RATATAN (Early Access) Review – Chaotic, Rhythm Game Fun

Even in Early Access, RATATAN is an endearing rhythm game that brings a lot to the table.

Designed by the Patapon series’ original designer Hiroyuki Kotani, RATATA Arts’ RATATAN is looking to be everything a spiritual successor is supposed to be and more.

RATATAN – Story

As with most rhythm games, there isn’t a heavy overarching story in RATATAN.

You wake up as a lone adventurer called RATATAN who is suddenly tasked to help the floating ship fortress Fortrun in his search for the Goddess.

To do so, you must go through a variety of worlds in Eversong, commandeering an army of Cobun (or Kobun in Japanese!) to fight against regular foes and world bosses called Wardens.

Given that the game is still in Steam’s Early Access, there isn’t a definitive ending yet. So, you’ll just have to wait for when the game launches version 1.0 to get a more satisfying conclusion.

Gameplay & Features

RATATAN’s dynamic gameplay and features really make up for the lack of story depth and ending. And this is where my review will kinda get long, LOL, because there is a LOT to go through.

You can choose between eight different RATATAN, each offering distinct advantages to the party, and can command two types of Cobun. There are six Cobun types, each capable of wielding specific weapons and skills.

Eventually, you’ll be able to unlock a secondary weapon skill and mix and match Cobun types under one RATATAN. This makes every run dynamic. How far you get in each run depends on how you build your party.

In Early Access, there are five worlds to journey through. Each world has distinct mob enemies, mini-bosses, and a world-boss at the end.

When I mentioned that every run is different, I really mean, EVERY RUN IS DIFFERENT. At the end of every room in every world, you can choose “Goodies” or rewards. This can be materials, money, health, additional Cobun, or Ratakaruta.

Ratakaruta is like a random card system in RATATAN where you get skills and buffs depending on the card you pick from the lot. The efficacy of these buffs will depend on the rarity of the cards you get, which is random.

And, if you choose a certain number of Ratakaruta under the same element, you’ll activate Elemental Resonance, which gives you even more powerful buffs or action-activated attacks.

And then, there’s the game’s HQ – the Rataport. This is where you can prep before going on your next run.

You can switch between your RATATAN, pick your party of Cobun, and craft and equip different weapons for them as well.

Crafting equipment is very straightforward but the materials you gather during your runs will let you create more powerful weapons for your Cobun to dish out damage with.

You can also unlock new features for your runs, upgrade your RATATAN and Cobun’s skills, complete quests, and even increase the difficulty of every run in the Rataport!

Basically, RATATAN has everything that’s familiar in a roguelite, but with an extremely stylized visual design and catchy beats playing in the background.

In terms of gameplay and battle, Ratatan is basic because you simply need to time your button inputs according to the prompts. In true Patapon fashion, you can command your Cobun to attack, defend, jump, or execute special attacks.

Multiplayer is also available, with up to three (3) friends! So far I’ve only played with up to one friend, and that alone is incredibly hectic and fun. It also gets confusing if you decide to use the same RATATAN because you can’t tell which one of you is which, HAHAHA!

In Early Access, not all battle features have been implemented, but as far as I know, they have already added special attacks for the RATATAN themselves.

New enemies called Shadow RATATAN have also been introduced, challenging your skills more in every run. There is still a lot to expect from the devs, with equippable headgear for you Cobun, additional events, and even re-rolling of your Ratakaruta.

It’s a LOT to take in at once, but it gets very fun and satisfying when you’ve really figured out your favorite RATATAN, build, and mix of Cobun!

RATATAN – Visuals & Audio

There are a lot of people who bemoan the fact that RATATAN isn’t exactly like Patapon, looks-wise, but that’s exactly why I love it.

Compared to the Patapon series, which is more monochromatic, RATATAN is basically a giant splash of color thrown in your face. But the vibrancy is what really sets it apart for me.

I have to admit that seeing so much color and bright, flashing things on my screen makes it hard for me to time my button inputs properly, but I feel it’s all part of the game’s character.

In terms of audio and background music, I am obsessed with how the game has retained its quirkiness and upbeat tunes.

The Cobun chanting (and voice acting!) is adorable as ever, and I like how each of the RATATAN has their own distinct voice as well. Each world has a different set of beats, and completely matches the vibe of the environment, IMHO.

Given its Early Access status, the game currently has a limit of five worlds, which made me think about its replayability and longevity. You can only replay the same set of music over and over again, right?

But the devs have shared a content roadmap with plans to add a new world soon. So hopefully they can also provide the option of randomly shuffling them in the future so it won’t be too repetitive!

Experience & Impressions

To be honest, it’s really hard to find anything negative to say about RATATAN right now.

I’m being a little more forgiving because it’s still in Early Access, and isn’t fully launched. So, despite all the bugs and balancing issues, there’s still a lot of room for the developers to improve the entire game.

It has everything I love about rhythm games. Cute characters, dynamic gameplay, and LSS-worthy beats. And it has many aspects of a modern roguelite that I have come to expect – different rewards and outcomes for every run.

RATATAN is solid fun and I can’t wait to see how much more the devs will improve the game when it launches version 1.0. I’m giving it a 4.2/5 OMGs!, taking a little away because the game isn’t really complete yet.

And that’s another review for you guys, until next time! 🙂