Matthew Loriso
Staff Writer
The original “Katamari Damacy” was a strange video game. In fact, it was downright bizarre. Generally, such quirky games only appeal to a niche group of gamers.
However, “Katamari” was one of the few such titles to collect a mainstream audience. Its surprising popularity has allowed there to be a sequel, “We Love Katamari.”
The sequel plays exactly the same as its predecessor: As the Prince (the son of the great King of all Cosmos), the player must roll around a ball, known as a Katamari, in his attempt to pick up anything in his way to grow in size.
The catch is that he can only roll up items of comparable size to the Katamari.
It may start off the size of a thumbtack, but it will grow progressively larger. Soon people will be obtainable, then buildings and eventually, entire islands.
Fans of the original can testify that the concept is simple, yet undeniably fun.
This holds true for “We Love Katamari.” Rolling up large items that dwarfed you when you started the game is still both exhilarating and satisfying.
Fans of the original can also testify that the games soundtrack is one of its largest draws. Once again, the same can be said for the sequel. The songs are fun to listen to, and generally relate to the level in which they are played.
For example, the level at the zoo contains the main theme song sung by animals. In another level, where the mood is romantic as you attempt to roll up fireflies at night, a love song is played. At least, it is presumably a love song; most of the songs are in Japanese. This will not prevent the songs from sticking in game player’s heads, though. The songs are so catchy and fun that one can’t help but attempt to sing along, no matter what language they may be in.
If it is beginning to sound like “We Love Katamari” is more of an expansion of the original than a true sequel; you would probably be right. However, that does not mean that there is nothing new brought to the table this time around.
For one, there is a story that actually develops as the player moves forward through the game. After completing certain levels, a video is shown that chronicles the life of the aforementioned King of All Cosmos.
These short clips are generally pretty boring, which is surprising given the wackiness of the rest of the game.
Another nice addition is the inclusion of a two player cooperative mode. One player controls the left side, while the other controls the right. It is as difficult as it sounds, although it is a nice alternative for those times when you have a Katamari loving friend visiting.
Though there are some changes to the game, it is obvious that there was not much thought put into evolving it. Luckily, the concept is still novel enough to be great fun. But any potential sequels must incorporate new ways to play in order to prevent this extremely innovative series from becoming stale.
Matthew Loriso can be reached at mloriso@ulv.edu.
