SEGA has been knocking out of the park lately as mobile games go. In the last few months, they’ve released the remastered Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the robust kart racer Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed on mobile devices. Both games give you the console gaming experience on iPhone or iPad.
Today they follow up with Rhythm Thief & The Paris Caper, a game which came out at retail on the 3DS not long ago. Rhythm Thief combines adventure gaming with a whimsical story and music-based rhythm games to create a totally unique experience. If you enjoy games like the Professor Leyton series and don’t mind paying for them, consider this one a must-buy.
Thief by night
Rhythm Thief stars a young Parisian man of 18 named Raphael. During the day, he’s a mild-mannered guy living at home with his dog. At night, he suits up and becomes the dashing thief Phantom R. An orphaned violinist named Marie acts as his sidekick.
On top of performing musical crimes, Raphael’s mission to find his missing father. He’ll pull off capers all over Paris, including robbing the Louvre. But he might have bitten off more than he can chew when he becomes embroiled in a larger plot involving a man claiming to be the resurrected Napoleon…
Adventure time
As the Rhythm Thief, players will explore a realistic and beautifully rendered version of France’s capital city. Being that this in an adventure game, Raphael will need to talk with the city’s inhabitants, hunt for hidden items, and solve plenty of puzzles.
The puzzle mechanics are actually quite unique. Raphael can record a variety of sounds that he encounters throughout the environment. He then uses these sounds to solve puzzles. For instance, you might play a recording of a bulldog in order to scare off a cowardly enemy. It’s fresh and fitting with the game’s emphasis on music and sound.
Bust a move
Besides the fully animated story sequences and stellar soundtrack, Rhythm Thief’s real draw is its rhythm gameplay sequences. During these minigames, players will need to tap and swipe the screen at the right time in order to come out on top and progress the story.
You’ll run across a series of rooftops, dodging ninjas and obstacles; engage in fisticuffs with ornery assailants; play the violin as the hero’s sidekick, and even take part in stylish dance numbers. Over 50 minigame missions in total will provide plenty of gameplay variety.
Not only are these segments lots of fun, but they actually fit right in with the overall story. You’ll never wonder why a minigame is happening because it all goes with the flow.
Oh, and social features allow players to recruit their friends’ characters and earn unique accomplices for missions.
Bonus content to come
Rhythm Thief & The Paris Caper brings the full original game (titled Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure on 3DS) to iOS. New to this one are In-App Purchases that allow players to buy coins (used to get out of tough situations) instantly. You can still find them in the environment as always, so coin purchases are entirely optional.
SEGA promises to release new side stories, minigames, and difficulty levels as In-App Purchases in the future as well. If you want a little more Rhythm Thief right this minute, the catchy 40-song soundtrack is available on iTunes right now.
- Rhythm Thief – $9.99 – Download Now
- Rhythm Thief Soundtrack – $9.99 – Download Now
Update 1
Only a day after its release, Rhythm Thief & The Paris Caper has been removed from the App Store. SEGA tells us the game will be back very soon though:
"We are aware that consumers are experiencing issues with Rhythm Thief and our team is working around the clock for a solution. Our fans are very important to us and we aim to provide the highest quality experience when playing a SEGA mobile game. Stay tuned for more updates, we are working diligently to fix this issue."
We'll update again when it returns to the App Store.
Update 2
As of January 12th, the game is back on iTunes!
