Home Games Beautiful Katamari

Beautiful Katamri

Puzzle
Releases: 10.16.07
Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
ESRB: Everyone

Beautiful Katamari

The little prince rolls up your heart once again.

by Sarah Schutz

In yet another installment of the Katamari games, there are no surprises. The King of All Cosmos again screws the Cosmos and through his inane babble forces the Prince of All Cosmos to run around the world rolling up everything but the kitchen sink and then the kitchen sink into katamari balls to create new stars and planets. I know, I know it makes little sense, but go with it. It is the nonsensical charm of the Katamari series. Not much differs from the earlier PS2 games. The goal of the same is similar and sadly, the graphics aren’t much improved. While the environments are now in high definition, the game fails to make use of the 360 hardware. Like its predecessors, the levels are still riddled with various ridiculous objects to roll up in your katamari and for some reason this very basic game element remains addictive as ever. The charming soundtrack keeps you happily rolling up stuff and things for hours.

New in Beautiful Katamari are, of course, all of the Xbox Live elements, which serve to bolster the almost too basic gameplay. Player leaderboards keep you motivated to repeat levels as you work your way up the rankings. While the level objectives are simple, the time limits and leaderboard rankings can provide quite a challenge. The game offers an offline coop feature, allowing you and a friend to work together to make the biggest katamari every. Or there is, of course, versus mode that allows you to play against others either on or offline. The online multiplayer and leaderboards for the game are a refreshing change of pace from the more intense gaming that takes place on Xbox Live and if you’re already a Katamari fan, this just lets you take your honed skill public. The game also allows you to build up Xbox Live achievement points, of course. The Prince can also unlock his colorful cousins to play with and find fun wardrobe accoutrements throughout his travels.

There’s not too much to say about Beautiful Katamari. If you’re like me, it will give you a few hours of pleasure, but then you’ll feel that your time might be better spent on another game. I was personally not motivated to rack up every achievement or work my way up the leaderboards, but for Katamari fans or for the more casual gamer, this Katamari game will roll up your heart.

More of the same and this time on Xbox Live!

More of the same and we are getting a bit tired of it.

so disappointed

I love love LOVE Katamari but the buzz on this game was so low i was nervous. I got Beautiful Katamari for xmas and my nervousness was justified. They swapped around the goals. In the previous two games you just had to roll big with the option of bonus levels with specific targets in mind etc. Now right off the bat your expected to roll for specific items. You know how much a pain in the ass it is to try and figure out what items are hot, or cold or even what the hell they are in the first place and then roll them up only?! Rolling big and messy was the fun part for me with Katamari. It's nice that they've changed up the gameplay a bit but i think it was the wrong direction.

#1 - EstroBoy - 01/22/2008 - 09:42

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