Patapon 2

The drums thunder again, and this time even louder. Patapon 2 from 2008 followed on from the cult first installment and took everything that worked to expand it into depth. Sony had clearly taken a liking to its idiosyncratic experiment with rhythm strategy, and fans got a sequel that bet on the familiar formula enriched with new possibilities.

The core remains the same and just as addictive. Using rhythmic sequences on four buttons you command your Patapons to march, attack and defend, and keeping a perfect rhythm again pays off in the form of a boosted "fever" state. The sequel, however, adds depth: expanded options for developing units, new types of warriors and more room for how you assemble and upgrade your little army.

The visual and audio identity remained faithful to the original. The silhouette style, bold colors and that hypnotic rhythm which fuses music with gameplay into a single whole. It's precisely this unmistakability that's the reason the series won a devoted audience and why the sequel didn't need to reinvent the wheel — it was enough to thoughtfully expand the good things.

In the context of the PSP it's a further confirmation that Sony saw its handheld as a space for authored, fresh titles too. Patapon 2 showed that the idea from the first installment had enough strength to carry a full-fledged sequel and didn't remain merely a one-off curiosity.

Anyone who took a liking to the first Patapon will find here everything they loved, only in a bigger and more elaborate package. And anyone just entering the series will get one of the most distinctive rhythm experiences on a handheld console.

Why play: A bigger and deeper sequel to the cult rhythm strategy. The same addictive drumming, just with more possibilities.