Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Reviews
Fans of previous games and Japanese music, including the dozens of anime themes available here, will find a charming and compelling package in DON-chan's latest outing. Others might not appreciate the lack of variety in the basic library, which seems to demand that players fork over for the more robust offerings of the Music Pass. It rubs me the wrong way when, at launch, the base version of a game contains but a fraction of what can be purchased or rented digitally. There's no denying the cute and colorful characters of the Taiko no Tatsujin world, but you're almost forced to pay a premium to keep the party going.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another solid entry into this bizarre but lovable drumming rhythm game. The 70 songs included within the game offer plenty of variety, but it’s a shame some of the best tracks are locked behind the Taiko Music Pass subscription. The multiplayer modes on offer are a welcome touch, but if you’re expecting more minigames like Drum ‘n’ Fun, you may be disappointed. This is more about the music, and we can’t really fault that.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has potential, but with it's overwhelming animations and pricey day-one DLCs, it's hard to recommend to anyone looking to get into the series.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another solid entry in the franchise, but it's also a very safe one. The core gameplay is still a lot of fun and that might well be enough for some players. For others, the distinct lack of modes on offer may result in a rather short-lived experience, particularly if you're not looking to dive into the Taiko Music Pass subscription service. Still, with a chunky amount of songs available from the start, Rhythm Festival is a no-brainer for fans of the series; you know what you're getting into, and we think you're going to like it.
Taiko no Tatsujin has always been a fun rhythm game. The new Rhythm Festival series is the best entry point for beginners who want to learn more about Bandai Namco's music game, but there are still some concerns about the model chosen for paying for the many additional tracks not found in the basic edition.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Despite it could have had more free songs (you have to pay a subscription to unlock the game's full potential), Rhythm Festival still manages to be enjoyable and extremely fun.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Taiko no Tatsujin series offers hours of pure taiko drumming fun. The latest game is a great entry point for newcomers, with the Improvement Support mode helping them practice every available song and get them on track to becoming a taiko drum master.
The creators have captured the atmosphere and the nuances of Japan culture as well as possible. Even the voices we hear when choosing almost anything in the game, are typically Japanese - sweet and amusing. In the case of such a cheerful production, this is a huge advantage, which once again emphasizes that this is a game for people of all ages, fully Family Friendly. With many songs available, everyone should find something they like, and the available modes will certainly provide plenty of joy.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a great game, and I would argue that this is the best entry point for beginners to the Taiko games. Perhaps the only thing that prevents it from being a perfect title for everyone is the lack of a diverse minigame selection and the fact that you’re almost required to sign your soul in a subscription model to expand your playtime. Still, otherwise, it has a solid music selection with online support, making it a respectable and formidable package for both new and old fans of the series.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival finally arrives on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S without losing any of its charm that made it a great title on the Nintendo Switch. With a splendid tracklist and consistently fun gameplay, Bandai Namco’s production also features a handful of well-structured additional modes to break up the usual progression. The online component keeps players engaged. However, the lack of compatibility with older Taiko controllers forces those seeking the most authentic experience to purchase a new, expensive dedicated piece of plastic.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has the same core gameplay as other Taiko titles, but it continues to be a fun rhythm game that's easy to learn and hard to master (especially in the higher difficulties). Though the highlight of this new release is the various game modes that it has, including the story mode.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a very good game with a solid PC port. The base mechanics are classic, and they still work well, just like they did before. The song list is meaty enough, but the presence of both DLC and a Song Pass gives everyone the chance to expand their song library. While the drums give you the more authentic experience, the PC's natural ability to use a wider variety of control methods allows for the game to be more entertaining, if only to see what other odd peripherals people will use to play the game. Provided you're not averse to the lack of Western songs, you'll have a fun time with this game.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival features a killer setlist, a great difficulty curve, and a splash of flash. While the subscription-based Taiko Music Pass is a questionable addition, this title is well worth a drum solo (or quartet).
I would say Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a release for the more hardcore side of the Taiko fanbase, but that would be overlooking the sheer joy and accessibility of the main game. Perhaps I’m merely bitter at the lack of supplementary features, shallow party modes, and a somewhat cynical subscription service that makes Rhythm Festival lag behind Drum ‘n’ Fun. But ultimately, this is more Taiko, and more Taiko is good. It’s not my favourite of Bandai Namco’s outings on the Nintendo console, but it’s not without its charm either.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival proves to be another solid entry in the series. In terms of quantity and variety, the default song list is on the same level as Drum 'n Fun, and while the DLC will pad things out, the 30- and 90-day song passes do a much better job of making this feel like the most packed entry yet. The removal of minigames is a bit disappointing for those who liked them, but Great Drum Toy War and its strategic elements more than make up for it. It's a much better experience if you're willing to shell out for the drums, but even if you don't, you'll have fun with Rhythm Festival if you're a big rhythm game fan who isn't too hung up on grooving to familiar Western pop hits.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a solid new entry in Bandai Namco's rhythm game franchise, offering a roster of fresh music to enjoy, some creative new game modes, and more unlockables to have fun collecting. The game doesn't offer as many multiplayer options as its predecessor did, but does feature more to keep solo players occupied. Rhythm Festival also offers what is arguably the biggest addition the franchise has ever seen, the Taiko Music Pass-a new music subscription service that can greatly expand the life of the game while also bringing with it some additional concerns over our subscription-laiden future.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has a massive song list with multiple modes and addicting yet simple gameplay. The DLC and subscription service adds an incredible amount to that list, but does make me worry for the future of the game. Even so, this is a great choice if you want to jam out alone or with friends.
Taiko is not only an enjoyable rhythm title, but easily one of the best and most well-put together ever created.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is yet another colourful and adorable rhythm game in an excellent series. Its Great Drum Toy War mode helps shake things up and the online and local multiplayer components are genuinely a great deal of fun.
With so many control, training and customization options, it's an almost perfect package, with the only shortcomings being the distribution of music genres and the decision to not include at least the tracks already present in the previous game on the Nintendo Switch. But if we could recommend just one game in the series for the console, this is a good place to start!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review