Patapon 1 + 2 Replay: PS5 Review

Published by Bandai Namco
Platform: PS5

It's back to Earthend with the remaster of these games for the PS5 that first blessed the PSP back in 2007 and 2008.

The rhythm games can sometimes be the trickiest to master and the Patapon series has always been one that required precision as it carried out its somewhat bizarre story - that you, the player, are the god to the Patapon and must return them to their home, all the while fighting off enemies in their path.

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 like rhythm games, then this will hit the beat for you and more than delivers on the genre.

Where it works though is in its simplicity - and while it's more likely to appeal to younger players thanks to the rhythm and repetition, there's something to be said for a family game like this in a generally solo crowded marketplace.