Patapon

By Sam Prescott

Rhythm games – Elite Beat Agents, Parappa the Rapper, Dance Dance Revolution, Donkey Kong Jungle beat. Action games – well, I’d be a moron to get started. But how many action/rhythm hybrids are there? None - except Patapon.

In Patapon you play as the ‘Almighty,’ a force revered by the Patapon tribe as their god. The Patapons have such respect for the Almighty, in fact, that when you start banging drums, they’ll up and go to war. Using the PSP’s buttons, you’ll need to memorize and tap out beats to the music in the game to issue commands to your tribe. The tribe will then march against other tribes and the game’s many other enemies.

Tackling a huge fire-breathing dragon won’t be a hassle if you know your stuff. You can get access to learned beats (each attached to a different command – protect, attack, etc) by hitting Select, but quick thinkers and sharp minds will do best in this game. The Patapons won’t be your only fighting force, as you’ll have access to other tribes with varying abilities and will need to call on them as the action dictates.

There are plenty of videos and screen shots around for this title, as it is generating quite a buzz. It looks like the developers have put plenty of time and effort into producing a very different title with the ability to appeal to a wide range of gamers.

Truly the wonder of Patapon is the unique control style – sprites directed by sound rather than a tap of a stylus or pressing a directional button. It’s a great take on the beat genre – if that’s really where it belongs.

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