Man, every Parappa game is fantastic. People kinda hate on this one because it’s definitely way too hard, but it’s 2023 and I can save state my way through relatively painlessly so I don’t care. People say the songs suck but honestly I think that’s bonkers. The lyrics aren’t anything to write home about (and it can be difficult to follow the rhythm of the vocal lines with your guitar - they shoulda just had it be all guitars), but I think the songs are still great! The guitar lines are really good, and the songs are fun to listen to despite the lyrics.

The biggest issue is that it’s kind of impossible to tell what timing the game wants you to follow, even when you know what rhythm to play and you seem to have done it perfectly. There are lots of complicated patterns that feel good to hit but then you end up losing points somehow anyway and it can really take the wind outta your sails. This game makes me want the exact same game but with more functional rhythm mechanics, or even one where you can press any button as it suggests a pattern to you. It’s fun and usually sounds great to hit the wrong button at the right time, and a game like this would still be totally functional if it just roughly scored based on rhythm and let players hit whatever button they wanted for different preset sound clips.

This one definitely has some of the best cutscenes in the Parappa series. “I gotta believe” is way snappier than “My guitar is in my mind,” but Lammy’s story feels much more intentional than Parappa 1’s, and her insecurity feels very real and tangible compared to stuff in either Parappa. There’s a lot of bonus stuff after you beat the game to keep you playing, too. Parappa 2 is my true favorite, but in a perfect world this one would probably be the best one!

If you don’t like this game, youuuu might be a hater. Use them save states. You gotta believe!