Project Rhombus

Music and video games go together very well, and there are many examples of games people can remember just by hearing the soundtrack again. However, there are genres out there that are entirely based on music, which usually require you to keep up with the rhythm in order to score points. Naturally, there are plenty of variations on the theme, since developers are always trying to bring something new.

Project Rhombus is a pretty simple arcade game in which the goal is to press buttons in order to keep up with the beat of the song playing in the background. In short, you have to rotate a rhombus in four possible directions and catch the arrows moving toward it. It sounds much simpler than it actually is once you try to do it, on the other hand, but that’s also because the mechanics are not exactly top-notch.

To begin with, there are multiple difficulty levels to choose from, depending on whether you are feeling confident or not. Naturally, the only change between difficulties is the song, because the gameplay remains the same. You do have to react a bit quicker than usual, and there are some twists and turns every now and again, but it’s actually hard enough to keep up with the game on the easiest difficulty level.

The problem with Project Rhombus is not the speed itself, but the fact that the arrows coming toward you do not always align with the beat. They could be synced to some other instrument featured in the song, but that obviously makes it very difficult to distinguish from the actual drums. Some arrows change orientation at the last second, which you can only find out through trial and error.

As for the music itself, it’s the usual combination of electronic genres, including dubstep and a few other variations on the theme. Don’t expect any famous artists, and there’s also no way to import your own music, so this may be a bit of a disappointment. However, the graphics are definitely nice, and so is the surprisingly simple interface that doesn’t get in your way.

All things considered, Project Rhombus is not a bad game, but it gets repetitive in a matter of minutes, not to mention frustrating even on the lowest difficulty level. Hence, it could use some slower songs for beginners to learn the mechanics first.