Patapon 1 + 2 Replay Review – More Pon Than Pata

Despite how niche they still remain, the rhythm game genre is the healthiest it’s ever been. Early access efforts like Rhythm Doctor capture the Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan atmosphere while adding something special; Spin Rhythm XD puts its own little spin (pun fully intended) and creates a compelling gameplay loop; and Rift of the Necrodancer merges the lane-based gameplay that we all know and love while adding enemies – a genuinely enthralling take on its predecessor. However, history has lacked a certain rhythm, a certain four-beat repetition that can drag anyone into either joyfully mindless tapping or straight insanity.

It goes Pata-pata-pata-pon, and has been distinctly missing since 2007. Sure, a spiritual successor, Ratatan, is on the way but based on its delay, it clearly needs more to really match the original. To truly capture the pata and the pon in its truest sense.

Fortunately, at least for fans, Bandai Namco Entertainment has brought forth the first two games in the franchise into one remastered package with Patapon 1 + 2 Replay. The results are, well, as Patapon as can be, and while it’s an acquired taste among rhythm game aficionados and casuals alike, there are some areas that could have used significant improvement. The fact that they’ve remained the same for this long is as baffling as it is annoying, but we’ll get to that.

"As for the Patapons themselves, they start out as spearmen but you can eventually unlock shield-wielding frontliners, archers, and much more, with Patapon 2 diversifying the line-up further with flying and magic-wielding units."

Patapon tells the tale of the titular tribe, who reunite with the Mighty Patapon (aka, you) to find Earthend and witness “IT” after a sudden fall from their peak. What is “IT”? Why is “IT”? No one knows but with the tribe in tatters, it’s up to you to feed, arm and lead them through various expeditions, including battles against the Zigoton, a rival tribe. You do this by playing drums in certain combinations to dole out commands, whether it’s to advance forward, attack, defend or even call down rain.

That last bit requires Fever mode, which activates when you’ve successfully played the tunes without fail (and sooner if you nail them perfectly). It gives a boost to your Patapon’s stats, making them more potent at attack and defense. As for the Patapons themselves, they start out as spearmen but you can eventually unlock shield-wielding frontliners, archers, and much more, with Patapon 2 diversifying the line-up further with flying and magic-wielding units. At the center of all this is the Hatapon, who is the de facto leader in the army and also the most vulnerable. If he dies, it’s mission failed, we’ll get ’em next time.

Rarepons can appear as you upgrade Patapons with materials collected from missions – Pykola, for instance, has increased movement speed and provides extensive benefits for Dekapons, which are heavy attackers. Patapon 2 improves on this whole system with an evolution map which lets you actually choose which Rarepons to develop and specialize in. It’s a big step up in terms of progression and gives much finer control over a unit’s development, especially when the Heropon enters the mix and adds their own flavor to unlocked classes.

Each Patapon can have different equipment, though there’s an optimize button to quickly bestow them with the best stuff. Strangely enough, there’s no “Optimize All” function – you have to customize each unit separately, which can become a chore. Still, there are a plethora of unlocks and equipment, and it can be fun to watch your initial cadres turn into this deathball that can quickly roll over any hapless fool (or animal).

At heart, Patapon 1 and 2 are strategy-lites, where group composition, knowledge of enemy types in a mission and correct use of commands ensures victory. The latter is where things get dicey, since some bosses like the Dodonga and Majidonga, can move around and since your units’ attack range can be somewhat limited, it’s very easy to miss a damage cycle.

"The art direction is also great, whether it’s the design of the Patapons and monsters, the backgrounds, effects or animations. However, it would have been nice to see more bells, whistles and quality of life features added by Bandai Namco."

It’s especially frustrating against Majidonga, since it devours your units without any way to avoid it (at least, in the early going), caps and all. Caps represent fallen units and retrieving them allows for resurrecting them back at Patapolis, your base. If the cap isn’t retrieved or, as noted, devoured, then you’ll need to spend materials to restock your units. Don’t have those materials? Better go grind the same missions and hope that you get the damage cycles down pat, lest even wild prey escapes and the mission is failed.

Grinding has always been an issue with the Patapon series, especially with how repetitive the gameplay loop can get. Yes, you gain access to miracles and whatnot, and there are environmental hazards in later stages which require mastering them to progress. But for the most part, you’re alternating between the same handful of commands while keeping a close eye on the movement of enemy units to ensure no wasted effort.

The soundtrack is the other core pillar and, credit where it’s due, it doesn’t just hold up by today’s standards. It’s a genuine joy to listen to. Successfully chaining together commands and unlocking more of a song, Patapon enigmatically chanting as the tempo rises, feels great. Watching your units dance while marching or raising their weapons in the middle of combat to the beat is also a nice touch. The incessant Patapon-ing can feel annoying when repeating missions, but otherwise, it’s engrossing enough when venturing to new stages and listening to new tunes. Unfortunately, the “Fever!” notification still drowns out the beat and can cause you to mess up the timing, especially if you’re not paying attention to the flashing borders on the screen.

The art direction is also great, whether it’s the design of the Patapons and monsters, the backgrounds, effects or animations. However, it would have been nice to see more bells, whistles and quality of life features added by Bandai Namco. You can adjust the beat timing and game difficulty, and toggle the buttons required for commands to remain on screen. Coming off of the calibration seen in games like Rhythm Doctor and Rift of the Necrodancer, it’s kind of disappointing to see Patapon Replay 1 + 2 simply letting you select a number from one to five.

"Of course, even for long-time fans of the franchise, it feels like Patapon 1 + 2 Replay could have aspired to more. If you’re truly keen on revisiting the classics, if only to witness the more unorthodox side of PlayStation, it may be worth checking out."

If you can embrace both titles, warts and all, they have quite a bit to offer with dozens of hours of content each. Taken as a simple re-release, Patapon 1 + 2 Replay does its job competently enough. When I was entranced by the beat, swapping between attacking and defending like it was a subtle dance between two sides, the experience really hit its stride. When I fail a fight against a monster simply because I didn’t upgrade my units enough or equip them with whatever was available, all those perfect rhythms and never-ending Fever felt completely superfluous. Failing in those circumstances just added insult to injury.

Of course, even for long-time fans of the franchise, it feels like Patapon 1 + 2 Replay could have aspired to more. If you’re truly keen on revisiting the classics, if only to witness the more unorthodox side of PlayStation, it may be worth checking out. But those who want to recapture the magic from the old days of the PlayStation Portable may find it somewhat lacking, whether it’s in terms of the gameplay and various annoyances or the amount of effort put into both remasters.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.