There used to be a popular rhythm game series exclusive to PlayStation platforms, but it’s since become available almost everywhere. It was called Patapon and had a really addictive gameplay loop: rhythm-based gameplay where you controlled a group of warriors. You had to stay in rhythm while issuing commands, and if you did, your warriors would fight against and defeat enemies. Ratatan is the spiritual successor to the Patapon franchise, and I was immediately excited when I first saw it in development. There is a lot to love here, especially for long-time Patapon fans, but there are also changes that might get mixed reactions.

For starters, Ratatan is a rhythm roguelike action game. The roguelike aspect might turn off some fans, but it could also bring in new ones. Personally, I haven’t been a big fan of the roguelike concept. I completely understand why it is popular and why some people enjoy it; I have just never really been in that group. With that said, Ratatan does a great job trying to change that. It keeps the same rhythm-based gameplay from the aforementioned Patapon series. You still control a main guy, called a Ratatan. He leads a bunch of smaller warriors called Cobuns. You can use eight different types of Cobuns to build your army. At the start, only two are available: the “Mauler” and “Bombardier” Cobuns.

As a roguelike game, Ratatan has you go on different runs, trying to find loot that makes you stronger and improves your team’s overall health. This means you might play the same worlds over and over, since each run can be different depending on what loot you get. For example, it took me a few tries to get past the first world after the tutorial because my group is obviously very weak in the beginning. During my first run, I got a strong hammer. So once I got the Game Over screen and returned to the hub world, I gave my “Mauler” Cobun that strong hammer to use in combat. Then for my next run, I focused on picking up candy. After that run, I went to the Ratatan Dock to spend the candy on upgrades. I initially chose “Candy Love,” which lets me recover health points when I collect candy during runs. I then selected “From the Brink,” which brings my Ratatan back to life once per run after all his health is gone. You can buy several upgrades as you make your way through the game, so you will need to balance your choices and decide what to focus on to give yourself the best chance of survival. After a few runs and better equipment each time, I finally cleared the world and defeated the boss at the end.

I mentioned the hub world earlier, and that is where you put everything together for your team before embarking on a new run. At the start, there isn’t much available, but as you keep playing, new shops will open, and new opportunities will arrive to strengthen your party. For example, there is the crafting shop. This is where you can upgrade weapons. Did you find two mallots during your last run? If one mallot was Level 7 and one was Level 9, you can combine them to make a more powerful weapon. Once you have enough supplies, you can also craft new weapons entirely. Next is the “Support Desk,” where you can buy upgrades, such as increasing the number of Cobun that can fight with you on the battlefield or unlocking a new store entirely. There is also a store where you can trade in items that you find, as well as the aforementioned Ratatan Dock. For completionists, there is also the Quest Board. The Quest Board gives you different objectives to complete. They range from “acquire 5 weapons” to clearing a specific world and more. There are also Ratatan quests such as clearing three worlds with a specific Ratatan or defeating 100 minibosses with a specific Ratatan and things of that nature. Completionists should have a lot of fun here as it will definitely add some gameplay time to your adventure.

As for the minute-to-minute gameplay, it is all rhythm-based. The Ratatan controls the Cobun, and they will only respond if you issue an order in rhythm. To attack a foe, tap the same button three times in the right rhythm. To get everyone in line, tap another button three times. If an enemy is about to unleash a big attack, you can issue a guard command by tapping a button once, waiting a moment, and then tapping it again. If you can perform successful commands repeatedly and in succession, Fever Mode will activate, boosting your overall power and allowing you to unleash Super Fever Skills. The background music will also change to give you an audio cue of what is happening. While doing this, you also need to keep an eye on your Ratatan’s health. If his health reaches zero, the game ends. If the Cobuns get taken out, they will eventually return after a short period of time. Still, once your Ratatan loses all his health, it is game over, and you return to the hub world to see what you collected during that run.

There is a bit of strategy involved as you move through the worlds. They are broken down into different areas such as “Interval” and “Battle”. During an interval, you are presented with some choices. You can choose to obtain a Ratakaruta with a specific attribute, then choose what you want in the next section. For example, you might be in front of a gate and see both a donut and a piece of candy. By choosing one, the gate will open, and you will get a chance to earn that item. If you do, it can be used to upgrade your party, as I mentioned earlier in this review. When you choose the Ratakaruta, you’ll be given a few different choices. For example, if you choose the poison one, you might be able to pick “Toxic Curse,” “Poison Pinch,” or “Boss Basher.” The one you pick depends on what you are trying to accomplish. The “Battle” portion of the stages should be self-explanatory.

For those brand new to this type of gameplay, or potentially rhythm games in general, several options are available. For example, “Welcome Mode” can reduce the damage you take whenever your Ratatan is unable to fight. You can also display the rhythm commands on screen so you don’t have to memorize everything, and choose how the rhythm gauge appears. There is quite a bit to go through here to fine-tune your experience the way you want. It is always appreciated when developers take the extra time to make a game more accessible to a wider audience.

While thinking about my time with the Game, I don’t really have any complaints about Ratatan. I’m not a huge fan of the roguelike genre as I stated earlier, but I think this Game handles it well. I can see myself spending more time with the game, trying to improve my party to advance and take out bosses that have initially been giving me trouble. The music is great and is a core feature of this Game. I will say that you will have to get used to the timing of the beats during gameplay. It seems like you need to push the button a moment or two before you think you should to keep a good rhythm, so keep that in mind while playing. It is easy to mess up your flow by missing the timing on a command. Some fans might be disappointed it doesn’t have a more straightforward approach like the Patapon games, but if you liked those games, be sure to give Ratatan a chance.

Overall, Ratatan has made me spend more time on it than I have on other roguelikes, which is a compliment. It held my attention when a lot of others haven’t. If you aren’t a big fan of the genre, I would still recommend giving this one a try. There is a learning curve, and you will have to accept potentially getting decimated at first. Still, if you stick with it and learn the rules, you can build a powerful party to get revenge on those very same enemies. It can be really satisfying to finally beat that boss that gave you trouble on earlier runs and watch your party go from a weak group of soldiers to a powerful force that can run through any opposition it faces.