Review: Patapon 2 Remastered is a flawed trip down memory lane

Patapon 2 brings back memories. 

This used to be a PSP-exclusive game, back when Sony still believed in the handheld gaming market. The PSP and its small but very capable library of videogames are very nostalgic things to look back on now, so games like this are bound to mean different things to different people. To me, the PSP brings back memories of primary school - when a classmate brought his system to class and charged everyone else five bucks a pop to play Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. 

To some, Patapon 2 Remastered simply acts as a gateway to a time long gone. A more innocent time when Uncharted and God of War games could be played on a handheld, and we controlled little Patapons with the merry beat of a drum. That kind of nostalgia can be priceless to some, even if the game itself hasn’t aged very well by today’s standards. For those who never experienced Patapon however, this game is going to be a very hard sell.

Pata Pata Pata Pon!

Patapon 2 is a rhythm-based videogame. You play as a ‘Hero’; one who takes command of an army of Patapons - small tribal creatures that march to the beat of your drum, literally. These creatures have been attacked by a sea monster, and washed ashore on a mysterious island. They have to fight various monsters and tribes in search of ‘It’ at the ‘Earthend’ - both of which are a bit of a mystery to the player at first. 

The first few levels of Patapon 2 serve as one long tutorial. You’re introduced to the story, your Patapons, some obstacles you’ll face and most importantly - your button combos. The triangle, square, circle and X buttons all correspond to a specific drum sound, and stringing combos with these sounds will cause your Patapons to take different actions. Drumming ‘pata pata pata pon’ for example (three squares and one circle), will cause your Patapons to move forward. 

Other combos like ‘pon pon pata pon’ cause your army to get into attack formation. What stops Patapon 2 from getting mindlessly button-mashy however, is the rhythm behind its levels. You’ll constantly hear music in the background as you move through missions, and whatever combos you string together must sync up with the music. If you fall out of rhythm, your Patapons might fall and stop moving entirely - or stop attacking when in the middle of a bossfight. 

Make no mistake - this isn’t a button-mash-y type of game. You have to pay attention, especially in later levels when things get particularly hostile. All these combos have to sit in your head, ready for input as quickly as possible. The game even entices you to keep combos going, by making your Patapons move faster and attack harder if you don’t miss a beat. 

Much more complex than it looks

Patapon 2 might look like a cutesy children’s game, but this thing boasts over 50 hours of gameplay if you really want to get everything done. It’s not a simple, small game - though it can be if you want to bum-rush through it all. This game is a lot more than just beating a drum and getting your troops to either move or attack. 

It’s absolutely packed to the brim with content too. First off, the RPG mechanics on display here make things a little complicated. You’ll find yourself collecting a whole bunch of items, armour and weaponry after every level, which can then be equipped to your slowly-building Patapon army. In between missions, you go back to a small hub world - where you can customise Patapons, save your game and just hang out with your tiny little friends. 

You can either equip all these items to specific Patapons, or just press a button that gives everyone the best stuff you have available. Personally, I would opt for the latter - it's just easier. Patapons come in different shapes and sizes, as well. Different types of Patapons are better-suited for different types of activities, and you can develop these classes via the Tree of Life. This gives you an evolution screen, so you can tinker with them to your liking. 

You know how you can tell an RPG is an RPG? When it forces you to grind. Certain maps change after you’ve played them once, and that’s because you’re meant to play them again. Come back later with more stuff and better skills, and you might end up running off with even better loot on your second go. You’ll have to grind a couple levels out to get items and materials to evolve and activate different types of Patapons, but it’s honestly worth it. The grinding bit isn’t much fun, though. 

A bit of a technical mess

Patapon 2 Remastered is an upgrade to its PSP version, of course. You can now play it on native 4K on the PlayStation 4 Pro, and on 1080p on base PlayStation consoles. However, it’s worth noting that a couple cutscenes are still stuck in their original PSP resolutions, and look downright ugly on the big screen now - especially when real gameplay looks much, much better in comparison. 

While playing the game, I also noticed that as a rhythm game - Patapon 2 Remastered is more than a little broken. There’s a pretty irritating amount of input lag, meaning that it takes a little longer for the game to register an action when you’ve already pressed the button. In any other game, this could just be a minor annoyance, but in a rhythm game? It’s particularly noticeable, and can even throw a wrench in your best laid plans when things get intense. Instead of listening to the music and beating your drum accordingly, you’ll now have to take into account the input lag - when you really shouldn’t have to. 

You also have to take into account that this game flat-out hasn’t aged well. Its rhythm-based gameplay feels far too niche 12 years after its release, and that’s no surprise. We’ve moved on from games like Patapon, and that might make people who loved the original sad - but even old fans might come back to this game with some reservations. Going through 2D levels at a slow pace, making sure all your equipment fits just right, grinding through levels and enduring various typos in a very thin story just… doesn’t feel that satisfying anymore. 

Verdict

Patapon 2 Remastered is extremely endearing. This game is a completely unnecessary throwback to a time I had almost forgotten, and that makes me appreciate it just a little bit more. Patapons are adorable little creatures, and I’m sorry I never got to know them sooner. The music accompanying the game is a real earworm, too. Even now, I still walk around the house muttering ‘pata pata pata pon’, irritating everyone I am with. 

Unfortunately, in the midst of massive game releases like Dreams, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX and more, we have no shortage of adorable spoonfuls of nostalgia. Patapon 2 Remastered barely cut it as a 2008 PSP game, but as a 2020 PlayStation 4 game? This is a remaster with barely any additions or fixes to speak of besides an increased resolution, with bad input lag and extremely dated game mechanics. 

If you love Patapon 2 Remastered and adore rhythm-based gameplay, you’re going to like this game a lot. If you don’t… you might actually grow to hate Patapon 2 Remastered instead. 

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.