The PlayStation 2 is very special to me. I have many fond memories associated with it, partly due to its variety of games. There is no shortage of games I love, but my favorites were definitely the weirder ones. One of those weird games was Katamari Damacy, a game about rolling around a ball. It was a surprise hit and even spawned a franchise, getting a sequel not long after. The series sadly never hit the highs of the first two games again and went dormant after the release of Touch My Katamari on the Vita, not including mobile spin-offs and remasters.
That has all seemingly changed this year with Bandai Namco returning to the series with full force. Earlier this year, Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE was released for Apple Arcade, but now we have another title coming to PC and console: Once Upon a KATAMARI, the latest in the series from new developer RENGAME. While a new Katamari game was always going to excite me, how is the game, especially for the series as a whole? I can say it’s a welcome return, one I wish we had gotten sooner.
Save The Cosmos With Katamari…. Again
In Once Upon a KATAMARI, you play as the Prince under the guidance of his father, the King of All Cosmos. One day, while cleaning, the King discovers a scroll and starts to play with it. The King throws it up in the sky, but then it opens up and destroys all the stars and planets. It turns out that was the Cosmic Scroll, and now the King must send off his son to save it all by using a katamari ball to remake it all. But with everything destroyed, the only way to use a katamari ball is for them to travel through time and roll up different balls across different eras to refill the sky.
This isn’t the first time we’ve had to recreate the universe because the King accidentally destroyed it. While it is a familiar story, it still has the same charm and creativity as the early titles. It also doesn’t take a backseat to the rest of the game. The start and end of each level treat you to the King’s wacky dialogue and antics. Besides him, each level has NPCs that will give you a smile as well, even as you roll them up. The charm and creativity of the original are still on high display, and the smile never left my face the more I played.
Roll Up the World
The core gameplay of the series is unchanged in Once Upon a KATAMARI. You are tasked with rolling around a ball called a katamari to collect items to fulfill a level’s goal. The goals can vary for getting it as big as possible, as quickly as possible, rolling up specific items, and more. There are two control schemes, usual and simple. Usual controls are the same as previous games, where you use both analog sticks to control the Katamari. Simple controls have you control the Katamari with just the left analog stick.
I stuck with the usual controls for my playthrough because they felt more natural for me. When I tested out simple, I ended up trying to use both analog sticks anyway and immediately switched back. Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing this series since it first came out, but I would like to see a new player try out simple controls and see how they adjust. I feel the game is designed around usual controls, but I do think the addition is a welcome one, even if I didn’t use it.
While it can take some time to get used to, I still love the controls, and they pair perfectly with the level design. Each level feels like a massive puzzle that somehow opens up more when you think you’ve explored it all. It feels satisfying when you can finally roll up a large object you’ve been eyeing and get your rank up. If I do have one complaint, sometimes the logic behind what you can roll up doesn’t make sense. There are times it looks like you should be able to roll up something, only to be stopped. It never got me to stop playing, but it did annoy me from time to time.
Each level also has multiple challenges and collectibles, so replayability is at an all-time high. After you beat a level the first time, you will unlock challenges for it. Challenges have you meet an object requirement before time is up, and each level has three. You will get a king token for beating levels and challenges as well, which can be used to unlock cosmetics. When it comes to collectibles, each level has crowns and cousins to roll up. Both will help unlock more levels, but when you roll up cousins, they also become playable. There is no real difference between the Prince and his cousins, but the variety is fun.
The game also includes items that will help you in each level. There is a magnet that will help suck up items, a stopwatch to extend the timer, a rocket for speed, and a radar to help find collectibles. These are very helpful, and while they can make things a bit too easy, they can be avoided. There is also a game mode called KatamariBall, where you and three others compete to get the most points rolling a katamari. This is a fun distraction, but I didn’t come back to it after the first time. It can also be played with others online, and I can see it being fun with friends.
Katamari Are Beautiful
I have always loved the aesthetic of the Katamari series, and that continues in Once Upon a KATAMARI. The blockly look and vibrant colors of the original are still here, and it is a delight for the eyes. All the eras you travel across feel distinct as well, and there wasn’t a single level I disliked. You can also customize the look of the Prince and all the other cousins as well. Customization isn’t the deepest, but it’s a fun distraction even if I forgot it was there.
My highest praise has to go to the music. To this day, I still listen to the soundtrack for the first two games, and I already know I’m gonna do the same with this one. The soundtrack features various artists, offering a diverse range of sounds. I can’t think of a single bad track in the soundtrack. As soon as it’s up for purchase, I will be getting it. The music is in my head as I write this, and there is a gap in my playlist right now just waiting for it to be added.
Rolling Away
Once Upon a KATAMARI is a game I only wanted more of. It lives up to the originals and even left me wanting more. That’s partially due to how short it is, but the replayability is high. I’m still trying to 100% now. The game is a visual delight that will leave anyone smiling. It’s still fun to play, and while I wasn’t big on all the additions, they don’t take away from the game. Any fan of the original will enjoy playing Once Upon a KATAMARI. I hope this revitalized interest in the franchise stays because it’s clear this current team can keep it going.
Disclaimer: Bandai Namco provided a PC (Steam) copy of Once Upon a KATAMARI for review purposes.
