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Synthia's Katamari Damacy (PS2)
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| [January 30, 2007 12:24:52 PM]
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Second and subsequent sessions:
There is only one active character in the game of Katamari Damacy, which the player controls in order to roll the ball. The ball is really the main character. It might be a more interesting if there were other characters rolling balls around, and that you have a chance to roll them up too!
I think it might be more fun if the gameplay were faster, that is, if one could roll the ball faster, but the pacing may be well-suited to younger kids. The game may be more interesting if there were more going on - more challenges than the rolling up things in an alloted time, which gets a little weary especially for one who is not very good with a joystick in the first place.
A main source of the game's conflict comes from the cutscenes featuring the tirades of the King when it might be better if the conflict were focused in the the actual gameplay. More conflict might also be created by giving more points for certain items, and this would also increase the emergent complexity by offering more alternative outcomes to gameplay.
The game does seem to flow well, but was a bit frustrating when failing to beat the clock. I think some other device for getting through the levels would be better than simply being time-based.
This player was interested in looking at all the things in the level and rolling them up but this became a bit mundane after a while partly because the objects were everyday things like matches, animals, and food. The cute factor does wear off after a while.
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| [January 21, 2007 04:44:33 AM]
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Katamari Damacy Session 1
Never played this game before. My friend is here with me and loves this game so I let him play while I take notes.
The first thing that hits me is the solo male vocal music introduction, ala Bobby McFerrin. It is pleasant and disarming and very simple. The colors are bright and childlike.
There is encouraging text from the King, giving instructions and such, he’s your dad afterall: but then there are the zingers, “your absent-mindendness”, but this banter is balanced with some downright poetic passages in the backstory. The text is reminiscent of text-based chat room text, and other components like the various sizes, and variety of objects reminds me of a board game. The lure of possible presents is enticing, and the camera can actually take pictures of gameplay.
There is the sound of dj scratching as the text writes out across the screen, pushing the X button will skip this animation (text writing out) and puts the entire phrase up at once. This is good for when you are playing to win the same object for the 5th or 6th time, to skip through quickly.
I ask my friend Phoenix how I can avoid dying, and he says, “you can’t die.” Well this is definitely my kind of game. Not violent, not silly, rolling a ball around picking up stuff. Fun.
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Synthia's Katamari Damacy (PS2)
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Current Status: Played occasionally
GameLog started on: Wednesday 17 January, 2007
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Synthia's opinion and rating for this game |
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First Session: Katamari Damacy
Never played this game before. My friend is here with me and loves this game so I let him play while I take notes.
The first thing that hits me is the solo male vocal music introduction, ala Bobby McFerrin. It is pleasant and disarming and very simple. The colors are bright and childlike.
There is encouraging text from the King, giving instructions and such, he’s your dad afterall: but then there are the zingers, “your absent-mindendness”, but this banter is balanced with some downright poetic passages in the backstory. The text is reminiscent of text-based chat room text, and other components like the various sizes, and variety of objects reminds me of a board game. The lure of possible presents is enticing, and the camera can actually take pictures of gameplay.
There is the sound of dj scratching as the text writes out across the screen, pushing the X button will skip this animation (text writing out) and puts the entire phrase up at once. This is good for when you are playing to win the same object for the 5th or 6th time, to skip through quickly.
I ask my friend Phoenix how I can avoid dying, and he says, “you can’t die.” Well this is definitely my kind of game. Not violent, not silly, rolling a ball around picking up stuff. Fun.
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