Pata-pata-pata-PON!
We go hands-on with one of the cutest, most interesting games to hit the PSP this year.
Published: February 8, 2008
Sony has had a lock on the deceptively cute market ever since they struck pay dirt with LocoRoco. The adorable soundtrack and ultra-simple visuals worked beautifully on the PSP screen, so it came as a bit of a surprise that it would take so long for another game to replicate the same look and feel, though certainly not the same themes or execution.
Yes, Patapon looks quite a bit like LocoRoco, but the clean, silhouettes are about all the two share in common, for Sony's funky mix of rhythms and real-time strategy is darker, more action oriented and quite a bit deeper than the happy-go-lucky world of LocoRoco. It all begins with a deceptively cute race of warriors dubbed, fittingly Patapons. Guided by the incessant war drum beat of the Almighty Patapon, the giant-eyed creatures strode out across the land in search of IT before being beaten back by the Zigaton army. Pushed into near-extinction after the Almighty forsook them, only faithful Hatapon held out hope that the Almighty would return...
Luckily, you are the Almighty, and after a bit of instruction, the task of reviving the Patapons and sending them back out to search for IT is as simple as banging away on the war drums. More specifically, playing a combination of pre-selected beats using the face buttons in time with a pulsing frame that surrounds the whole of the PSP screen; one pattern sends them marching forward, another puts them in a defensive stance, and still another orders them all to attack.
The premise is simple, like all rhythm action games should be, but it's far deeper than you'd initially think, not only because there are multiple patterns to memorize, but because the timing of said patterns (especially when squaring off against multiple enemies or different types at the same time) is absolutely crucial. There's one other little wrinkle to contend with: you must constantly play... something, or your Patapons will trip and fall, and playing in time with the metronome-like background beat and pulses of the screen are necessary to properly motivate your pint-sized troops. The upside to this is the more on-time you play, the quicker your little guys will reach Fever Mode, which makes them faster and more powerful.
This plays directly into how the game sets up multiple troop types. You've got your Tatapons (front line melee-only combatants), your Yaripons (spear-chucking mid-range attackers) and Yumipons (back row archers), meaning the Tatapons can be sent out ahead of the pack to scout or guerilla attack enemies, while pumping up your troops into Fever Mode will cause your Yaripons to leap up above the pack and huck spears that do three times as much damage at the enemy. Because range and speed are both important factors, when you guide your enemies into battle is almost as important as how you do it.
No matter how well you fight, however, eventually you'll end up losing a few of your Patapons along the way. Luckily, death is fleeting in this world, and once you've returned to the main hub screen, you can bring them back -- and for free -- so long as you've grabbed the crowns that are dropped when they exit the mortal realm. Of course, there are enemies that will happily eat the crowns -- or even the Patapons themselves, crown and all, in which case you'll have to make new ones from the materials gathered while hunting at the Tree of Life.
These materials, along with Ka-Ching, the game's currency, are all that's needed to thicken up an army. Of course, the materials themselves are rather rare, and as you add more of one unit type to your army, the Ka-Ching cost goes up. The solution to your materials problem isn't always found outside the home base, though; if you can speak to the Mana Tree and, if you can play along with a trumpet to the beat, will win plenty of items, some of them rather rare or valuable, all in exchange for a hunk of meat or other valuables. The little mini-game is a great example of how the rhythm action aspect of the game is carried beyond the normal strategy bits.
We've still got plenty of time to spend with Patapon before we're ready to pass a final verdict, though you won't have to wait too long for that; the game hits at the end of the month, and when it does, we'll be ready to chime in with our two cents. For now, though, feel free to check out the trailer to see the game in action and some screens we've cobbled together to help paint a better picture. Check back soon!
Yes, Patapon looks quite a bit like LocoRoco, but the clean, silhouettes are about all the two share in common, for Sony's funky mix of rhythms and real-time strategy is darker, more action oriented and quite a bit deeper than the happy-go-lucky world of LocoRoco. It all begins with a deceptively cute race of warriors dubbed, fittingly Patapons. Guided by the incessant war drum beat of the Almighty Patapon, the giant-eyed creatures strode out across the land in search of IT before being beaten back by the Zigaton army. Pushed into near-extinction after the Almighty forsook them, only faithful Hatapon held out hope that the Almighty would return...
Luckily, you are the Almighty, and after a bit of instruction, the task of reviving the Patapons and sending them back out to search for IT is as simple as banging away on the war drums. More specifically, playing a combination of pre-selected beats using the face buttons in time with a pulsing frame that surrounds the whole of the PSP screen; one pattern sends them marching forward, another puts them in a defensive stance, and still another orders them all to attack.
The premise is simple, like all rhythm action games should be, but it's far deeper than you'd initially think, not only because there are multiple patterns to memorize, but because the timing of said patterns (especially when squaring off against multiple enemies or different types at the same time) is absolutely crucial. There's one other little wrinkle to contend with: you must constantly play... something, or your Patapons will trip and fall, and playing in time with the metronome-like background beat and pulses of the screen are necessary to properly motivate your pint-sized troops. The upside to this is the more on-time you play, the quicker your little guys will reach Fever Mode, which makes them faster and more powerful.
This plays directly into how the game sets up multiple troop types. You've got your Tatapons (front line melee-only combatants), your Yaripons (spear-chucking mid-range attackers) and Yumipons (back row archers), meaning the Tatapons can be sent out ahead of the pack to scout or guerilla attack enemies, while pumping up your troops into Fever Mode will cause your Yaripons to leap up above the pack and huck spears that do three times as much damage at the enemy. Because range and speed are both important factors, when you guide your enemies into battle is almost as important as how you do it.
No matter how well you fight, however, eventually you'll end up losing a few of your Patapons along the way. Luckily, death is fleeting in this world, and once you've returned to the main hub screen, you can bring them back -- and for free -- so long as you've grabbed the crowns that are dropped when they exit the mortal realm. Of course, there are enemies that will happily eat the crowns -- or even the Patapons themselves, crown and all, in which case you'll have to make new ones from the materials gathered while hunting at the Tree of Life.
These materials, along with Ka-Ching, the game's currency, are all that's needed to thicken up an army. Of course, the materials themselves are rather rare, and as you add more of one unit type to your army, the Ka-Ching cost goes up. The solution to your materials problem isn't always found outside the home base, though; if you can speak to the Mana Tree and, if you can play along with a trumpet to the beat, will win plenty of items, some of them rather rare or valuable, all in exchange for a hunk of meat or other valuables. The little mini-game is a great example of how the rhythm action aspect of the game is carried beyond the normal strategy bits.
We've still got plenty of time to spend with Patapon before we're ready to pass a final verdict, though you won't have to wait too long for that; the game hits at the end of the month, and when it does, we'll be ready to chime in with our two cents. For now, though, feel free to check out the trailer to see the game in action and some screens we've cobbled together to help paint a better picture. Check back soon!
