It's not often that we hear about an indie game coming to Switch three years before its planned release date, but that's the exact situation we find ourselves in with Nocturne.

This story-driven rhythm RPG has just seen its 'Prelude' - essentially the first chapter of the game - launch on Steam today, alongside news of a promised 2023 launch for the full game on both Steam and Switch. It's set in a dystopian future where humanity lives in a digital afterlife, as explained in this official description:

Humanity is extinct, but an echo of civilization lives on. Maya, the fabled utopian afterlife where people abandon their corporeal forms in favour of an eternal existence with loved ones in a digital world, is not all as it seems. Decay and corruption await Karma, the world’s first newcomer in thousands of years, and derails a desperate attempt to reunite with their missing brother on the other side.

Befriend a charmingly quirky crew like a wise orange fish in monk garb and a headstrong little boy to unravel the mysteries of the Blackout, an enigmatic catalyst that triggered Maya’s plunge into chaos. Test the limits of human existence, exposing an insidious threat lurking among the remains of humanity.

Players will need to march to the beat of battle, taking on traditional RPG-style combat blended with "intense" rhythm battles. You'll be tapping along to a progressive symphonic rock soundtrack, dodging dangerous notes and watching out for other surprises.

If you're liking the sound of it, we hope you can deal with that three-year wait. Feel free to share any thoughts you might have on it in the comments below.