grayjaket
March 28th, 2006, 06:52
I know there is already one of these up, but a different perspective doesn't hurt I suppose.
Having heard great things about Katamari Damacy, I eagerly snatched up a copy of Me and My Katamari a few days after it came out. Having never played a Katamari game myself I didn't know what kind of a treat I was in for.
The game begins with a tutorial level that throws you right into the action and allows you to start getting used to the somewhat strange controls. As the PSP only has one analog stick, the D-Pad is used in conjunction with the buttons on the opposite side to simulate analog sticks. When you are first told the control scheme it seems rather awkward, but after an hour or two of play it feels almost normal. It helps quite a bit if you slide your fingers instead of pressing buttons. Others who have also bought the game have used the R and L buttons to turn instead of the somewhat awkward controls. Either way works well, though I must warn you, your left hand WILL get cramped from time to time.
Once your past the training you get introduced to your island, which serves as a menu for all your options. This works seemlessly with the game and provides an easy way to navigate without having to leave the game world. The only issue I could find with this is that it does load for a few seconds when you do go to a "menu" section, though it's not enough to be annoying. Sailing to the other two islands with a press of the R or L buttons brings you to a special missions section, and a character selection screen. Exploring around these areas should only take a bit and you'll soon grow accustomed to the layout.
The missions are where it really gets fun. For those who have never played Katamari here is a short explanation of the gameplay: The Katamri is your ball shaped thing. Roll it around and pick stuff up. The more you pick up, the bigger you get. The bigger you get the bigger things you can pick up and the faster you grow. Each level begins by talking to an animal, who tells you what kind of Katamari he or she wants their island to be made of. Usually this involves collecting a lot of one type of item. For example, one characters wants a soft island, so grabbing a lot of soft stuff will make him happier and increase your score. Each level is timed and you also have a minumum size you must reach. At first it seems a bit overwhelming, but as soon as you grow accustomed to the controls you will enjoy yourself. As a newcomer to the world of Katamari I was blown away by the amount of things you could pick up. Especially as I grew bigger and realized that EVERYTHING could be picked up. As the levels progress, it gets a bit more challenging, though never overwhelmingly so. I never had to play a level more than once or twice...most I beat on my first try.
As the game progresses the levels do begin to repeat, but the monotony is generally broken up by new goals, and getting a bigger Katamari. The game is simply mind blowing as you go from picking up thumb tacks to rolling over cities. It definitely keeps you playing as you wonder if on the next level you'll become even bigger. Another feature included to break up the repetition, was the inclusion of special missions. These include things like gathering up energy for a rocket, or my favorite, trying to gather as much "age" as you can. Also, scattered throughout each level are presents which you can collect, which are added to your treasure chest on the island. These are for accessorizing your character with various things, such as wings, sunglasses, and masks. You can also find cousins, which are new costumes of a sort that you can switch out and play as, though they grant you no special powers. There's even an unlockable 8-bit version of Me and My Katamari that will bring a smile to your face(and probably a couple hours of play).
Sadly, the game itself is rather short. I myself beat the game in just a few days, playing only every once in a while. The gameplay is rather rewarding though, and doesn't get old fast, so replaying the levels to try and nail the high score is still quite fun. As added incentive, if you get a high enough score on any particular level, you unlock "Eternal Mode" which lets to keep rolling with no goals or time limit. This can be fun if you want to explore a level or just roll everything in it up. Another interesting distraction is the camera, which allows you to stop at any time during a level and take pictures of your Katamari. You can also unlock a camera that can take pictures on your island for added fun. These pictures go into your Royal Photo Album where you may save them in one of 12 slots for later viewing, or even in .bmp format straight onto your memory card.
I must admit the graphics are rather blocky. It is however, as good as any Katamari game I have seen on PS2...to my knowledge. I don't know for sure but it looks pretty good. The levels might not be AS expansive but they are still massive. I still haven't gotten over the feeling of when you go from picking up cars to rolling ENTIRE ISLANDS. The growth is so subtle and the game doesn't suffer a bit.
I'm really not going to even attempt to describe the story. If you call it that. Let's just say someone was on drugs....and you'll love it. Everything about this game's quirkiness is very weird, but at the same time you will be enthralled. Even as your character is launched between the legs of a giant man in tights.
The multiplayer seems like somewhat of an afterthought. There are no modes to choose from, nor level choices. You also cannot adjust the time of play. It's simply one game, that never changes. You and your friend must race to collect as many treasures as you can before time runs out. You can run into your friend with your charge attack and knock points away from him, but that's about it. There is not much reason to play this more than once or twice really.
Overall, the game is a definite must have for PSP. Perfect for people on the go, or just sitting at home. Which is EVERYONE. An easy match for a good console game. If you don't have it, I don't see why you're not on your way to the store right now.
Gameplay: Spectacular. guarantee if you start playing this game... [You. Will. Get Hooked.] Addictive, and fun.
Controls: Awkward. Definitely takes some getting used to(and many hand cramps). It is probably the only control scheme this game could have had however.
Graphics: Alright. Not the BEST for PSP, but definitely good, if you consider the number of objects onscreen at all times, and just the massive scope of some of the levels.
Content: Impressive. The number of extra activities and things to interact with are above and beyond what is required of a game...it's nice to know some game developers go that extra mile.
Multiplayer: Disappointing. Seems way too tacked on, unlike the rest of the game which is rather brilliant.
Sound: Weird. The soundtrack is unique, and very, very strange, but it fits the game perfectly. Most of the songs are pretty catchy as well.
Presentation: Flawless. From the islands, to the trippy videos, to the loading menu. It all flows together to create effortless and unique transitions.
Replayability: High. The gameplay sometimes get repetitive, and it is a short game, but it always keeps you coming back...whether to get a new high score, or just to roll stuff around.
Overall: Must own.
and there you have it...my much too long review. hope it helped!
Having heard great things about Katamari Damacy, I eagerly snatched up a copy of Me and My Katamari a few days after it came out. Having never played a Katamari game myself I didn't know what kind of a treat I was in for.
The game begins with a tutorial level that throws you right into the action and allows you to start getting used to the somewhat strange controls. As the PSP only has one analog stick, the D-Pad is used in conjunction with the buttons on the opposite side to simulate analog sticks. When you are first told the control scheme it seems rather awkward, but after an hour or two of play it feels almost normal. It helps quite a bit if you slide your fingers instead of pressing buttons. Others who have also bought the game have used the R and L buttons to turn instead of the somewhat awkward controls. Either way works well, though I must warn you, your left hand WILL get cramped from time to time.
Once your past the training you get introduced to your island, which serves as a menu for all your options. This works seemlessly with the game and provides an easy way to navigate without having to leave the game world. The only issue I could find with this is that it does load for a few seconds when you do go to a "menu" section, though it's not enough to be annoying. Sailing to the other two islands with a press of the R or L buttons brings you to a special missions section, and a character selection screen. Exploring around these areas should only take a bit and you'll soon grow accustomed to the layout.
The missions are where it really gets fun. For those who have never played Katamari here is a short explanation of the gameplay: The Katamri is your ball shaped thing. Roll it around and pick stuff up. The more you pick up, the bigger you get. The bigger you get the bigger things you can pick up and the faster you grow. Each level begins by talking to an animal, who tells you what kind of Katamari he or she wants their island to be made of. Usually this involves collecting a lot of one type of item. For example, one characters wants a soft island, so grabbing a lot of soft stuff will make him happier and increase your score. Each level is timed and you also have a minumum size you must reach. At first it seems a bit overwhelming, but as soon as you grow accustomed to the controls you will enjoy yourself. As a newcomer to the world of Katamari I was blown away by the amount of things you could pick up. Especially as I grew bigger and realized that EVERYTHING could be picked up. As the levels progress, it gets a bit more challenging, though never overwhelmingly so. I never had to play a level more than once or twice...most I beat on my first try.
As the game progresses the levels do begin to repeat, but the monotony is generally broken up by new goals, and getting a bigger Katamari. The game is simply mind blowing as you go from picking up thumb tacks to rolling over cities. It definitely keeps you playing as you wonder if on the next level you'll become even bigger. Another feature included to break up the repetition, was the inclusion of special missions. These include things like gathering up energy for a rocket, or my favorite, trying to gather as much "age" as you can. Also, scattered throughout each level are presents which you can collect, which are added to your treasure chest on the island. These are for accessorizing your character with various things, such as wings, sunglasses, and masks. You can also find cousins, which are new costumes of a sort that you can switch out and play as, though they grant you no special powers. There's even an unlockable 8-bit version of Me and My Katamari that will bring a smile to your face(and probably a couple hours of play).
Sadly, the game itself is rather short. I myself beat the game in just a few days, playing only every once in a while. The gameplay is rather rewarding though, and doesn't get old fast, so replaying the levels to try and nail the high score is still quite fun. As added incentive, if you get a high enough score on any particular level, you unlock "Eternal Mode" which lets to keep rolling with no goals or time limit. This can be fun if you want to explore a level or just roll everything in it up. Another interesting distraction is the camera, which allows you to stop at any time during a level and take pictures of your Katamari. You can also unlock a camera that can take pictures on your island for added fun. These pictures go into your Royal Photo Album where you may save them in one of 12 slots for later viewing, or even in .bmp format straight onto your memory card.
I must admit the graphics are rather blocky. It is however, as good as any Katamari game I have seen on PS2...to my knowledge. I don't know for sure but it looks pretty good. The levels might not be AS expansive but they are still massive. I still haven't gotten over the feeling of when you go from picking up cars to rolling ENTIRE ISLANDS. The growth is so subtle and the game doesn't suffer a bit.
I'm really not going to even attempt to describe the story. If you call it that. Let's just say someone was on drugs....and you'll love it. Everything about this game's quirkiness is very weird, but at the same time you will be enthralled. Even as your character is launched between the legs of a giant man in tights.
The multiplayer seems like somewhat of an afterthought. There are no modes to choose from, nor level choices. You also cannot adjust the time of play. It's simply one game, that never changes. You and your friend must race to collect as many treasures as you can before time runs out. You can run into your friend with your charge attack and knock points away from him, but that's about it. There is not much reason to play this more than once or twice really.
Overall, the game is a definite must have for PSP. Perfect for people on the go, or just sitting at home. Which is EVERYONE. An easy match for a good console game. If you don't have it, I don't see why you're not on your way to the store right now.
Gameplay: Spectacular. guarantee if you start playing this game... [You. Will. Get Hooked.] Addictive, and fun.
Controls: Awkward. Definitely takes some getting used to(and many hand cramps). It is probably the only control scheme this game could have had however.
Graphics: Alright. Not the BEST for PSP, but definitely good, if you consider the number of objects onscreen at all times, and just the massive scope of some of the levels.
Content: Impressive. The number of extra activities and things to interact with are above and beyond what is required of a game...it's nice to know some game developers go that extra mile.
Multiplayer: Disappointing. Seems way too tacked on, unlike the rest of the game which is rather brilliant.
Sound: Weird. The soundtrack is unique, and very, very strange, but it fits the game perfectly. Most of the songs are pretty catchy as well.
Presentation: Flawless. From the islands, to the trippy videos, to the loading menu. It all flows together to create effortless and unique transitions.
Replayability: High. The gameplay sometimes get repetitive, and it is a short game, but it always keeps you coming back...whether to get a new high score, or just to roll stuff around.
Overall: Must own.
and there you have it...my much too long review. hope it helped!