RHYTHM THIEF & the Paris Caper Review
PROS
- Simple rhythm gameplay
- Good variety of game types
- Tight controls
CONS
- Music isn’t catchy enough
- Too easy to offer lasting challenge
- An unstable connection can loose your unsaved progress
VERDICT
Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper's uninspired music, lack of creativity, and internet connection requirement mean that it is only really going appeal if you want to play a simple - but pretty - music game while draining your dataplan.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
Using the music mechanics established in the dance-tastic 3DS game Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, Sega has just brought the series to iOS with Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper.
The game's story follows Raphael, a character who, despite his youth, is already a renowned thief. His father has suddenly disappeared under mysterious ciircumstances, leaving behind only a coin with a strange mark on it. Deciding his criminal skills can help him find his missing parent, Raphael begins to search.
Strangely, Raphael's clandestine activities take the form of rhythm-based games. There is a good variety of different challenges, but each demands you perform some variation of tapping or swiping in time to music.
Which challenge you'll face depends on the story, with Raphael either fighting off guards, avoiding detection from museum security, or dancing on a stage outside the Louvre. We're not sure how that last one helps Raphael get his Dad back, but it is kinda fun.
Unfortunately, while the action is entertaining, the soundtrack lacks the catchy tunes that encourage replays. Because of this, it is probably a good thing that the challenges are quite forgiving. The game is pretty lenient when judging whether or not you hit the beat. And, if you have to try again, you'll often be given the option the reduce the difficulty even further.
While this makes Rhythm Thief accessible, it also reduces any desire you might have to revisit the main story. The only real reason to replay a level is to either snag the S+ rank, or because the network connection drops and the game decides to lose all unsaved progress. This forces those looking to really test their abilities to rely on the more difficult daily challenges, or purchase additional stages via IAPs.
The game's relatively tight controls and handsome visuals prevent it from being a complete failure. However, the uninspired music, lack of creativity, and internet connection requirement mean that it is only really going appeal if you want to play a simple - but pretty - music game while draining your dataplan.