- Publisher: Half Asleep
- Release Date: Dec 15, 2022
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Switch
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Dec 12, 2022Melatonin is impressive for its quality on all levels, especially considering this is the first videogame by David Huynh: a brilliant and inspired art direction matches a precise and funny gameplay, animated by fitting lo-fi tunes that will immediately enter your personal playlist.
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Dec 12, 2022Melatonin feels like a gorgeous love letter to long-time fans of the Rhythm Heaven series. Despite it being rather brief, the fact that every rhythm game has its own Hard Mode with a more challenging set, alongside the ability to create your own beatmaps, checks all of the boxes. If you’re looking to chill out and unwind from the sensory overload that some of its contemporaries have, Melatonin’s pastel colors beautifully represent relatable daily life and manage to form a great relaxing package that truly deserves noteworthy attention.
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Jan 26, 2023The narrative isn’t heavy-handed and lends itself to interpretation, but — not spoiling anything — the conclusion is satisfying, even if it’s not explicit. It’s a busy time for players trying to figure out their “best of” lists, so I hope no one misses out on Melatonin.
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Dec 12, 2022Melatonin is a short but kind experience, a hint of melancholy and a splash of retro vibes. It’s less about the challenge (though it's there for those who seek it) and more about chilling out to some cool tracks across some fun levels, with accessibility that should be applauded.
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Jan 13, 2023Calling Melatonin a chillwave Rhythm Heaven is both accurate and not descriptive enough. Its structure is roughly the same, but its pastel palette, soothing soundtrack, and loose-yet-cohesive approach to storytelling give it its own unique flair. Melatonin may only be a 1 – 2 hour romp through dreamland, but if you really savor its playful art style, brain-melting music, and easily-mastered mechanics, it can quickly become a bedtime routine of its own. And, after popping some melatonin myself, a level or two of Melatonin before I snooze sounds lovely to me.
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Dec 12, 2022Melatonin delivers challenging gameplay and creative, hand-crafted visuals. Combined with a chill soundtrack, this game will relax your soul even as it tests your skills.
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Dec 12, 2022Melatonin is a great entry in the rhythm genre. A good mix of 20 high and low concept levels makes for a tight-knit experience that is short-lived but also doesn’t outstay its welcome. The music is undeniably very catchy, with the beats still lingering in my brain following the completion of the game. A better tutorialisation of the custom level creator and easier level section method would’ve aided the experience just that little bit more but ultimately it doesn’t matter. Melatonin is a well-presented rhythm game, featuring concise and gorgeous pastel art and smooth gameplay that will never tire or injure the player. Accessibility options only bolster this further. If subsequent rhythm games follow suit, then the rhythm genre remains in very good and very passionate hands.