A rhythm-fueled roguelike adventure with a charming twist.
If you had a PSP in the late 2000s, you may remember how fun and strange Patapon was. It was a rhythm-based strategy game where you controlled troops by playing music. Ratatan brings the spirit of that game into the modern age by combining rhythmic commands with roguelike gameplay.
The result is a crazy but fun experience. Ratatan was designed to be a spiritual successor, but it doesn’t just rely on nostalgia; it ventures into its own territory with confidence. The concepts of marching and singing that were borrowed from the game’s predecessor demonstrate that the developers have a deep passion for the genre.
They have also introduced procedural generation, permadeath challenges, and a greater emphasis on tactical depth. Unlike most sequels, Ratatan doesn’t just improve on old ideas; it also adds new levels to the gameplay, giving both rhythm game fans and people who have never played one before a new experience.
Fighting and overcoming obstacles while traversing automatically generated terrains and environments with other beasts. The story isn’t very deep, but that’s on purpose—the attention is on the gameplay and how fun it is to see your little army follow your rhythmic cues.
Still, Ratatan tells stories in a variety of ways, including through subtle humor, sudden danger, and the surroundings. As you play, the world gives you hints about its past and the creatures’ beginnings, giving what at first seems like a simple rhythm strategy game a surprisingly rich background. It’s fun to watch these tiny armies struggle and win under your command, making stories that feel like they belong to you alone.
Army commands that are built on rhythm are what Ratatan is all about. It would initially seem deceptively simple: press buttons in a precise order to issue commands, and your units will follow through. On the other hand, there is a deep layer of planning below this. It’s very important to time your moves right because attacks, defenses, and special skills only work if you do them correctly.
In most rhythm games, missing a beat is annoying, but in this one, mistakes have real effects. An attack that comes at the wrong time could cost units, but it’s also a chance to change plans on the spot. You can change the units in your army between fights by picking which ones to recruit or improve based on their strengths and how you like to play. This constant micromanagement makes the game loop interesting without ever feeling like work.
When you fight in Ratatan, the game really shines. Each battle is like a puzzle: the types of enemies you face, the terrain, and the dangers in the surroundings all affect how you carry out your rhythm commands. You’re not just pressing buttons; you’re planning moves, guessing how enemies will act, and putting together combos that do the most damage with the least amount of damage lost.
The roguelike aspects make this even better. Every time you play, the enemies, hurdles, and rewards are moved around randomly, so no two fights are the same. This makes the fighting interesting, but if you miss a rhythm sequence at the wrong time, it can feel punishing. Some players may find it challenging to learn at first, but if they persevere, they’ll be rewarded for their good time and planning.
Pattern recognition is a big part of both battle and exploration puzzles. Units have unique skills that can interact with environmental triggers to do things like break down barriers, set off traps, or reveal secret ways. Rhythmic movement and puzzle-solving work together to create a challenging experience that keeps you thinking, rather than just responding.
In Ratatan, you get experience points by beating enemies, achieving goals, and following exact command sequences. You can level up your units and get new rhythm commands and special skills as you gain XP. This creates a feedback loop where good play is quickly rewarded, reinforcing the rhythm-based gameplay and allowing your army to make real progress.
The grind is well-balanced. You have to do run after run to unlock the strongest powers, but the procedural nature of the game keeps the grind from getting boring. Every run feels different, and the chance of dying again makes the choices you make matter.
As time goes on, you get better at both mechanics and strategy, which makes the army feel more and more like an extension of yourself. Ratatan is beautiful to look at. The designs for the characters are cute and silly, and each unit has its own personality that comes through even in outline form.
The landscapes are bright and varied, with lush woods and dangerous mountain peaks. The maps are always changing because of procedural generation, and the game does a great job of using visual cues to show dangers and how enemies will act.
The animation is fast and smooth, especially during rhythm scenes. It’s satisfying to see your units march in time, swing their weapons, or avoid attacks. This makes every small victory a visually satisfying moment. The style resembles a cartoon, but the attention to detail and polish lend it a sense of realism and purpose.
Ratatan is all about sound creation. There are sound cues for every order, attack, and interaction with the environment. The rhythmic beats aren’t just for show; they’re also crucial for keeping time. The sounds of your army chanting, weapons clashing, and the surroundings all come together to make a musical tapestry that makes both immersion and strategy better.
The music is one of the best parts. It’s full of upbeat, catchy songs that get better as you play. You can easily tell the difference between enemy sounds, your directions, and other sounds around you because the sound quality is so good.
This careful layering makes it easy to follow the beat while maintaining a musically interesting experience. Ratatan speaks rhythmically like a native speaker. The game knows that rhythm is more than just a function.
Ratatan is one of the few games that does a great job of combining rhythm mechanics with roguelike tactics. It stands out in the crowded indie scene thanks to its mix of tactical fighting, procedural challenges, and cute presentation.
The learning curve could frighten off new players, and certain runs might seem unfair, but the game’s rewarding feedback loops and changing tale more than make up for it. Every run is like a mini adventure, and how well you perform relies on how well you organize your actions and how much time you have.
Ratatan is a one-of-a-kind, fun experience for people who like rhythm games, strategy games, or just cute indie adventures. Its graphics, sounds, and gameplay loop all work together to make a world that feels complete and stays in your mind. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’ve played Patapon before or this is your first time playing a rhythm-strategy mix.
