Parappin'
Game: Parappa the Rapper
Developer: NaNaOn-Sha
Developer: NaNaOn-Sha
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PSP
Available: Since about 1997
Is it ever enough just to be first? Think about the games that kick started genres and sub-genres and precious few remain at the pinnacle for too long. Tetris, sure. Mario 64 ... perhaps, though it could be argued that it has been surpassed. Goldeneye? Dethroned.
And so it comes to Parappa the Rapper to show those young whipper-snappers that followed that he remains relevant; he’s just gotta believe. Alas, for time has not been too kind to that dog wot fancies a sunflower and it seems that he suffers from a chronic condition of not being Gitaroo Man. The signs are everywhere: the title screen doesn’t say Gitaroo Man, the songs aren’t from Gitaroo Man, there’s no Mojo, Mojo King Bee and, worst of all, the entire experience severely lacks stadium rock. Bad form.
While it may seem unfair to dismiss Parappa the Rapper for not being another game, there’s no escaping the fact that the entire experience feels pointless. The genre has moved on, games have moved on and while the dog may have seemed radical at the time, he feels conservative and old-fashioned now. It all feels a bit Cliff Richard.
The mechanics of the game feel old, the songs (bar the Driving Lesson) lack punch next to Gitaroo’s set or, even, Un Jammer Lammy; next to what is on offer now, the simple follow-my-lead play style reduces the game to feeling like one long QTE. We’ve moved on, it’s time he did too.
Is it ever enough just to be first? Think about the games that kick started genres and sub-genres and precious few remain at the pinnacle for too long. Tetris, sure. Mario 64 ... perhaps, though it could be argued that it has been surpassed. Goldeneye? Dethroned.
And so it comes to Parappa the Rapper to show those young whipper-snappers that followed that he remains relevant; he’s just gotta believe. Alas, for time has not been too kind to that dog wot fancies a sunflower and it seems that he suffers from a chronic condition of not being Gitaroo Man. The signs are everywhere: the title screen doesn’t say Gitaroo Man, the songs aren’t from Gitaroo Man, there’s no Mojo, Mojo King Bee and, worst of all, the entire experience severely lacks stadium rock. Bad form.
While it may seem unfair to dismiss Parappa the Rapper for not being another game, there’s no escaping the fact that the entire experience feels pointless. The genre has moved on, games have moved on and while the dog may have seemed radical at the time, he feels conservative and old-fashioned now. It all feels a bit Cliff Richard.
The mechanics of the game feel old, the songs (bar the Driving Lesson) lack punch next to Gitaroo’s set or, even, Un Jammer Lammy; next to what is on offer now, the simple follow-my-lead play style reduces the game to feeling like one long QTE. We’ve moved on, it’s time he did too.
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