PaRappa The Rapper 2
NanaOn-Sha's upbeat canine mini-rapper is back for a second installment. See how the transition to a 128-bit system treated the gang.
Published: March 17, 2002
PaRappa the Rapper is one of those games that just makes you smile. It's completely bizarre and does nothing to try and explain away its eccentricities, it's got massive pick-up-and-play appeal, and, well, it's cute. The first game managed a nice visual hook with characters that were literally two-dimensional in a 3D world; they were paper-thin and had a tendency to bend and twist in a way that showed off their uber-waifish quality. The game wasn't groundbreaking visually, but it had a distinctive look and style that hadn't really been seen before. The PS2 version is almost exactly the same. The upgrade in hardware affords luxuries like more characters on screen, more detailed 3D environments for the characters to waddle around in, and the general softness on the eyes that a higher-res game offers over something on the PlayStation.
For those that haven't seen or heard of the games (possible, but not likely), trying to explain them is a little daunting. PaRappa is at its core a simple rhythm action game. A cursor sweeps from left to right along a line dotted with icons corresponding to the shape buttons on the controller. Simply press the button when the cursor hits and icon and you'll stay alive. Obviously, the closer you are to the exact moment the icon should be pressed, the better the audio accompaniment will be, and more smoothly PaRappa's rap will go. There's ample opportunity for freestyle rapping of sorts with extra button presses, and therein lies what could best be described as depth. PaRappa isn't an astonishingly deep game, but it's not trying to be. The game is fantastic for parties and general short-term gaming fixes, and the setup for the sequel makes that blatantly obvious.
Still, if you're looking for a long game, this isn't it. The game's story revolves around an overabundance of noodles (yes, you read right, noodles) taking over PaRappa's quaint and quirky town, and in typical PaRappa fashion, you'll rap your way through the storyline, providing the meat of the gameplay in between some of the most hilarious and bizarre cutscenes you'll ever see. There's no point in even trying to expand on the storyline, because it's so crazy that I'd just come off sounding even more nutso than I already do. PaRappa 2's gameplay is splayed across eight stages, with interconnecting story details semi-linking the levels. Once you've played through those eight songs, that's essentially it for the main game mode, unless you're looking for new, differently colored hats, which you earn every trip through. Scattered in-between every other level is a timing-based bonus game where you Karatesize records, slabs of noodles, and more as four characters hold up the objects, but that it beyond the standard rapping gigs. You can play the computer in a one-on-one freestyle competition in one of four difficulty levels (the remaining three levels are unlocked after besting the computer in the first) after beating the game once, but then you're pretty much done with the game proper.
Obviously, it'll feel to some like they didn't get their $50 worth, and that very well may be the case. After all, if you don't often throw parties where you use off-the-wall games as distraction for partygoers, this game may start collecting dust about a day or two after you've called up your last friend to show him "this crazy new music game." Maybe it was just the fact that I played the crap out of the first game and somehow got really good, but the sequel seems almost ridiculously easy. The ranking mode makes things a little harder, but by and large, the main game mode can be finished in a good half hour or so. Not exactly a long game, but again, it's not trying to hold your interest for an entire day.
The jump up to a 128-bit system did the series good, but you'll have to really squint to make out the upgrades. PaRappa 2 looks and plays exactly like the first game, which isn't a bad thing, but it's not going to win over those swayed by fancy graphics and an overabundance of effects.The PS2 is tapped to render some decently detailed cities, but it's nothing extravagant. To be honest, the graphics in PaRappa are just "there." They help present the game and let the music do the selling rather than trying to grab the spotlight.
Ahhh, the music. RaRappa's aural style is unlike anything else you'll hear in videogames. It's an eclectic mix of funk-style plucked bass lines mixed with simplistic, often hilariously rhymed lyrics that you'll never hear anywhere else. NanaOn-Sha's choice in music this time around fares better than the selection from the original RaRappa quasi-follow-up, Um Jammer Lammy, but it doesn't quite have that hook as the first game. This music certainly isn't bad, but it lies somewhere between Lammy's one-hit goodness, and the original PaRappa's wealth of stick-in-your head songs; there are a couple that really hook you right away, but you won't be spouting off anything at random times like, "when I say boom, boom, boom, you say bam, bam, bam." Shame.
Luckily, the voice acting is as strong as ever, with all the original's voice actors reprising their roles. One of the reasons PaRappa's music is so strong is that the voice behind the rap often perfectly fits the character on screen. The sequel also manages to bring back everyone from the first game, tosses in a few from Um Jammer Lammy, and adds a few new ones that'll probably be around for the sequel. It is notable that the fact that there's no optical sound output, which baffles me. If there was ever a game that I would think would proudly flaunt the merits of digital sound, it's this game. Alas, turn off that receiver when playing this game; it'll get no use here.
PaRappa may not be the most worthwhile purchase for some due to the fact that it's ridiculously short, and the replay value doesn't really add any new gameplay elements, but it is PaRappa, and if that floats your boat, the short bit of fun you'll glean from the game may be enough. Again, if you're one of those people that likes to entertain, PaRappa with the music off is perfect for hooking random partygoers, and letting them play it is even more fun. PaRappa is one of those genuinely good altered-state party games, where it's just as fun when sober as when you're... well, not. Definitely plunk down the cash to rent the game, and if you see enough potential here to warrant a purchase, by all means do it.
For those that haven't seen or heard of the games (possible, but not likely), trying to explain them is a little daunting. PaRappa is at its core a simple rhythm action game. A cursor sweeps from left to right along a line dotted with icons corresponding to the shape buttons on the controller. Simply press the button when the cursor hits and icon and you'll stay alive. Obviously, the closer you are to the exact moment the icon should be pressed, the better the audio accompaniment will be, and more smoothly PaRappa's rap will go. There's ample opportunity for freestyle rapping of sorts with extra button presses, and therein lies what could best be described as depth. PaRappa isn't an astonishingly deep game, but it's not trying to be. The game is fantastic for parties and general short-term gaming fixes, and the setup for the sequel makes that blatantly obvious.
Still, if you're looking for a long game, this isn't it. The game's story revolves around an overabundance of noodles (yes, you read right, noodles) taking over PaRappa's quaint and quirky town, and in typical PaRappa fashion, you'll rap your way through the storyline, providing the meat of the gameplay in between some of the most hilarious and bizarre cutscenes you'll ever see. There's no point in even trying to expand on the storyline, because it's so crazy that I'd just come off sounding even more nutso than I already do. PaRappa 2's gameplay is splayed across eight stages, with interconnecting story details semi-linking the levels. Once you've played through those eight songs, that's essentially it for the main game mode, unless you're looking for new, differently colored hats, which you earn every trip through. Scattered in-between every other level is a timing-based bonus game where you Karatesize records, slabs of noodles, and more as four characters hold up the objects, but that it beyond the standard rapping gigs. You can play the computer in a one-on-one freestyle competition in one of four difficulty levels (the remaining three levels are unlocked after besting the computer in the first) after beating the game once, but then you're pretty much done with the game proper.
Obviously, it'll feel to some like they didn't get their $50 worth, and that very well may be the case. After all, if you don't often throw parties where you use off-the-wall games as distraction for partygoers, this game may start collecting dust about a day or two after you've called up your last friend to show him "this crazy new music game." Maybe it was just the fact that I played the crap out of the first game and somehow got really good, but the sequel seems almost ridiculously easy. The ranking mode makes things a little harder, but by and large, the main game mode can be finished in a good half hour or so. Not exactly a long game, but again, it's not trying to hold your interest for an entire day.
The jump up to a 128-bit system did the series good, but you'll have to really squint to make out the upgrades. PaRappa 2 looks and plays exactly like the first game, which isn't a bad thing, but it's not going to win over those swayed by fancy graphics and an overabundance of effects.The PS2 is tapped to render some decently detailed cities, but it's nothing extravagant. To be honest, the graphics in PaRappa are just "there." They help present the game and let the music do the selling rather than trying to grab the spotlight.
Ahhh, the music. RaRappa's aural style is unlike anything else you'll hear in videogames. It's an eclectic mix of funk-style plucked bass lines mixed with simplistic, often hilariously rhymed lyrics that you'll never hear anywhere else. NanaOn-Sha's choice in music this time around fares better than the selection from the original RaRappa quasi-follow-up, Um Jammer Lammy, but it doesn't quite have that hook as the first game. This music certainly isn't bad, but it lies somewhere between Lammy's one-hit goodness, and the original PaRappa's wealth of stick-in-your head songs; there are a couple that really hook you right away, but you won't be spouting off anything at random times like, "when I say boom, boom, boom, you say bam, bam, bam." Shame.
Luckily, the voice acting is as strong as ever, with all the original's voice actors reprising their roles. One of the reasons PaRappa's music is so strong is that the voice behind the rap often perfectly fits the character on screen. The sequel also manages to bring back everyone from the first game, tosses in a few from Um Jammer Lammy, and adds a few new ones that'll probably be around for the sequel. It is notable that the fact that there's no optical sound output, which baffles me. If there was ever a game that I would think would proudly flaunt the merits of digital sound, it's this game. Alas, turn off that receiver when playing this game; it'll get no use here.
PaRappa may not be the most worthwhile purchase for some due to the fact that it's ridiculously short, and the replay value doesn't really add any new gameplay elements, but it is PaRappa, and if that floats your boat, the short bit of fun you'll glean from the game may be enough. Again, if you're one of those people that likes to entertain, PaRappa with the music off is perfect for hooking random partygoers, and letting them play it is even more fun. PaRappa is one of those genuinely good altered-state party games, where it's just as fun when sober as when you're... well, not. Definitely plunk down the cash to rent the game, and if you see enough potential here to warrant a purchase, by all means do it.
