|
JK51981's Katamari Damacy (PS2)
|
| [January 17, 2007 02:15:40 AM]
|
I managed to complete the rest of the game in my second playing session, which happened to last only a couple of hours. Relative to many other games I’ve played, this was tragically short and easy. I believe I’ve failed to complete a level only once throughout the entire game, which I easily cleared in the second attempt. I also exceeded the size requirement in the final level more than twice, with a 750+ meter katamari, as opposed to a requirement of 300 meters. I did have a blast playing through the game though. The prospect of rolling up progressively larger objects was an exciting one; since you started off collecting tiny items like mosquitoes and thumbtacks, to eventually culminate at landmasses and gods. There was a great sense of empowerment at that stage, I truly felt like the prince of the universe.
Overall, the game oozed innovation in many aspects and truly deserves a spot in the “classics” list. The control scheme was an interesting and original one, since it focused on the use of the two analog sticks and little else. Most other PS2 games only utilize the left stick or directional pad for movement. The storyline and game play were equally as innovative, presenting creative and original ideas that I’ve never before seen in other games. I browsed through the Katamari Damacy section on GameFaqs.com to see what I’ve missed, which happened to be quite a few things. I’ve collected nowhere near 100% of the items in the game and I’ve missed the eternal levels completely. I’m not so sure if I’ll be playing through completed stages again to complete the collection though. As much as this game is innovative and fun at first, repetitious level design and game play diminish the replay value. This does not tarnish the game’s significance, however. Anyone who considers themselves an avid gamer should play this at least once, for the unique experience.
add a comment 
|
| [January 17, 2007 01:09:33 AM]
|
“Katamari, do your best!” encourages the magnificent King of All Cosmos. You are the Prince of All Cosmos, the diminutive 5 centimeter-tall son of the King of All Cosmos, and it is your responsibility to clean up the mess your father has caused. All of the stars in the sky have been destroyed by the king in an inebriated fury and the only way to replace them is by rolling up random objects on Earth with a katamari ball.
The character and plot design in this game are vibrant and creative, though one would have to wonder if hallucinogenic abuse was a factor in the creation process. Regardless, this game is suitable for people of all ages; its colorful, toy-like stylizations and innocent qualities make it accessible for children, while elements of darker humor can attract an older audience at the same time. By darker humor, for example, I mean the idea of rolling up living animals and people into a ball and propelling them into the sky to replace fallen stars, all the while hearing their anguished cries and screams. One cannot help but to laugh and feel a slight tinge of guilt during rolling sprees.
I’ve played the first six stages and several human versus human games so far. Already, I can see instances of repetition, in terms of game play and level-design, though I’m not sure how this will affect my interest in the long run. The game transports the character to various locales around the world, but these places, despite being different countries, share the same level layout. I cannot deny the amount of fun I’m having while rolling things up though, so this doesn’t detract too much from the whole experience yet. I have also played several multiplayer games against a roommate, but that is significantly less entertaining than the single player mode. All multiplayer maps, as far as I know, are limited to a bowl-shaped room filled with random objects arranged in geometric patterns for both players to collect. There is also a limited combat system where you can ram the other player, knocking several objects off their katamari ball, and grabbing onto them, which effectively halts their collecting spree and forces them to try to escape. This doesn’t add much depth to the system or make it fun, however.
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
JK51981's Katamari Damacy (PS2)
|
|
Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Saturday 13 January, 2007
GameLog closed on: Saturday 27 January, 2007 |
|
