Gaming

Patapon 2 Remastered review: Held back by a beat

Staying true to the original, except for a few things

Published

March 16, 2020

Gab Orlina

When I first got a PlayStation Portable, Patapon 2 was not in my list of games to purchase upon receiving it. I gravitated towards games that mostly included combat or exploration — the two things Patapon, as a whole, wasn’t. Even when the first game got remastered for the PlayStation 4, I still didn’t bother trying it out.

So I’ve decided to finally give Patapon 2 Remastered a shot, with knowledge of the first game from some of my friends. I wanted a change of pace from all the shooter and racing games that I needed to just settle down for a bit. Maybe a game about rhythm and matching button mashing to drum beats can be a good change of pace.

Faithful to the original?

Patapon 2 Remastered brings back the core gameplay of the 2009 original, which is pretty simple. It’s a game of matching the beat of the Patapons’ drums using every button on the right of the controller. In order to progress through the game, you will learn button combinations to move, attack, and defend against enemies. Also, to add more power to attacks, you have to sustain the combos without going off-sync.

If this is your first time ever playing any Patapon game, it’s a game mechanic that requires some patience. Timing the button presses to the beat alone is actually stress-inducing enough, but it’s not a steep learning curve. After some practice, you will get used to it; even if you mess up, there’s no penalty.

For those who have played the original game before, it’s nothing groundbreaking. The overall experience of the original is preserved in many ways, from the beat-matching to the combat style. If anything, gameplay feels a lot stricter in terms of syncing your button presses. But there is one flaw that the remaster has, which I’ll get to later.

Beautified original

I felt like the only real change this remaster has is in its visuals. I get it, the technology at the time of its release fails in comparison to today so that had to be expected. But, this wasn’t just slapping in crisper lines and darkening the fill on the Patapon army.

Overall, Patapon 2 Remastered gained the HD facelift that improved depth in background and character outlines. Colors in the background are more vibrant, and they hardly ever looked washed compared to the original. Animations were also snappier by comparison, proving that timing is of great importance for a game like this.

Differences and flaws from the original

Although, like any remaster done in the last few years, some things had to change. For one, the multiplayer option for certain features was removed. Patapon 2 for the PS4 is now just a single player adventure game, which isn’t much of a dealbreaker anyway. In its place, though, the game gives you all friendship-based equipment to use. Older players may have mixed feelings over this, but it really depends on how much you value nostalgia.

And another thing that’s changed, or at least is now a problem, is some level of input lag. The original game on the PSP didn’t have that much input lag — last time I checked. The game somehow thrived on smaller screens, so button mashing seemed like a total breeze at the time.

When you transition that to much larger screens, plus more enhanced visuals and controls, the problem starts to settle in. Several times, I literally kept saying, “I swear I pushed the button on the beat” whenever I input the right combinations. I know I should keep trying harder to match the drum beat, but even if I do match the beat it just won’t work. It’s wasting precious combos for stronger attacks.

Should you give it a try?

Listen, Patapon 2 Remastered is one good game when you need to pass some time. It’s all rhythm-based, and with enough patience and mastery you’ll finish the game in no time. If you’re one of the more nostalgic fans out there, it remains true to most of the original game.

I still fairly enjoyed the game even with the amount of input lag I experienced. I even found myself jamming to the beat just to keep the combo streak going. Also, I didn’t mind that it was now just a single player game, which I think most people would enjoy.

Overall, it’s one of those classic games that’s worth giving a try. It’s not as action-packed, and not as visually breathtaking, but it is fun to play on your own.

Related Topics:Patapon 2 Patapon 2 Remastered

Gaming

There’s a new Batman Arkham game coming

Exclusive to VR

Published

May 3, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

The world of Batman Arkham is not done. Despite concluding the trilogy with the successful Arkham Knight, the series occasionally makes a comeback. Now, it’s time to make another trip to the immersive grimdark world. Batman: Arkham Shadow is the next entry to the series, exclusive to the Meta Quest 3.

The franchise’s trips outside of the main trilogy are a mixed bag. No disrespect to those who actually liked the game, but Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League just was not it. Though the game promised a return to Rocksteady’s iconic Arkham formula, the resulting game was a live-service mess. Arkham Origins was, at least, a decent play. Finally, the franchise’s first foray into VR, Arkham VR, was lauded for its gameplay but criticized for its length.

Arkham Shadow brings the franchise back to virtual reality. While the previous VR-exclusive was already a marvel of its technology, the upcoming title represents an evolution for hardware. Based on the official teaser, it will have updated graphics, giving Arkham City just that extra bite of darkness.

Currently, the trailer does not reveal anything about the game’s mechanics. More details are scheduled for release during the Summer Game Fest in June.

Though Arkham Shadow is certainly set in the eponymous universe, Rocksteady is not helming the development. Instead, Oculus Studios and Camouflaj are behind the title.

As for confirmed lore, the title looks like it will feature Ratcatcher, the villain who — surprise, surprise — controls rats. You might recognize the villain from 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn.

Gaming

Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO: New trailer, more characters revealed

It’s master vs. apprentice this time

Published

May 3, 2024

GadgetMatch

Today, Bandai Namco has released another trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. The clip focuses on master-apprentice duels this time, expanding on what we know so far about the upcoming latest installment of the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi fighting game series.

In the trailer, we see an epic series of battles between master and apprentice pairings. These include Piccolo against Gohan, Master Roshi against Krillin and Yamcha, Trunks versus Gohan, and a lot more. We also see Android 17 and Android 18 and one-armed Gohan towards the end of the trailer.

Even better news: it has been confirmed that 10 more playable characters have been included to the roster:

Gohan (Kid)
Gohan (Adult)
Gohan (Future)
Gohan (Future), Super Saiyan
Trunks (Sword)
Trunks (Sword), Super Saiyan
Videl
Beerus
Whis
Master Roshi

After the announcement of 24 Gokus and Vegetas, as well as 11 more characters about two months ago, the build-up definitely continues for the fighting game. With more and more playable characters, that means endless combinations for players to enjoy, all while indulging in stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5 and tailor-made for new-gen consoles.

Bandai Namco previously released exclusive gameplay footage from the title two months ago. This gave fans a preview upcoming fighting game’s 3D action-battle mechanics, with no less than rivals Goku and Vegeta leading the way.

The latest trailer, meanwhile, just let fans dive further into the graphical capabilities of the title. From the lightning-paced combat highlighted in the master-apprentice showdowns, to the characters’ in-action effects itself, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is building itself as a visual masterpiece.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).

Gaming

TEKKEN 8: Brand new story, 2nd DLC character announced

Season 1 roadmap unveiled

Published

May 2, 2024

GadgetMatch

Enjoying TEKKEN 8 so far? The title’s upcoming roadmap for the rest of 2024 has been revealed at EVO Japan, giving fans more reasons to keep playing Arika and Bandai Namco’s beloved fighting game.

There will be an all-new story coming to TEKKEN 8‘s Story Mode, which will be released in the future. Additionally, Lidia Sobieski has been confirmed as the second DLC character. She will be joining the roster this summer. It can be recalled that Eddy Gordo was the first character DLC for TEKKEN 8, joining the roster last April 4.

No specific date has been mentioned yet regarding Lidia Sobieski. Lidia made her franchise debut back in TEKKEN 7 as a DLC for the Season 4 Pass.

Meanwhile, adjustments to the battle system will be rolled out starting this spring. The game’s development team continues to work on improving balance and player experience. New modes such as Ghost vs. Ghost and Online Practice, on the other hand, will also be added at a later date.

Moreover, a new summer-themed stage, “Seaside Resort” will be available for free. Lastly, a brand new story will also be part of another free update in autumn. This new story will involve no less than Eddy Gordo.

ALSO READ: TEKKEN 8 closes a violent chapter to begin anew

TEKKEN World Tour

Also keeping TEKKEN fans busy for the next few months is the TEKKEN World Tour. The sixth season of this global tournament kicked off recently. Players across the globe compete to earn points and earn their place at the finals to be named The King of Iron Fist.

There will be a total of two Master+ events, 10 Master Events, and 14 Challenger Events worldwide for competitors to join. For more information on tour partners, event dates, locations, and signups, visit tekkenworldtour.com.