Although the age of rhythm-based games seems to be coming to an end, it’s always nice to revisit a favorite. That’s exactly what players can do with Patapon 2 Remastered. Players will enjoy returning to the world of the Patapons to help them find their way to the legendary place known as Earthend.
In Patapon 2 Remastered, the Patapons and Zigotons set sail on their new ship, but it gets destroyed when a Kraken attacks them. The Patapons end up washed ashore on Patapolis, where they must fight their way across this new land, with the help of a mysterious hero who has extra abilities. Equipped with four drums, the Patapons must charge, attack and defend their way through the land’s various levels to find what they need to proceed to Earthend.
Patapon 2 Remastered, though, is a rhythm game. The Patapons have four specific drums, each of which plays a certain kind of beat. The player controls each drum’s beat through the four buttons on the controller. Every action requires four specific beats, so the player must learn each series carefully. For example, to march, the player must use square, square, square, circle. Other series of beats control other actions, such as attack and defend, and those will determine how the Patapons make their way through their world and defeat their enemies. However, this isn’t just about random button-mashing. Each beat needs to happen on the beat: otherwise, the Patapons will do nothing. Players who match the beat perfectly with each series of beats will eventually reach fever mode, which allows the Patapons to increase their attacks and defense.
Learning the beats is surprisingly easy and by the time the player traverses a few hunting levels, each series of beats becomes second nature. Unfortunately, this can also often get a little monotonous, and will also leave the player with an earworm that could last for days. In a day and age when video games are generally more exciting, this could get dull really fast.
Fortunately, Patapon 2 Remastered includes a few extra activities to keep players interested. First, they can create and upgrade Patapons, preparing them to have specific roles in battle. There are also mini-games for those who need a break from the monotony of marching, attacking and defending. And be sure to read all the dialogue, because it helps further the story, which is part of what makes Patapon 2 Remastered so endearing. Patapon 2 Remastered also looks great. Its simplistic graphics lend themselves well to 4K resolution and is a good reminder of how video games, in and of themselves, can be art.
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Patapon 2 Remastered is now available for PlayStation 4. A digital copy of the PS4 game was provided to Screen Rant for the purposes of this review.
