Rhythm games may not be as popular as they once were, with series like Guitar Hero and Rock Band falling out of favor, but indie developers have kept the beat alive with a steady stream of creative new takes on the genre. One of the most interesting indie rhythm games of this year, coming in just a few days before the calendar flips over to 2023, is Melatonin from Vancouver-based developer David Huynh.
Melatonin is broken up into a series of stages, each representing something the game’s main character is dreaming about as he snoozes on the couch. Bringing to mind Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven games, Melatonin largely does away with the cluttered UI and intimidating barrages of notes that often come with rhythm games, choosing to guide players through audio cues and other more subtle ways. It all looks rather promising, but will it really get your toes tapping? I recently had a chance to chat with David Huynh about how his game balances approachability and challenge, how its level editor works, whether the game might actually help you relax before bed, and more. Scroll on for the full conversation…
You’ve said a goal with Melatonin was to create a less daunting sort of rhythm game for those who maybe get intimidated by the barrage of notes in Guitar Hero or other similar titles (I’m sometimes in that boat). What are some of the ways, big and small, you’ve made the genre more approachable?
The most obvious one is that Melatonin relies more on audio cues than most rhythm games. You can actually play every level without looking at the screen. I think that naturally gets you to focus on the music more which will help you improve no matter what rhythm game you’re playing. There are even parts of the game that encourage you to stop focusing on the visuals and to just pay attention to the audio. There is a more traditional visual interface though if you need some extra assistance.
The game feels a bit like Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven series, which is one of the few games in the genre that’s really clicked with me. Was that an influence?
Yes! I love the Rhythm Heaven series too and it definitely had a noticeable influence on the game. I was pretty mind-blown when I first played it because it felt so unique. There are a ton of other pieces of media that I was inspired by too though and I think I was able to make something with quite a different personality from Rhythm Heaven. That difference is quite easy to notice too just from hearing the music or seeing the art style.
But hey, what if you are a rhythm master? Will the game still appeal to you?
I think Melatonin is still a pretty challenging game that will even surprise expert rhythm game players. Every level has a harder difficulty and the game also lets you know how many times you’ve gotten a “Perfect” score in a level. That will be tough even for the masters of the genre.
The game takes place in the main character’s dreams. Will we see a story of sorts play out? Or will we at least learn more about who the main character is?
There isn’t any traditional storytelling in the game like dialogue or narration but each chapter does follow a part of the character’s life which you can piece together into a narrative. It takes place mostly in dreams because I think dreams can be a very insightful reflection of what’s going on in somebody’s life.
How many total stages are there?
There are 21 scored levels in the game.
You’ve mentioned there’s a level editor. How versatile is that?
It’s a simple level editor that mostly lets you remap where the hit windows are. You can also control tempo changes in levels that support it and trigger some of the curve balls that are thrown in each level.
Sounds interesting. I don’t know that I’ve ever played a rhythm game with that kind of customization…
I want to keep working on this feature when enough feedback comes in from the players, but I still think it’s a fun tool to play with in its current state.
Given Melatonin’s theme and title, was thought given to creating something that might help players relax? Is this game something you can wind down with before bed?
I actually designed each chapter with a different mood in mind so there is a lot more variety than just relaxation. For example, the second chapter uses high tempo songs and is meant to feel quite intense. There are a lot of moments of relaxation throughout the game though so you’ll be able to wind down if you’re playing the right levels.
Melatonin is launching on PC this month, but trailers also show a Switch logo. When’s that coming?
Coming soon! That’s all I can say for now.
Are there any plans for special Switch features? Touchscreen controls perhaps?
It’ll just be the base game but the nice thing about the Switch version is that you won’t need to worry much about latency because that version was already calibrated for that hardware as long as you’re not using any bluetooth headphones.
Are any other versions beyond PC and Switch being considered?
It’s definitely being considered but nothing to announce yet!
Thanks for taking the time to field my questions!
Melatonin launches on PC tomorrow (December 15). As mentioned, a Switch version is coming soon.
