SpongeBob SquarePants™: The Patrick Star Game is an undeniable step backward for the franchise, especially when compared to its more recent and ambitious predecessors, *SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated* and *SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake*. It’s not just a minor slip; it’s a downgrade in nearly every conceivable way, and frankly, it’s frustrating to see such a beloved franchise take such a misstep.

Let’s start with the gameplay. *Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated* was a masterclass in how to properly remaster a classic. It updated the original game’s mechanics with smoother controls, better visuals, and expanded content, all while staying true to what made the original so beloved. Then *The Cosmic Shake* took things even further, offering a more expansive and creatively ambitious experience with diverse worlds, inventive platforming, and a fully realized story that felt like an authentic SpongeBob adventure. Both of these titles succeeded because they took what was great about *SpongeBob* games and modernized it without sacrificing the charm or the unique appeal of the franchise.

Enter *The Patrick Star Game*, and it’s immediately clear that the developers missed the mark. The game’s mechanics feel clunky and outdated, and rather than building on the foundations of previous titles, it feels like a relic of an earlier, less polished era. The platforming lacks the smoothness that made *Rehydrated* and *Cosmic Shake* such joys to play, and there’s a noticeable lack of variety in the gameplay. Patrick's moveset is limited, making even the most basic tasks feel tedious and uninspired. While it’s understandable that this game is focused on Patrick, the character, the entire experience feels shallow in comparison to what we’ve seen in the recent games, both in terms of design and execution.

Then there’s the visual fidelity. *Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated* boasted bright, vibrant graphics that captured the whimsy of the show’s animation. *The Cosmic Shake* continued that trend with impressive artistic design, offering worlds that were as visually diverse as they were fun to explore. By contrast, *The Patrick Star Game* looks decidedly cheaper, with environments that feel repetitive and uninspired, as if the creative team was rushing to meet a deadline rather than crafting a memorable world. There’s a noticeable dip in quality across the board—from the environments to the character models. It’s as if the developers couldn’t decide whether to go for a cartoony vibe or something more grounded, resulting in a muddled visual aesthetic that neither pleases the eye nor captures the essence of the show.

And perhaps most frustratingly, the humor and charm that SpongeBob fans expect from a title like this feels half-baked. The dialogue lacks the wit and charm that permeates the *SpongeBob* universe, leaving Patrick’s antics feeling more forced than funny. The game tries to inject humor through quirky scenarios and dialogue, but it often falls flat, missing the lighthearted magic that has made SpongeBob SquarePants a cultural icon for over two decades.

At its core, *The Patrick Star Game* feels like a missed opportunity—a chance to build on the success of its predecessors and do something genuinely exciting for fans. Instead, we’re left with a game that feels uninspired, unfinished, and out of place when compared to the much higher standards set by *Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated* and *The Cosmic Shake*. SpongeBob’s universe deserves better. Fans deserve better. This is a massive step in the wrong direction.