I've reached chapter 3 on Hard as of this writing
I have completed the main story on hard

It's essentially three rhythm games in one.

First, we have the main content: the Rift stages, which is essentially 3-button Guitar Hero. The gimmick here is that each "note" has various health and their own way to move about on the track. It's an interesting way to do beat maps, and you have to decipher the notes on the fly as they run down. In this regard, it's somewhat similar to what made CotND fun, where you have to use your noggin' while stay on beat. The stages shined better on Hard, where you can't rely on visual alone.
As someone who greatly enjoyed CotND for the reason above, the first time around for these stages were fun as I had to learn to read the beat map. But as I "solve" the pattern underneath, it transitioned to a more traditional rhythm game, where it became muscle memory and perfectionism. This is where REMIX MODE came in and saved the day. Press R while in play menu to switch to a mode where the tracks are randomly generated with roughly the same timing as the original.

Second, we have minigames. They're Rhythm Heaven -like games, of which there are five total. I'd put the difficulty similar to the later stages in Rhythm Heaven. On the other hand the timing is quite lenient. It's a simple and effective design, and I wish there are more games in here, both for more Rhythm Heaven minigames and cute slice-of-life animations of the gang.

Finally, the boss fights. It's Punch-out but on a rhythm (not that Punch-out didn't have rhythm segments). You memorize the attack patterns from the animation prompts, dodge accordingly and attack. A novel concept, though I have to say it's still mostly Punch-out, where the rhythm game part is only kind of relevant on longer dodge sequences, and on the whole it didn't elevate the concept as much as I hoped.
I strongly recommend to play these stages on HARD, because on normal difficulty they straight up show you when to hit which button on the screen, which makes you ignore the gorgeous animations and pattern recognition aspects, thus vastly reduce the enjoyment of these fights.

All the songs are certified bangers, Most of them are remixes of songs from CotND (shout out to Jules, your guitar rules!) plus some new ones. If you like metal, I think at least a few of these songs will be on your playlist. I will rock the whole album on my personal playlist for sure.

This Game Might Frustrate Veteran Music Rhythm Gamers

Rift of The Necrodancer by Brace Yourself Games is a music rhythm game unlike any you may have played before. For some, it represents a fresh new take on the genre; for others, it will be a frustration unlike anything they’ve ever felt. It’s a game that makes you feel like you’re playing a rhythm game for the first time again. Some will appreciate that nostalgia, while others may feel as if all their years of experience in the genre have been rendered meaningless.

This is an extremely fun game, and having met the developers personally at PAX, I feel a special connection to it. I’d hate to see an influx of negative reviews simply because a particular type of rhythm game player—those constantly seeking the next game to perfect and master—picks it up, fails miserably, and blames the game instead of recognizing its uniqueness. This game might not be for them, and I’d like to explain why.

The Rhythm Game Niche and What Makes Rift of The Necrodancer Different

The rhythm game genre is a niche space, often appealing to gamers who also have a background in music—whether that means playing in a high school band or being a current musician. Mainstream entries like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are well-known, but the genre has a vast library across console, mobile, and PC platforms. Typically, rhythm games have a track where notes fly toward a judgment line, and players must press buttons in time with the beat. Some games demand extreme precision, with only milliseconds of margin for error.

Veteran rhythm game players develop transferable skills—once you understand timing in one game, you can apply that knowledge to many others. The fun comes from discovering new games that introduce unique mechanics while maintaining the core experience of hitting notes in time.

Rift of The Necrodancer takes a wildly different approach. Instead of traditional note charts, it replaces them with monsters that have unique behaviors. Some require multiple hits, some disappear, and some move unpredictably. While you must still hit notes on the beat, the challenge lies in recognizing monster types and reacting accordingly.

The Core Issue: Strategy vs. Flow

And here’s where my main issue with the game lies. It doesn’t feel like a pure music rhythm game—it feels more like a music-driven combat puzzle . The experience is less about timing and execution and more about learning enemy behaviors.

This fits the game’s lore—the main character is isekai’d into a world of monsters and music, forced to fight enemies emerging from the rifts. But for me, this additional strategic layer takes away from the core reason I play rhythm games: to experience the bliss of flow.

In traditional rhythm games, there comes a point where you become so immersed that the line between you and the music ceases to exist. You start hitting complex patterns instinctively. Your keyboard or controller becomes an extension of your will, and for a few minutes, everything else fades away. It’s an indescribable euphoria.

But in Rift of The Necrodancer, just as you’re vibing, you get yanked out of that state because a zombie moved right instead of left. It’s not about your ability to keep time; it’s about whether you’ve memorized monster behaviors. That can feel frustrating, especially when the mistake you make is still in time with the music—you know your rhythm skills are solid, but that’s not what the game is testing.

Supporting Evidence and Minigames

I’m not alone in this sentiment. Discussions on the Steam forums echo similar frustrations. My point is reinforced by the game’s minigames, which adhere to traditional rhythm mechanics—no monsters, just pure pattern recognition and timing. I found these sections far more enjoyable because they allowed me to engage with the music without the extra layer of cognitive processing.

Who Is This Game For?

This isn’t to say Rift of The Necrodancer is a bad game. Far from it. But it requires you to suspend your ego and approach it as if you’ve never played a rhythm game before. Because in my opinion, this isn’t a pure rhythm game—it’s a rhythm-strategy hybrid.

It’s like calling Metal: Hellsinger just a first-person shooter—you can play it that way, but you won’t get the full experience. The same applies here. You have to embrace the strategic elements and learn this new notation system rather than relying solely on your rhythm game instincts.

If you’re a veteran rhythm game player looking for a pure timing-based experience, this game may not be for you. You will have to practice patterns, memorize monster types, and accept frequent failure. It will be frustrating, especially if you’re used to immediately jumping to the hardest difficulty in new rhythm games.

However, if you’re interested in a new kind of challenge, one that brings back the rewarding feeling of overcoming an entirely new system, Rift of The Necrodancer is an innovative and worthwhile experience. It doesn’t just add another entry to the genre—it creates something entirely new. And with time, patience, and practice, I know I’ll conquer it too.

Final Thoughts

I don’t rate games out of ten, and I won’t tell you how to spend your money. But for $17 on sale (or even the full $19), this game is a solid investment if you’re open to learning a new way to engage with rhythm-based mechanics. If you love rhythm games for their immersive, flow-inducing qualities, Rift of The Necrodancer might challenge your expectations. But if you’re looking for a music-driven combat puzzle that shakes up the formula, you’ll find something truly unique here.

One of my favorite games in the "Press R to restart" genre.

It's a fantastic rhythm game, but don't go in expecting your experience from other Rhythm games to translate over. Ultimately, this game isn't about tapping keys very fast in the rhythm of the music, but about reading and solving a "living" chart. The variety of gimmicks can be overwhelming at times.

While I wouldn't call myself a rhythm game pro, I'm comfortable with fast, complex charts in most games.
Yet, here I'm struggling even on late game medium difficulty due to my inability to process all the different types of note.
Despite this, I am still greatly enjoying the game. It feels like a fresh take on the genre.

As for the rest, the soundtrack is banger after banger, the story mode so far is pretty cute for whoever liked the characters from Crypt of the Necrodancer, the minigame and bosses are fun, and there's enough of everything to keep you entertained for many, many hours. Oh, also workshop support.

Overall I greatly recommend the game, but be warned that if you're more into the usual 4K+ kind of rhythm games this might not exactly be what you're looking for.