Patapon: Drumming Its Way to Victory

Anciently a people known as the Patapons dominated much of the side-scrolling world with their vicious, beat-driven armies. No monster could stop them, no people could hold back their attacks. That is, none could stop them until history rolled them over and left them to obscurity. That is, until the PSP title Patapon was released.

Patapon is a very interesting game. It fits into two primary gameplay categories, the first being of the Rhythm genre. The Patapons are a mythological people who are led by a drum wielding ruler/deity. In the game you play the part of the drum-god, and your job is to drum out commands to your Patapon subjects to lead their every action in battle. Each stage has a beat that you use to beat out your orders, all of which are repeated by the troops while being executed, leading to a very fun rhythm concept. The beats are very engaging, and the chanting of the Patapons makes things lively and enjoyable, though everyone around you who can hear you play will wonder what has possessed your PSP.

The second game type is a complex one, which borrows elements from both RPGs and RTS games. You lead your army of Patapons along on a side-scrolling screen, and each command you give, whether to attack, march forward, defend, etc., will send that army into action. These commands are very common to both RPG’s and RTS’s alike, and they flow seamlessly with the rhythm aspect of the game. You also get to equip your troops with items, increase their abilities, and recruit new troops through a very neat system of combining elements to “revive” legendary heroes.

The game is very addicting. I was surprised, though, at how easy it was to just play it for a short time as well. It is the perfect game for a handheld device, in both the quick gameplay and the fun and interesting environment it puts you in.

Overall, I loved this game. It is, in my opinion, one of those neat little games that comes out on a handheld system that should always be in the library of a gamer on the go. Though, if you are taking it with you to various different locations, you may want to make sure you carry headphones as well. The only thing I found to really be a downside to this game is it, at times, can be a bit vague on how it should be played, leaving the player with some confusion as to how to beat some levels or how to utilize all of the neat little features the game incorporates.

Quick Thoughts:

• Pros: Very fun, addicting gameplay. Great integration of rhythm/RPG/RTS elements. Great game for a handheld like the PSP.
• Cons: Game can be confusing/vague at times.
• Overall: Very fun, and a must-have for PSP lovers.