Featured Graphic By Destiny Mizell
Story by Grace Howland
I absolutely adore rhythm games as well as cozy games. “Melatonin” mashes the two together. David Huynh created this indie game that came to Steam and Nintendo Switch December 2022. It takes place within multiple dreams that the protagonist has and it was heavily inspired by the “Rhythm Heaven” games.
Gameplay
Each level is inspired by a different type of dream, such as food, exercise, shopping and more. The game has a pastel color scheme that mostly includes pink, purple, baby blue and yellow. It makes the game’s appearance stand out and give it a nice and relaxing feel to it.
The game is separated into nights as the story progresses. There are a few different dreams each night, with the last dream of the night mashing together every dream before that. Each dream will appear randomly throughout the last level and players have to be prepared to press buttons to the rhythm at any time.
Before each level starts, players run a practice round that demonstrates the rhythm cues and buttons they need to press. In the actual levels, there will not be any button prompts. Players must rely on visual and audio cues in order to press buttons to the music.
The game also has a few different difficulties that unlock each time you clear a level. Players have the option to turn the button prompts on through the settings.
My thoughts
“Melatonin” provides a unique and challenging rhythm game experience. While the game may appear simple, it can get quite difficult. Focus and precision are key, which makes the game more fun and engaging.
Many rhythm games have a very high speed and energetic nature to them. What makes “Melatonin” stand out is that it is a chill and comfy game. The game manages to be relaxing in nature, but I also find myself bopping my head to the adorable music.
As a collector of cozy games, I am happy to own another game that can help me and many other players de-stress. Anytime I am feeling stressed or upset, I like to sit down and play this game to help me get things off my mind.
Anyone who is a fan of rhythm games and cozy games should check out “Melatonin.” It is a great addition to anyone’s rhythm game collection, whether you are new to the genre or a huge fan of it.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on Twitter at @Sidelines_News.
