Patapon
2007
- music
- real time strategy (rts)
- strategy
- action
- comedy
- single player
The story
Set among a variety of colorful 2D backgrounds, Patapon unfolds through more than 30 missions with more than 20 different environments, where players are tasked with outfitting the Patapon army, collecting resources, and using strategy to grow the tribe into a devastating fighting force. Incorporating various button-timed drumbeats in real-time to control the Patapons, players will strategically traverse through each environment, battling enemies each step of the way. The game presents a variety of warrior types such as archers, infantry, cavalry, and more that players can unlock, along with a wide selection of more than 100 weapon and shield upgrades, allowing players to customize their forces throughout the funky adventure.
What it’s like
Flat, painted 2D tableaux stacked in layers of sunset orange, teal and bruised violet, with a hand-drawn, almost woodcut quality to the one-eyed tribal figures marching across them. The soundtrack is the engine of the whole experience: tribal drum patterns, chanted call-and-response and bright percussive loops that rise and fall with each button-timed beat, so the sound and the screen pulse together. Sessions move in a steady side-scrolling march that shifts through day and night, with quiet camp-building interludes that feel like tending a small, stubborn tribe. Violence is cartoonish and bloodless; enemies burst into puffs and the tone stays playful, goofy and low-stakes, with a light sense of mock-epic absurdity. Its rhythm rewards patience and a steady ear more than fast reflexes, and the mood is warm, funky and mildly hypnotic, suited to an unhurried evening, a headphone session with the lights low, or a lazy weekend when you want something upbeat and strange. Good for players who enjoy rhythm games, light strategy and whimsical art, and gentle enough for anyone who wants fun without gore or grim tension.
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