Handheld
Patapon 2
By George Damidas
Jun 8, 2009, 7 :21 am

Note: Patapon 2 requires an Internet connection and a memory stick duo with 610MB free. Even if you purchase this title in a store, and not over the PlayStation Network, you will still need to meet these requirements as the game case contains a manual and a voucher with a download code, no UMD.

Pata-pata-pata-pon. Pata-pata-pata-pon. Pata-ahhhh make it stop! For days now I have had Patapon 2’s songs stuck in my head. A day into the review, I actually woke up with the march song thumping in my head. Having missed out on the original, I was wholly unprepared for the onslaught on my senses that would come from a small eyeball army chanting and drumming their way around a battlefield. Pon-pon-pata-pon.

Migrating to new homelands from the original, the sequel opens with a deadly kraken attacking the Patapons and sending them off course. The new land that the eyeballs find themselves in is ruled by a tribe known as the Karmen, with contact immediately leading to ruffled feathers and some of the cutest fighting this side of kittens wrestling. The story unfolds from there, complete with plot twists, the emergence of dark forces, and tales of the mythical land of Earthend. Don’t let the simplicity of the story (meet tribe, attack), charming graphics, or drumming movement fool you, this is a demanding game that has a lot to offer.

It’s easy for a newcomer to mistake the Patapon series as gimmicky. After all, why drum a beat when the arrow keys can do the same thing and much easier. Surprisingly, the drumming is weaved in well within the Patapon culture and its unwieldy potential is checked by the limit of a handful of commands: defend, attack, march, and miracle. The traditional talking drum used fits in well with the colorful music and effects, and it serves as a perfect way for a deity to communicate with their tribe of walking eyeballs.

As the Mighty One, you lead the Patapons by beating on a divine drum - each of the four face buttons represents a beat - which is heard and acted upon by the standard-bearing Hatapon. Your army consists of three squads of units plus a new unit, the hero, which can not only take on the role of any unlocked class but also has special class-specific powers. The limited inputs might initially seem to be a hindrance, oversimplifying combat, but in truth the system also perfectly represents the ebb and flow of battle: assault, hold ground when attacked, and then pursue or march on. It’s a system that isn’t simple but controlled, and those who spend any amount of time with either title will see how necessary and appropriate it is.

Keeping a rhythm is absolutely essential. It is through consecutive successful inputs that the Patapons enter a fever mode, which enhances their abilities and becomes necessary for progression. Despite the hectic visuals of the colorful design, timed flashing border, trying to remember and input the commands, the game is surprisingly easy to get into even rhythm games aren’t your thing. The limited number of inputs is what I would attribute to this, because you only have to get the basics down before you start completing missions. It can still be really frustrating to miss a beat, especially whenever you see your troops fall flat right before an enemy attack, but coming from someone who has no more than an ounce of rhythm, don’t let that the musical aspect turn you off.

The game’s limitations are also necessary because there is a lot to do. Instead of having one or two complex aspects the game spreads itself out over several; but it can be surprising just how involved each is. Patapon 2’s focused design helps considerably when the lack of information is taken into account. A result of minimal information, even considering the tip menu, is a lot of trial and error, which can sometimes drag out an otherwise lengthy game a bit too far. Aside from having to feel your way through an evolution tree to upgrade your troops, you will also need to do an unholy amount of grinding to get the necessary ingredients to evolve the troops and level them up. The combination of the substantial amount of grinding and the game’s vague tendencies can make it a little frustrating at times.

Upgrading and progressing, even with the grinding, are still rewarding. The Patapons range from spear-throwers to towering ogres with massive clubs to spirited cavalry. Aside from the troops being, according to a number of passers-by, adorable, it’s great fun to kit them out with upgraded weapons and deciding how they’ll evolve before sending them into the wilds. You wouldn’t expect it from a game that has such a festive look, but those who opt out of using the game’s auto equip feature will find a fair amount of micromanagement involved as every troop can be individually outfitted with numerous items (weapon, armor, horse, etc.). The levels themselves are broken down into an array of boss battles, hunting, and fighting the Karmen. Once completed, the levels can be revisited, and will have to be, to acquire the resources necessary to continue evolving and leveling-up your troops, as well as their weapons and armor. The levels also get harder the more you play them, so you can’t progress a few stages and then steamroll through the previous four or five. The replay value is high, even if the grind can be fatiguing.

There is even more to do within the Patapon camp. There different allies hanging around the camp, including a giant that likes spoons tapping on his toes in time with a favored beat and a self-conscious bell, that reward assistance with loot. You can also access the game’s ad hoc multiplayer mode from the camp, which allows the host to bring along an egg housing a special item that is revealed whenever the mission is successfully completed. If there are no friends nearby – ad hoc is limited to whoever is within 30 feet – then you can go through with computer-controlled heroes. While I would have liked both ad hoc and infrastructure for multiplayer, along with everyone else, the computer-controlled heroes do help to salvage the experience.

I also feel the need to recommend headphones. There are moments in the game when you need to perform miracles, which are done with their own unit strings of beats, but the beats can be very difficult to hear without headphones. I was also shocked at just how much richer the game’s music is with headphones, somehow making a game with whose production values I was already impressed with even more so. The rhythmic nature of the game does limit its portability, though, because the inadvertent feet and finger stomping, head bobbing, or finger tapping to keep the beat will certainly get you some looks. If you aren’t worried about a few glances, then toss on some headphones and jam out.

Overall: 8/10