Patapon 2: Remastered: PS4 Review

Patapon 2: Remastered: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Sony Interactive

The rhythm is back in Patapon 2: Remastered, which follows the 2017 release of the first Patapon.

It's a simple concept the second time around - and much a repeat of the first. Use your keypad to provide drumming rhythms which inspire your little troopers to progress, attack and defend.

Ported over from the PSP's early days, Patapon 2: Remastered sees you returning as the god of the eyeball heavy race, propelling them on to victory after they were shipwrecked trying to get to Earthend.

Using the various buttons on the PS Controller, you can move them on, defeat various enemies, amass bounty and return to the Patapons' city of Patapolis. The levels themselves are short, and simple to do with basically a series of challenges and fights with creatures lying ahead - it's not exactly long-form gaming, and while it's engaging enough to start off with, the repetitive nature of the gameplay soon begins to grate.

There's a need to ensure you keep the rhythm obviously, but a misstep can set all the Patapons back, so there's a gradual learning curve, and the harder you hit, the better the chances the fight will be curtailed and the quicker you will get new items to your inventory. There's definitely the feeling of a portable game being moved across to a console, and while that's not a negative ultimately, it may leave you feeling there's a brevity to what transpires and making the repetition more of a challenge.

The game looks nice, with the HD qualities making the crisp eyeball characters stand out and presents the surroundings with a clarity that's watchable enough. IF you liked games like Parappa and the first Patapon where the challenge is maintaining the beat, then Patapon 2: Remastered will help scratch that rhythm itch.

All in all, Patapon 2: Remastered is pleasant in short bursts - anything longer and you may find yourself marching to the beat of your own drum, rather than that of the Patapons.