http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Forum%20Stuff/Escapist/patapon.jpg
Art has a place in gaming. In everything from stylish graphic design to establishing character personality and setting.
By that regard, Pyramid's Patapon for the Sony PSP is a shining example of successful merger of form and function. A mixture of rhythm and strategy, Patapon is a simple 2D Side-Scrolling music game. The player assumes control of a God who commands the mighty Patapon army through the use of war drums.
The player has two main tasks in Patapon. To amass resources and build his or her army of Patapons, and to command these Patapons into battle. The execution of this system is where the strategy elements of the game come into play.
The first task is to maintain the Patapon army. This is the bulk of the strategy element of the game, which is comprised of assembling equipment and unit types for battle. You build new units and equipment by combining or spending resources gathered from hunting or boss battles. This is a unique system that provides a lot of variety and interest to the game that wouldn't normally be there. This is the hinging point that separates Patapon from other simple music games.
http://www.blogcdn.com/playstation.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/patapon1.jpg
The second task is to lead the Patapon into battle, which is quite fun. The actual gameplay portion of the game is comprised of leading the Patapon to attack, defend, or move based on a four-note series of drum beats that match the game's rhythm. These drum beats are simple commands, and easy to remember in the heat of battle. After a large enough combo, the Patapon will go into a fever mode where they will attack more often, press harder, or get more range to their attacks. The game rewards you quite ably for being able to maintain Fever, but will punish you quite readily for even the slightest of mistakes. Sometimes it proves to be too finite, and will pull you out of Fever mode even if you successfully continue the combo, though this doesn't happen often enough to produce a very large negative response.
The tribal drums, chanting, and very "earthy" feel of Patapon does a lot to really put the spark of charm that brings Patapon full-circle. It's a very charming game because it carries itself artfully. It does so very, very well. It is because Patapon is so charming that the game is as strong as it is. The rhythmic chanting and tribal music with artistically simplistic scenery and characters really brings the experience to a personal and immersive level. This is Patapon's greatest strength.
Sadly, this charm is also its biggest flaw.
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/patapon-eyes.jpg
Part of what makes Patapon so great is that it doesn't try to be something it isn't. A simple rhythm game with some strategic elements and charming art design. The problem is it sometimes has a little too many strategy elements. The fun and forward gameplay is what makes the game so strong, but gets bogged enough when trying to manage and grind resources to build the army strong enough to crest the next hill. The segments where I could crush three to four missions at a time without having to hunt or revisit bosses were amazing. The segments where I repeating hunting six to seven times to amass enough resources to build up my army the next step higher was slow. It was also dull. Worst of all, it wasn't fun.
The game's strongest element is the battle, the drive, and the rhythm. If the player spends too long grinding, or considering amassing resources to upgrade a few units, the real strength of the game gets lost in the shuffle. Managing a limited amount of resources is part of most people's work for a reason. "Work" doesn't have a lot of ground in this game. The leading of armies and the chanting of Patapon is what makes this game. The occasional over-emphasis of strategy and management will be the crushing blow that (if anything) will break it.
Bottom Line: A disarmingly witty and charming game whose strength comes from its simplicity, but occasionally slows itself down by introducing too many elements at once.
Recommendation: Buy It. You won't find another game that does rhythm in such a stylish way.
Art has a place in gaming. In everything from stylish graphic design to establishing character personality and setting.
By that regard, Pyramid's Patapon for the Sony PSP is a shining example of successful merger of form and function. A mixture of rhythm and strategy, Patapon is a simple 2D Side-Scrolling music game. The player assumes control of a God who commands the mighty Patapon army through the use of war drums.
The player has two main tasks in Patapon. To amass resources and build his or her army of Patapons, and to command these Patapons into battle. The execution of this system is where the strategy elements of the game come into play.
The first task is to maintain the Patapon army. This is the bulk of the strategy element of the game, which is comprised of assembling equipment and unit types for battle. You build new units and equipment by combining or spending resources gathered from hunting or boss battles. This is a unique system that provides a lot of variety and interest to the game that wouldn't normally be there. This is the hinging point that separates Patapon from other simple music games.
http://www.blogcdn.com/playstation.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/patapon1.jpg
The second task is to lead the Patapon into battle, which is quite fun. The actual gameplay portion of the game is comprised of leading the Patapon to attack, defend, or move based on a four-note series of drum beats that match the game's rhythm. These drum beats are simple commands, and easy to remember in the heat of battle. After a large enough combo, the Patapon will go into a fever mode where they will attack more often, press harder, or get more range to their attacks. The game rewards you quite ably for being able to maintain Fever, but will punish you quite readily for even the slightest of mistakes. Sometimes it proves to be too finite, and will pull you out of Fever mode even if you successfully continue the combo, though this doesn't happen often enough to produce a very large negative response.
The tribal drums, chanting, and very "earthy" feel of Patapon does a lot to really put the spark of charm that brings Patapon full-circle. It's a very charming game because it carries itself artfully. It does so very, very well. It is because Patapon is so charming that the game is as strong as it is. The rhythmic chanting and tribal music with artistically simplistic scenery and characters really brings the experience to a personal and immersive level. This is Patapon's greatest strength.
Sadly, this charm is also its biggest flaw.
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/patapon-eyes.jpg
Part of what makes Patapon so great is that it doesn't try to be something it isn't. A simple rhythm game with some strategic elements and charming art design. The problem is it sometimes has a little too many strategy elements. The fun and forward gameplay is what makes the game so strong, but gets bogged enough when trying to manage and grind resources to build the army strong enough to crest the next hill. The segments where I could crush three to four missions at a time without having to hunt or revisit bosses were amazing. The segments where I repeating hunting six to seven times to amass enough resources to build up my army the next step higher was slow. It was also dull. Worst of all, it wasn't fun.
The game's strongest element is the battle, the drive, and the rhythm. If the player spends too long grinding, or considering amassing resources to upgrade a few units, the real strength of the game gets lost in the shuffle. Managing a limited amount of resources is part of most people's work for a reason. "Work" doesn't have a lot of ground in this game. The leading of armies and the chanting of Patapon is what makes this game. The occasional over-emphasis of strategy and management will be the crushing blow that (if anything) will break it.
Bottom Line: A disarmingly witty and charming game whose strength comes from its simplicity, but occasionally slows itself down by introducing too many elements at once.
Recommendation: Buy It. You won't find another game that does rhythm in such a stylish way.
Title Source: http://elle87.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/patapon.jpg
Giant Enemy Crab: http://www.blogcdn.com/playstation.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/patapon1.jpg
Equipment Management: http://www.gamesetwatch.com/patapon-eyes.jpg
Giant Enemy Crab: http://www.blogcdn.com/playstation.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/patapon1.jpg
Equipment Management: http://www.gamesetwatch.com/patapon-eyes.jpg