Project Rhombus is a very simple rhythm game, but it is one of those simple ideas that gets much harder once I actually start playing. The whole game is about keeping a small rhombus aligned with arrows coming towards me and blocking them in time with the music. That is basically the entire concept, but the timing gets much more demanding as I move through the difficulty levels. I like games that can explain themselves in a few seconds, and Project Rhombus definitely does that.
The controls are easy to pick up because I am mainly using the arrow keys to move the rhombus into the correct position. The challenge comes from having to react quickly while also keeping track of the rhythm. The normal difficulty is manageable once I get used to the timing, but the harder modes push my reactions much more. There are four difficulty levels, including Easy, Normal, Hard and Expert, so I have a clear reason to keep practising once the basic controls stop being a challenge.
The music is probably the strongest part of the experience for me. The electronic soundtrack gives the game the fast pace it needs, and the arrows coming towards me fit naturally with the beat. I also like the very minimal visual style because there is not much on screen distracting me from the incoming attacks. The game was inspired by the spear sequence from Undertale, and I can definitely see that influence in the way the gameplay is built around reacting to incoming objects while staying focused on timing.
My biggest issue is that there is not much more to it once I understand the main mechanic. I have the different difficulties and the four Steam achievements, but I am still doing essentially the same thing every time I play. There is no campaign, character progression or large collection of stages to work through. That is not necessarily a problem for a small arcade game, but it does limit how long I can stay interested. Once I have had enough of trying to improve my reactions, there is not much else pulling me back in.
I also think the controls can feel a little awkward when the speed increases. The idea is simple, but when several arrows start coming towards me quickly, the game becomes more about reacting correctly than carefully planning anything. I enjoy the challenge, but there are moments where I feel like I am fighting the input timing as much as I am fighting the actual pattern. The difficulty is supposed to be part of the appeal, and I think the harder modes do give the game some replay value, but the basic mechanic could have been expanded further.
The presentation is deliberately minimal, and I think that works most of the time. The bright shapes and clean background keep my attention where it needs to be, while the electronic music gives the otherwise basic visuals some energy. There are also Steam Cloud and achievement features, but they are small extras rather than major additions. The fact that the game is available as a free download also makes the limited amount of content much easier for me to accept.
Overall, Project Rhombus is a neat little rhythm challenge that does exactly what it sets out to do. I like the simple controls, electronic soundtrack and way the difficulty gradually pushes me to react faster and more accurately. The lack of variety is the main thing holding it back for me, because once I have learned the core mechanic there is not much else to discover. Still, I think the game is worth trying for a quick arcade experience, especially because I can understand it almost immediately and get straight into the challenge. It is small, focused and not particularly deep, but it does have a decent amount of charm for what it is.
Rating: 7.2/10
