PlayStation 4 Critic Reviews

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is focused on what makes the franchise enjoyable: its distinct take on rhythm gameplay. It may not have all sorts of extra mini-games and such but what's here is still a stellar entry in Namco's long-running series.

Bright, colourful and a lot of fun, Taiko no Tatsujin is a beat ‘em up I can really get behind.

Of course, the strength of Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session, beyond its time-honored musical mechanics, is the variety in its tracklist, its long list of goofy unlockables, and easily digestible score chasing.

Taiko is one of the greatest rhythm titles to ever exist, and although playing on a controller doesn’t quite replicate the true drumming feeling, Taiko No Tatsujin: Drum Session! is a masterful rhythm title that will hopefully continue to reach all fans for years to come.

Despite the lack of a physical Taiko drum controller, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session is a great game for rhythm fans. The songs are excellent, and although the amount of available DLC songs is overwhelming, there are more than a handful of tunes anyone can have a good time with. Better yet, the challenges presented by the bingo cards and online play give you plenty of incentive to start getting better at the whole soundtrack, and it's something you'd like to see utilized in other rhythm games. In short, Drum Session is well worth checking out.

All in all, there’s enough happening in Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! that can keep you entertained for a long time. If you’re looking for a challenge, you can try filling out all the Bingo cards, beating your own high scores, and playing with friends and strangers online. There are fun rewards and lots of familiar songs that make this game feel nostalgic yet new at the same time. While there was opportunity missed by not having the drum controller available here, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is still enjoyable by itself.

Without having the drum to test out, it is difficult to tell if Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is an inferior game without it, but it is still most definitely a fun rhythm title in its own right with the regular controller. With only a few note types - and, therefore, buttons - to remember, this is simple to pick up, and the support options make it highly accessible to rhythm casuals. The higher difficulties and plentiful options to add handicaps allow experts to test themselves freely, too. For a very Japanese themed rhythm game that is chock-full of tracks, Drum Session! is well worth a beat.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session achieves its goal of being incredibly simplistic but wonderfully addictive.

When you get down to it, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session is a two-button rhythm game with an obscure soundtrack. It certainly has a lot of personality, but there's just not enough to the game to hold your interest once the novelty wears off. Perhaps it would be different if you had the opportunity to play it with a drum controller, but we're not being given the opportunity to find that out for ourselves.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! has rock-solid drumming mechanics and a fair difficulty curve, but the amount of DLC available at launch is a little extreme. Buyer beware – this is one game that will cost completionists a pretty penny.