Developer: SAS CO.,LTD.
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platform: PC, PS5, Switch
Tested on: PS5
PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY – Review
If you ever owned a PSP, you’ll probably have encountered quirky titles such as LocoRoco and PATAPON while purchasing new games. These quirky titles were handheld exclusives at the time, and they offered simple and engaging gameplay mechanics. PATAPON’s first entry was released in 2007, with sequels following in 2008 and 2011. Even with its niche audience, PATAPON was considered a great entry in the rhythm game genre, offering something different from the genre’s standard releases. With PATAPON 1 and 2 already receiving a remastered edition in the past, we were wondering how relevant PATAPON 1 + 2 REPLAY truly was. If you want to truly learn the ins and outs of the series, we suggest reading our PATAPON 2 Remastered review by clicking here.
The core gameplay loop of both PATAPON titles in this bundle revolves around rhythmic button input and strategic thinking. You’ll command your army of Patapon, which moves or attacks depending on your button inputs. You’ll have to time these button inputs to the beat, and then you’ll see your cute little warriors go all out to defend their kingdom. It’s a very simple concept, but it works well and is not to be underestimated. The game does rely on timing, which is common for the genre, but there is also some gear management present to flesh out the strategic component a bit more. You’ll also notice that there are some difficulty spikes here and there, and some of these can feel a bit unfair at times. If you just gave the order to move, and the enemy just decided to start its attack animation, you may find yourself having to repeat the mission you’re in. You’ll also have some grinding to do if you actually want to progress through these games. While most levels only take a few minutes, it can become a bit of a drag to replay levels over and over again. That, however, is pretty much the only negative aspect of the PATAPON games. You’ll be treated to a fun rhythm game experience, and it’s quite cool to defeat tougher enemies.
Now to the actual relevancy of this release with the two Remastered versions already being available. PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY comes with crisper visuals, easier-to-read fonts, and other features such as difficulty options and viewing possible commands on the screen. The updated visuals do improve the experience and make things more readable on the big screen. The difficulty options are also much appreciated, as the PATAPON games did suffer from hefty difficulty spikes that sometimes felt a bit unfair. Last but not least, the option to view commands during a level is great, especially if you have taken a break from the game for a while. This allows you to ease back into the experience without having to start over. It’s also just nice to have in case you mix up certain command combos. All of these changes may feel minor, but they do quickly add up and give PATAPON a lot of appeal for a new generation of gamers. We did notice a bit of input lag here and there, which wasn’t always present, but still noticeable enough to warrant a mention.
Conclusion
If you’ve never played PATAPON and you’re a fan of unconventional rhythm games, then picking up PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY is a no-brainer. If you own the old-school PSP games and you want to give these quirky titles another go, then you’ll certainly love the improvements that have been made here, except for some minor input lag at times. You’ll be treated to an amusing, sometimes unforgiving, rhythm game experience that has more to offer than just pressing buttons at the right time. With strategic components and quite a few hours of gameplay, you can’t go wrong with this new and improved version of PATAPON 1 & 2. Add to that crisp visuals, some QoL changes, and just a cool vibe to finish things off.
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