Follow TV Tropes

Following

History VideoGame / RhythmDoctor

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* CompanyCrossReferences: One of the soundtracks introduced in Act 5 is titled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar5VeqIxql0 A Dance of Freeze and Burn]]", referencing ''VideoGame/ADanceOfFireAndIce'', another rhythm game developed by 7th Beat Games.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added example(s)

Added DiffLines:

* DistantDuet:
** 2-X, All The Times, features both Cole and Nicole singing verses of the same song, with the player alternating between treating each.
** 3-3, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Distant Duet]], is an example of the trope in spirit even though the song isn't a vocal song; It features both Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson being treated as they're separated from one another due to their respective convalescence.
** 4-4N, Murmurs, alternates between the pairs of Cole/Hailey (on the train) and Nicole/Logan (in the hospital's cafe), with the former in each pair playing guitar and the latter being treated alongside, while conversing about their love lives.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added example(s)

Added DiffLines:

** The credits song, "Helping Hands", is in 5/4 time.

Added: 174

Changed: 7

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added "Meaningful Name" in regards to the translation of Maximo "Lucky" Jonronero (maximum home run hitter) relating to his career as a baseball player.


* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Several patients don't have given names, and are only known by their occupations or the conditions they suffer from. (Samurai, Insomniac, etc.)

to:

* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Several patients don't have given names, and are only known by their occupations or the conditions they suffer from. (Samurai, Insomniac, Miner, etc.)


Added DiffLines:

* MeaningfulName: Maximo Jonronero - the full name of the Act 5 character Lucky - translates to "maximum home run hitter", directly relating to his career as a baseball star.

Added: 387

Changed: 208

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Let me know if this isn't correct


* UncommonTime: The night-shift mode of [[spoiler:"Battleworn Insomniac", called "Super Battleworn Insomniac",]] features a virus breaking off part of the patient's heart half way through, shifting the beat from 8/8 to 7/8.

to:

* UncommonTime: UncommonTime:
**
The night-shift mode of [[spoiler:"Battleworn Insomniac", called "Super Battleworn Insomniac",]] features a virus breaking off part of the patient's heart half way through, shifting the beat from 8/8 to 7/8.7/8.
** After getting the player used to freeze beats, the latter half of 5-2 ("Lo-fi Beats For Patients To Chill To") goes into quintuplet swing, with the SVT beats following along.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AdjustableCensorship: In one tutorial, it is possible to hide a summoned spider to scare a patient by pressing the spacebar twice when prompted, in case the player is arachnophobic.

to:

* AdjustableCensorship: In one tutorial, it is possible One tutorial uses a "medically trained spider" to hide a summoned spider to intentionally scare a the patient by pressing the spacebar twice when prompted, in case and induce a different kind of rhythm for the player is arachnophobic. to track. For arachnophobic players, the game gives you a prompt to hide the spider before starting this tutorial.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* LoveHurts: Quite literally for Logan and Hailey, two teenage patients who are in love with each other but CanNotSpitItOut. They confuse the pain of their lovesickness for a literal heart attack and have themselves committed to a hospital for treatment.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BaseballEpisode: Act 5 has a baseball theme, with the player being tasked with helping out Lucky, a famous player who suffered a GameBreakingInjury. The chapter's climax has [[spoiler:Lucky become a coach to the hospital's patients and helping them win a match against the local university's team]].

to:

* BaseballEpisode: Act 5 has a baseball theme, with the player being tasked with helping out Lucky, a famous player who suffered a GameBreakingInjury. The chapter's climax has [[spoiler:Lucky become a coach to the hospital's patients patients, teaching them how to play baseball and helping them win a match against the local university's team]].

Added: 301

Changed: 129

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BaseballEpisode: Act 5 has a baseball theme, with the player being tasked with helping out Lucky, a famous player who suffered a GameBreakingInjury. The chapter's climax has [[spoiler:Lucky become a coach to the hospital's patients and helping them win a match against the local university's team]].



* BookEnds: The first early access build ended at act 4, meaning [[spoiler:the Insomniac was both the first and final boss at that time]].

to:

* BookEnds: The first early access build ended at act Act 4, meaning [[spoiler:the Insomniac was both the first and final boss at that time]].



* EasterEgg: Before Act 5, if you turned on simulated window movement (allowing consoles and other devices that won’t display the screen movement well to still have it by creating a simulated desktop) and played a level with it, files on the simulated desktop with lyrics from 2-1N imply that it’s Cole’s. As of Act 5, however, likely because a new boss that uses it was added, these files are now gone, but the location (the folder Care Less) still imply it’s his, though not as explicitly.

to:

* EasterEgg: Before Act 5, if you turned on simulated window movement (allowing consoles and other devices that won’t won't display the screen movement well to still have it by creating a simulated desktop) and played a level with it, files on the simulated desktop with lyrics from 2-1N imply that it’s Cole’s. it's Cole's. As of Act 5, however, likely because a new boss that uses it was added, these files are now gone, but the location (the folder Care Less) still imply it’s it's his, though not as explicitly.
explicitly.



* StandardSnippet: 5-1N, "One Slip Too Late", incorporates the famous baseball "Charge!" organ into the chorus' instrumentation.

to:

* StandardSnippet: 5-1N, "One Slip Too Late", incorporates the famous baseball "Charge!" organ into the chorus' instrumentation. 5-X, "Dreams Don't Stop" also uses it [[spoiler:to signal the start of the BigGame]] and briefly in the song's outro.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Fixed some spelling and grammar issues with my last edit


* EasterEgg: Before Act 5, if you turned on simulated window movement (allowing consoles and other devices that won’t display the screen movement well by creating a simulated desktop) and played a level with it, files on the simulated desktop with lyrics from 2-1N imply that it’s Cole’s. As of Act 5, however, likely because a new boss that uses it was added, these files are now gone, but the location (the folder Care Less) still imply it’s his, though not es explicitly.

to:

* EasterEgg: Before Act 5, if you turned on simulated window movement (allowing consoles and other devices that won’t display the screen movement well to still have it by creating a simulated desktop) and played a level with it, files on the simulated desktop with lyrics from 2-1N imply that it’s Cole’s. As of Act 5, however, likely because a new boss that uses it was added, these files are now gone, but the location (the folder Care Less) still imply it’s his, though not es as explicitly.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added the Easter egg for turning on simulated screen movement and looked at an in-game File Explorer behind the actual game “window”. Shorten it if you need to.

Added DiffLines:

* EasterEgg: Before Act 5, if you turned on simulated window movement (allowing consoles and other devices that won’t display the screen movement well by creating a simulated desktop) and played a level with it, files on the simulated desktop with lyrics from 2-1N imply that it’s Cole’s. As of Act 5, however, likely because a new boss that uses it was added, these files are now gone, but the location (the folder Care Less) still imply it’s his, though not es explicitly.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* StandardSnippet: 5-1N, "One Slip Too Late", incorporates the famous baseball "Charge!" organ into the chorus' instrumentation.

Added: 1122

Changed: 1281

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* GimmickLevel: The boss levels have the gimmick of a LifeMeter that instantly ends the level if you miss too many notes, but more importantly pile on loads of InterfaceScrew:
** The first boss, "Battleworn Insomniac", introduces a signal-jamming virus which causes {{Ominous Visual Glitch}}es, static, and skipping/looping audio.
** The second boss, "All The Times", [[spoiler:has the game window shrink itself, then move around your monitor]].
** The third boss, "One Shift More", averts this, as its gimmick is simply that it's a MusicalEpisode mainly from Dr. Paige's perspective.
** The fourth boss, "Super Battleworn Insomniac", is a DarkReprise of the first boss with the added twist of [[spoiler:falling into UncommonTime while ramping up the InterfaceScrew to extreme levels]].
** The fifth boss, "Dreams Don't Stop", combines the gimmicks of the first and second levels and adds in [[spoiler:the game window changing in shape and size throughout the song]].

to:

* GimmickLevel: GimmickLevel:
**
The boss levels have the gimmick of a LifeMeter that instantly ends the level if you miss too many notes, but more importantly pile on loads of InterfaceScrew:
** *** The first boss, "Battleworn Insomniac", introduces a signal-jamming virus which causes {{Ominous Visual Glitch}}es, static, and skipping/looping audio.
** *** The second boss, "All The Times", [[spoiler:has the game window shrink itself, then move around your monitor]].
** *** The third boss, "One Shift More", averts this, as its gimmick is simply that it's a MusicalEpisode mainly from Dr. Paige's perspective.
**
perspective. However, one segment of it does use irregular beat patterns, where the seventh beat must be "felt" because the EKG pulses move with the vocals instead of in a specific tempo.
***
The fourth boss, "Super Battleworn Insomniac", is a DarkReprise of the first boss with the added twist of [[spoiler:falling into UncommonTime while ramping up the InterfaceScrew to extreme levels]].
** *** The fifth boss, "Dreams Don't Stop", combines the gimmicks of the first and second levels and adds in [[spoiler:the game window changing in shape and size throughout the song]].song]].
** A handful of non-boss levels also have unique gimmicks in other ways.
*** Since 2-1, the tutorial for SVT beats, only requires you to hit the button to a constant beat the entire way through, the game tries to distract you in the latter half by having Ian manage the samurai's incredibly irregular heartbeat at the top of the screen.
*** 2-3N, Bomb Sniffing Pomeranian, is the only level where you must manage two SVT beats at the same time; The nurse calls out the timing for one line and Ian calls out the timing for the other.
*** 4-3 features four birds along with Mrs. Stevenson; Throughout the level, which group you're managing switches off periodically while Ian handles the other set.
*** 4-1N, Rollerdisco Rumble, uses the same [[spoiler:window movement]] gimmick as some of the boss levels. It also is the only level that combines held beats and SVT beats, showing that held beats will "catch" other beats while they're being held.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
I'm a little iffy on this bullet point being included; I considered adding it myself, but I decided against it because the Magical Defibrillator trope seems to refer to defibrillators specifically working to restart a messed up heart more efficiently than they actually work in real life, and this seems to go a step beyond that. Not sure though.


** In Act 5, Dr. Edega is openly pushing for the Rhythm Doctor treatment to be used as a MagicalDefibrillator, insisting to Lucky that it's a miracle cure while foisting the actual details on Ian. Ian's insistence that Edega's promises are dangerous, irresponsible, and also physically impossible doesn't appear to faze him.

to:

** In Act 5, Dr. [[spoiler:Dr. Edega is begins openly pushing for the Rhythm Doctor treatment to be used as a MagicalDefibrillator, ''literal'' magical defibrillator, insisting to Lucky that it's a miracle cure that will be able to ''heal his torn shoulder muscles and nerves'' while foisting the actual details on Ian. Ian's insistence Ian insisting to Dr. Edega that Edega's promises his goals are dangerous, irresponsible, and also physically impossible doesn't appear to faze him.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* EvolvingCredits: In a meta sense. The credits level, "Helping Hands", features a segment taking place on the hospital's rooftop. Originally bare when the first early access included it, once the act 5 update was released, this scene was updated to include [[spoiler:the baseball training equipment for the Samurai]] from its appearance in stage 5-X.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* BlandNameProduct: During "Song of the Sea", Nicole mentions listening to Cole's music on Bandcloud, a mashup of music-sharing platforms Bandcamp and Soundcloud.


Added DiffLines:

* ExorcistHead: The Insomniac's head is constantly spinning as if it's on a swivel.


Added DiffLines:

* XRaySparks: One animation for missing a beat with Cole has him get zapped by his boombox, showing his skeleton.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* PinkMeansFeminine: Hailey, a romance-minded GirlyGirl, wears a pink shirt, skirt, and hair bow. Her room at the hospital is also pink.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* BigGame: Stage 5-X, "Dreams Don't Stop", has [[spoiler:Lucky become a coach for [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits the Middlesea patients]], turning them into competent baseball players who are challenged to a game by the local university. They fall behind, but thanks to a RousingSpeech from Lucky, they make a MiracleRally in the ninth inning and end up winning the game. The only element of the trope that isn't shown is the villainous OpposingSportsTeam dominating for most of the game]].


Added DiffLines:

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: 5-X, "Dreams Don't Stop", has [[spoiler:many of the Middlesea Hospital patients being trained into skilled baseball players by Lucky. Despite the fact that they all suffer from some kind of heart condition, and that none of them have ever played baseball before (with many of them not even being interested in sports at all), Lucky's training and coaching ends up allowing them to beat the local university's team]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* StealthHiBye: In stage 5-X "Dreams Don't Stop", Samurai is shown suddenly appearing in Cole's room, as Cole puts away his phone after [[spoiler:declining to join the baseball team]]. This apparently intimidated him quite a lot, as he then [[spoiler:decides to join the team after all]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* Letters2Numbers: In the chorus of 5-1N, "One Slip Too Late", the scoreboard in the background shows the lyrics, replacing certain words with a homophone number. For each of those words, you also have to hit a corresponding number of notes (which the nurse says out loud in time with the lyrics as an audio gameplay cue).
--> '''1''' slip '''2''' late, '''3''' strikes '''4''' me.

Added: 1314

Removed: 1314

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* NintendoHard: The one-button control scheme hides how brutal the game can get. Like its inspiration ''Rhythm Heaven'', ''Rhythm Doctor'' doesn't allow for close-enough inputs; you either hit or you miss, with little in-between. As the levels go on, increased numbers of patients with differing heartbeats and numerous visual and audio tricks makes getting the ranks to progress even harder.
* NonStandardGameOver: In most stages, you are given a rank at the end of the song, with B or greater being required to advance to the next stage, therefore anything less can be considered a failure. Boss stages, however, are not ranked. Your patient instead has a health meter, and you will instantly fail the song if this meter runs out.
* NotThatKindOfDoctor: Ada and Ian begin running into this problem with increasing frequency due to the hospital's staff being slashed to the bone. It especially becomes an issue in Act 5, where they have to service the Physiotherapy ward, despite neither of them being qualified PT's and the Rhythm Doctor machine having a negligible-at-best effect on such injuries. Sure enough, the treatment in this chapter is used mostly to regulate the patient's stress-induced arrhythmia as he struggles with the fact his busted shoulder won't heal in time to save his budding baseball career.



* NintendoHard: The one-button control scheme hides how brutal the game can get. Like its inspiration ''Rhythm Heaven'', ''Rhythm Doctor'' doesn't allow for close-enough inputs; you either hit or you miss, with little in-between. As the levels go on, increased numbers of patients with differing heartbeats and numerous visual and audio tricks makes getting the ranks to progress even harder.
* NonStandardGameOver: In most stages, you are given a rank at the end of the song, with B or greater being required to advance to the next stage, therefore anything less can be considered a failure. Boss stages, however, are not ranked. Your patient instead has a health meter, and you will instantly fail the song if this meter runs out.
* NotThatKindOfDoctor: Ada and Ian begin running into this problem with increasing frequency due to the hospital's staff being slashed to the bone. It especially becomes an issue in Act 5, where they have to service the Physiotherapy ward, despite neither of them being qualified PT's and the Rhythm Doctor machine having a negligible-at-best effect on such injuries. Sure enough, the treatment in this chapter is used mostly to regulate the patient's stress-induced arrhythmia as he struggles with the fact his busted shoulder won't heal in time to save his budding baseball career.

Added: 869

Changed: 93

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* CareerEndingInjury: Maximo "Lucky" Jonronero, a baseball player, has a {{downplayed|trope}} case in that he tore his rotator cuff. While it's possible for him to make a full recovery, this would take months of physical therapy, and spending this much time not playing would seriously set his career back. As such, he is desperate for a miracle cure, which Dr. Edega offers him. [[spoiler:However, in the end, he turns it down, realizing that while he'll likely never become the star player he nearly was, he can definitely become a great ''coach'' when he whips the Middlesea Hospital patients into a talented team of amateur baseball players.]]

to:

* CareerEndingInjury: Maximo "Lucky" Jonronero, a baseball player, has a {{downplayed|trope}} case in that he tore his rotator cuff. While it's possible for him to make a full recovery, this would take months of physical therapy, and spending this much time not playing would seriously set kill his career back.career's momentum, as the injury happened right as he started making a name for himself. As such, he is desperate for a miracle cure, which Dr. Edega offers him. [[spoiler:However, in the end, he turns it down, realizing that while he'll likely never become the star player he nearly was, he can definitely become a great ''coach'' when he whips the Middlesea Hospital patients into a talented team of amateur baseball players.]]]]
* Catch22Dilemma: The lyrics to "wish i could care less" show that for Cole, trying to overcome writer's block has only trapped him in a vicious cycle: to motivate himself to write more songs, he punishes himself by neglecting his mental health, telling himself that he'll start treating himself better once his writer's block has been dealt with. However, the resulting stress and depression only make it even harder to write songs. He won't improve his mental state until he's written some more songs, but he can't write songs because his mental state has deteriorated too much.
--> ''Sometimes I'm angry I'm not doing better than I thought I'd do at this point''\\
''I punish myself by depriving my health of the things that I like until I fix this''\\
''But it doesn't really help, I just get more depressed''\\
''I do even less, 'cause I can't work when I'm stressed''

Top