After all, what can you say about a SpongeBob SquarePants game that isn't centered around SpongeBob himself? Surprisingly, it's more than you'd expect, but less than you'd expect.
The easiest way to describe The Patrick Star Game is that it is Nickelodeon's attempt to replicate the Goat Simulator series. It's a pure sandbox map, with no real objectives or plot, just quests and activities to do with a cast of familiar characters. It's a departure from the platform-heavy Battle for Bikini Bottom and The Cosmic Shake, and is a refreshing way to set us free into this fascinating world. It's just that it's by no means admirable, doesn't deliver enough of the humor the animated series was once famous for, and is, for lack of a better word, quite janky. I know, Goat Simulator too, but it's not a good thing here.
Before you attack your favorite starfish too harshly, let's make one thing clear. Even though I was a 26-year-old male, I had a lot of fun playing this game. But honestly, I grew up with the show this game is based on. . Still, as a working adult I probably wouldn't have spent the £30 to £35 they charge for this experience. It's not outrageous and probably has more value and longevity to entertain your children. However, it was a higher requirement than I expected after playing for a while.
Okay, now I'm done hitting. It's a game that doesn't require much thought. Anything. That's really cool. All you have to do is run around, talk to a variety of characters, including the original voice cast, and take part in a few odd tasks. Search for treasures in junkyards, race your way through a driving school, find gloves in Glove World, or engage in Overcooked-style minigames where you order crab patties as an act of free labor to get a certain cheap crab. I'm glad it worked out this way. Story-driven platformers can be great, of course, but taking a step back from the Patrick-focused game do something – I think that's the best approach.
Earn Sand Dollars by performing tasks that don't really need an explanation, like driving the crowds out of Squidward's sunbathing spot or skydiving with Sandy. However, this is not real currency. The higher your score is based on how much work you've done, and the more you earn, you'll automatically unlock a variety of iconic costumes reminiscent of classic episodes of the TV show. It's a nice touch and a way to get more references in the game for fans of the series, but relying so heavily on new humor or character references fails to make it anything more than a good experience.
In terms of feeling janky, it's a physics-based sandbox with a dedicated option to reset the world because you know it's going to get messy quickly. But aside from having to reset everything due to my own problems, a quest I'd already spent some time on just… In some cases, we failed and had to start over.
I found 24 out of 30 objectives for a particular quest, but after looking at them for a while, there were no other objectives at all. It wasn't even across the entire map, just one specific location, and I spent an hour making sure I didn't miss anything. Of course, I appreciate having the option to restart the quest, but I wish it wasn't necessary. Otherwise, it's a cold, simple game that takes a lot of the fun out of it if you get stuck and have to go back.
Still, I know this is a SpongeBob game, so my expectations won't be too high. If you're looking for a fun sandbox experience with a variety of outfits to unlock, activities to perform, objectives to complete, and an open-ended yet compact bikini bottom to explore, there's no doubt that you'll have a great time here. Price tag aside. I'll probably keep playing until I get the platinum trophy. Because it is one of the easier games to play.
Patrick Star Game is fun and it's surprising to see the original cast return, but this deep-sea sandbox remains in relatively shallow waters despite its rich history of references and callbacks. It may be a safe bet to keep kids entertained for a while, but for adults who still have a soft spot for SpongeBob SquarePants, this is still a solid recommendation. When a game is on sale and you're looking for something. It's simple to work without hesitation.
