Sony have managed to release one of the most original and inventive ganmes for the PSP. Titled Patapon, it is a beat style of game similar to Parappa the Rapper, a game which they also pioneered. The Patapons themselves are miniscule beings with a strong warrior ehtic. Unfortunately, that very ethic has been long gone since they were forced to abandon their land which also cost them the presence of a mysterious being referred to as the "Almighty". The Almighty had a pair of mystical drums that drove them forward and in their absence, they find themself without purpose. The beats in the game are played out along the edges of the screen and correspond to one of each face button. These beats become known as the Pulse of the Earth and are used to direct the Patapons in their quest to regain their land and fight off the evil Zigoton army. The moves are quite comprehensive and range from attacking, retreating and moving your troops around the field. You can even control long range and melee fighters aorund the arena as well. You don't have the ability to have all these fighters at your beck and call but you can have up to 3 different fighter classes bringing another element of strategy to the fold as well.
Graphically, it's what we've come to expect from the PSP. Bright and shiny colours fill the screen adding to the action revolving around you. Fuunily enough though, one of the biggest shortcomings of the game is that it doesn't have a pause feature meaning that when you start a mission, you're 100% committed to it. If you have to pause right in the middle of a fray, then you're going to have to start that mission all over again and seeing as how it's a game based around rhythm and timing, we suggest only playing it if you've got a spare 10-15 minutes up your sleeve. It's not really a title that you can pick up and put down when you're done with it.
Taking all that into account, this is still a remarkable game and is definitely a step in the right direction for Sony and the PSP. They just need to start translating this quirky idea for games over the PS3 before that meets an untimely demise.