GameRant recently had the opportunity to play a few measures of Nocturne, the story-driven RPG with rhythm combat and decade-long passion project from Pracy Studios.
At first glance, Nocturne looks like a traditional JRPG, but shakes this facade by presenting each of its combat encounters as a song where you get to engage with its rhythm mechanics, carefully managing your health and energy as you attempt to hit the different combinations of notes flying at you. With a whopping 101 original tracks and boss fight songs recorded by the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, Nocturne is shaping up to be an absolute treat for music lovers.
Using a rhythm game to anchor your game’s combat might seem like a curious choice, but as author LB Beistad writes:
“When they’re done well, rhythm controls can be an incredibly underrated mechanic to use as a main gameplay feature. It requires players to bring their full attention to what’s happening, which can make the experience that much more immersive.”
Nocturne is currently slated for launch on Sep. 24, 2026, on PC via Steam, but you can currently sample the gameplay for yourself with a free demo. For more updates on Nocturne leading up to its launch later this summer, make sure to follow both Pracy Studios and GameRant on X.
