Thanks to AShadowLink and Hamada for helping with edits.
As some of you may recall, I have a fairly sizable backlog of unfinished video games in my possession. When I began my “Beat the Backlog” series, that total sat at an unpleasant 152. Last month, that number finally dropped below 100, an achievement I reached upon finishing SEGA’s Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure. Anyone familiar with me and my work knows I’m a fan of the company and its venerable stable of IPs, though, perhaps fittingly, Rhythm Thief always eluded me, sitting in my digital collection neglected. However, knowing something extravagant was warranted for my latest critique, I decided it was finally time to tour the City of Lights.
In another backlog breakthrough, this is the tenth article in my “Beat the Backlog” series. (Image: SEGA)
Like our last subject, Rhythm Thief was first released for the Nintendo 3DS in January 2012, a year after the system itself. Emperor’s Treasure was spearheaded by longtime SEGA personnel Shun Nakamura, whose credits span 1997’s Sonic R, to 2006’s nameless shame, to this year’s ChuChu Rocket! Universe, the latest project he’s contributed to. Another familiar face in SEGA’s roster, hedgehogian composer Tomoya Ohtani, scored Rhythm Thief; this isn’t his apex, but it’s a strong OST nonetheless. While an original property, Rhythm Thief pays homage to several of the company’s previous works: it includes missions themed around Feel the Magic: XY/XX, Samba de Amigo, and Space Channel 5, and even a jingle’s sampled from NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams. These references don’t come at the expense of Rhythm Thief’s own identity, they’re simply cute, appreciated tributes to SEGA’s history.
Although it features StreetPass functionality, Rhythm Thief‘s predominantly focused on its single-player campaign, which stars the intrepid Raphael and his canine companion, Fondue. Years ago, Raphael’s father Isaac, an art forger, abruptly abandoned his son, leaving behind his collection of stolen paintings and a mysterious coin. In the present, Raphael lives by day as a reserved Paris citizen in an unostentatious apartment. At night, he assumes the identity of the confident, musically dexterous thief, Phantom R. With Fondue’s help, Raphael breaks into museums to steal counterfeit paintings his father created, returning a few days later to leave the real artifact behind. Unbeknownst to Raphael, Isaac had also become entangled with the resurrected Napoleon Bonaparte, whose machinations of global conquest endured, and Raphael’s search for his father begins pitting the two against each other. Though working for noble causes, the public knows little of Phantom R’s goals or motivations; consequently, he’s attracted the ire of the Paris police department, becoming the personal nemesis of Inspector Vergier and, by extension, his kid, Charlie. As his quest marches on, Raphael meets and becomes close with Marie, a violinist whose connection to the royal family ties her to the overarching conspiracy concerning Napoleon.
Someone would be forgiven for thinking Rhythm Thief was a Professor Layton offshoot at first glance. (Image: SEGA)
Level-5’s Professor Layton series was a staple of the Nintendo DS lineup, something SEGA acknowledged by unabashedly modeling Rhythm Thief‘s presentation after it. Several Layton hallmarks are accounted for: there are animated cutscenes, side quests that unlock extra content, a map occupies the top screen, and the bottom screen offers a detailed look at the current location. When examining an area, players can talk with the city’s inhabitants and interact with set pieces – you even find coins by touching objects just as the London lecturer does. Occasionally a brief, music-themed puzzle will impede you, though calling most of them “puzzles” is generous; usually it’s some sort of memory or timing test. Writing is roughly on par with Layton too; it’s serviceable with a few memorable lines sprinkled throughout. But although there are plot twists aplenty, Rhythm Thief doesn’t quite match the absurdities that generally undergird the Professor’s adventures.
Whereas Level-5’s gentleman specializes in brainteasers, SEGA’s gentleman thief challenges his audience to rhythm minigames. Paris hosts 50 in total (many of which are optional), and most are structured similarly to stages in Nintendo’s Elite Beat Agents: there’s a three-act structure, where you’re weaned into the objective, it escalates in complexity, and the affair climaxes with a final test. Among other things, you’ll hop across platforms, kick soccer balls, and fend off Napoleon’s Chevalier goons to the beat of the music while your timing is graded with one of four ranks: harsh, good, great, or perfect. Performing well keeps the Rhythm Gauge full, determining your final score and ranking. The meter depletes if you barely hit or miss too many prompts, and it’s game over if it completely empties. In terms of difficulty, Emperor’s Treasure is manageable; the Rhythm Gauge becomes less lenient as Raphael’s conquest progresses, though in-game currency can be used to purchase a helpful item before each minigame. Not every activity is a winner (I’ll wince the next time I see a hang glider), yet none of them felt unfair. Moreover, those seeking additional challenges are catered to; you can purchase a potion that turns Raphael into a one-hit wonder, marathon versions of certain minigames can be bought, and a harder version of the adventure is unlocked upon finishing the game.
On a few occasions, Raphael breaks into buildings while hiding behind statues. Here, players tap four color-coded buttons on the touch screen when prompted. (Image: SEGA)
Some of my friends believe I’m a harsh critic. I can see why; anyone who follows this series knows the majority of my reviews aren’t positive. For this reason, I’m glad Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure headlined this seminal “Beat the Backlog” installment, because it’s a genuinely good time. In fact, it’s unquestionably the most entertaining game I’ve chronicled here thus far. Regrettably, Rhythm Thief never became a fixture in the SEGA empire as franchises like Sonic, Puyo Puyo, or Yakuza had. Japan scored an approximation of Emperor’s Treasure for iOS devices in 2013, it was released worldwide the following year as Rhythm Thief & the Paris Cape, it was silently delisted in 2015, and that’s been about it for Phantom R. That’s certainly not at Nakamura’s behest, as he expressed interest in developing an Emperor’s Treasure sequel shortly after it launched.
However, perhaps all hope is not lost; back in 2017, SEGA outlined its interest in reviving its legacy IPs, something the company’s been following through on. I doubt SEGA executives are eyeing Rhythm Thief for a potential revival, but I’ll be pleased if it gets one. Emperor’s Treasure was the first part of a larger epic, ending with unanswered questions lingering. I hope Raphael’s story gets its closure someday.
Considering the sequel hook, the serenity of this image is dampened a bit. (Image: SEGA)
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One of my favorites and a very underrated 3DS gem. I think the first time I heard of Rhythm Thief was when a game site (forgot which one) called it “a Layton and Elite Beats Agents hybrid game”, which sparked my interest. I never been the biggest Professor Layton fan but I do have respect for the series (and of all those “Layton-inspired” titles out there this game is one of the few better ones IMO), and I loved EBA, so I really enjoyed Rhythm Thief. It deserves more love, and I would be glad to see a Switch port.
Hey, Greatsong!
Yeah, Rhythm Thief is great and quickly affirmed its place as one of my favorite 3DS games too. Professor Layton was definitely an influence – the presentation similarities are just too great for it not to be – but that’s fine, and SEGA did a fine job melding its adventure aspects with rhythm-themed minigames. And it’d be great to see Phantom R’s adventure get a Switch re-release so more people can sample it.
SEGA’s been trying to revive some of its legacy IPs, and I believe a clip of Emperor’s Treasure was used in the SEGA logo for the Sonic movie. If nothing else, someone at the company still remembers this gem.