Patapon

PON PON PATA PON!

STATUS : [COMPLETE]

RATING : [4/10]

I love this game. It's so adorable.

I started playing it a long time ago, but gave up pretty quickly because, as it turns out, I have terrible rhythm. 

I mean, I suppose I could be worse. I could at least keep a constant stream of commands going; they weren't standing around telling me about how they want to go home...  very often...

I just wanted to keep the fever going through the whole level, and couldn't do it very often. I did a couple times... and it was rare that it took me less than all 10 rounds to get the fever... oh well. Like I said, I could have been worse.

Anyways, Patapon is a real time RTS Rhythm game. Weird right? But AWESOME.

I'm very impressed at the fusion of gametimes that Patapon brings to the table. You are the Patapons' God, and you command them in battle using a 4 beat code, played out by 3 different drums. A different sequence of drums executes a different battle command. If you don't execute the commands in decent rhythm, the patapons just stand there and look at you like you're kicking a puppy.

You have basic battle tactic moves at your disposal: advance, attack, dodge, defend, and charge (and by charge i mean 'build energy' not 'rush forward'). You also have a few different types of armies from which you choose 3 for each level. As for classes, you basically have archers, lancers, warriors, brutes, cavalry, and bards. (Though, in this game, the bards are actually heavy damagers, not buffers)  You have to create each man in your army, and within each of those classes is... i think... 7 different types of patapons. A normal patapon, and 6 specials, all that have a different effect on your army and require items you aquire from hunting in order to create. 

Aside from having to chose which types of patapons you want to take into each battle, all of the strategy lies in the moment, and can be absolutely frustrating.  While it's similar to many boss fights in other games as far as memorizing what they do, and manipulating the character(s) to counter it, its different because you have a delay, AND you might not be in sequence.  The game plays in rounds: you have 4 beats to give the command, and then they spend the next 4 executing it.  If the monster attacks you while you're giving the command, it does no good, and then your patapons are defending against an attack that already came and went. So, timing brings a level of frustration (the good kind) that further promotes how well the game integrated rhythm and strategy to be a new breed of game.

The art also made me happy =) Its adorable.

Very simple, but also very elegant. Sometimes with simple 2d games, I get the feeling like the art gets lazy... however, this was just pretty. The color schemes were well put together, wonderful use of color and patterns... and even though they reused the bosses twice, with minor modifications, it didn't bother me.

[TLDR] The game was unique, well thought out and balanced, very aesthetically pleasing, and very very fun.

End