that popped up with other rhythm games we played on the platform either, with Atone being a recent example, so this feels like something that is tied more to the fast-paced and frenzied gameplay of Rhythm Sprout instead of the Switch’s form factor. It’s not a game-breaking issue, but it’s worth mentioning.
Conclusion
A delightful and engaging rhythm game that stands out with its whimsical and charming storyline, Rhythm Sprout certainly stands out from more traditional titles in the genre. With its cartoonish aesthetics and fantastic soundtrack, there is a lot to like here, although actually playing the game can be a challenge. This is partially because the game was designed to be challenging, of course, but in the case of the Switch version, there is an ergonomic element to the difficulty as well. That said, the good definitely outweighs the bad, and if you’re a rhythm game enthusiast looking for a challenge in particular, you could do far worse than Rhythm Sprout.
Rhythm Sprout - Review,
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