Patapon 2
SonyPlayStation Portable
Review by Hayden Meikle
A pata-what?: Patapon, a mythic race of tiny one-eyed creatures who used to flourish but have fallen on hard times.
Sequel to: Patapon (February 2008), the first in the series of unusual, rhythm-based, cartoonish, Japanese anime-inspired strategy games.
How it works: Press the buttons in time with a drum. Really, that's about it.
The story: The Patapon set sail for the end of the world when their boat is attacked by a huge sea monster. Battles - on land - with a new enemy ensue.
You play: Their god, controlling the Drum of Valour. Tell them when to march and when to fight, depending on the sequence of buttons.
New stuff: A hero ability, which gives one of your wee blokes the ability to perform super moves.
New characters: The Toripon, a birdlike creature specialising in long-range attacks; the Robopon, a powerful robotic unit; and the Mahopon, a mage-like unit.
The good: Catchy gameplay.
The bad: Preparing your squad for battle remains elusively confusing.
