- Exceptional new series entry with enhanced gameplay
- Fun new items and charming humor
- Expanded content and customization options
- Clunky controls and physics reported by many
- Unsatisfying soundtrack and repetitive gameplay
- Highly recommended for all players
Emotions
Players are highly satisfied with the game's overall quality, including improved graphics, controls, and performance. The addition of new features, content, and quality-of-life improvements, while retaining the core familiar gameplay, significantly contributes to this positive emotion. Many feel the game meets or exceeds expectations, serving as a faithful and enhanced continuation of the series.
Excitement stems from the release of a new entry in the beloved series, particularly due to new content, features like online multiplayer and character creation, and the potential for future titles. Players are thrilled by the game's quality, massive content, and the unique gameplay experience it offers, seeing it as a true follow-up that improves on past games.
Joy is primarily driven by the sheer fun of playing the game, its engaging gameplay, and the quality of its music and humor. The return of the series, coupled with improved controls and new features, brings immense happiness and makes players smile, often describing the game as an 'absolute joy to play'.
Players enjoy the game's fun gameplay, new mechanics like the dash and magnet item, and its charming visuals. The similarity to beloved previous titles, combined with new era-themed levels and diverse content, contributes to a sense of wacky fun and overall entertainment.
Frustration arises from technical issues such as bugs (especially stacking bugs), clunky physics, and wall collisions that often require restarting stages. Players also experience annoyance with stressful level design, sensitive controls (like accidental Prince Spin), and confusing UI elements or language settings.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 97% · Negative 3%. Score: 3 / 100
Positives:
- Players overwhelmingly praise the game as a fantastic, polished, and enjoyable new entry in the series. It's seen as a return to form, exceeding expectations with its vast content, charming gameplay, and strong nostalgic appeal, while also being accessible to new fans.
- The game introduces numerous new elements, including power-ups, game modes, challenges, and diverse levels, which keep the experience fresh and add significant replayability. It successfully expands on core mechanics while retaining the series' beloved essence.
- New items like the 'Magnet' and 'Radar' are highlighted as fun, satisfying, and strategically useful additions. These power-ups enhance gameplay and aid in collecting, becoming sought-after tools for players.
- The game maintains the series' unique atmosphere and humor, with funny jokes and hilarious prizes. The campaign layout, reminiscent of Mario games, and the inability to 'lose' missions contribute to an enjoyable and low-stress experience.
- The game successfully captures the classic Katamari charm and core gameplay, evoking strong nostalgia for long-time fans. It retains beloved elements like rolling, the King, Cousins, and presents, making it feel like a true continuation of the series' roots.
Negatives:
- Many players found the controls unresponsive and clunky, leading to frequent issues like getting stuck and accidental inputs. The game's physics also felt 'off' or 'wrong' compared to previous titles, contributing to a less enjoyable experience.
- The music was a significant point of contention, with many reviewers stating it felt 'conforming and safe' or 'mainstream' compared to the unique and eccentric sounds of older Katamari games. Repetition of tracks was also noted as an issue.
- Players felt the game lacked the 'heart and soul' of previous titles, becoming repetitive quickly and leading to boredom. There was a desire for more new gimmicks and surprises, and some levels were perceived as too long.
- Several bugs were reported, including a frustrating crown acquisition bug preventing achievement unlocks, wall-clipping issues, and a game-breaking bug on the Pharaoh stage. These technical issues negatively impacted player progression and enjoyment.
- Feedback on difficulty was mixed, with some finding the game easy, others slightly harder than previous titles, and some stages requiring quick planning. This suggests an inconsistent difficulty curve or varied player skill levels.
Gameplay:
- The game introduces a wealth of new content, including diverse levels, unique power-ups like Magnet and Rocket, and additional game modes such as a multiplayer fighting sport and various challenges per level. This significantly broadens gameplay variety beyond previous titles.
- Players have extensive options to customize their Prince and Cousins, including hats, expressions, and bodies. A dedicated 'Cousin Creator' allows for personalized characters, with new Cousins also being introduced, adding a strong element of player expression.
- A large number of collectibles, including Cousins, Presents, and new 'Crowns,' are hidden across stages, with Crowns being particularly challenging. A radar item helps locate these, encouraging replayability and completionist goals.
- Missions feature a detailed ranking system from D to S, providing clear evaluations of player performance. This encourages players to aim for higher ranks and master stages, even if some mission types are initially challenging.
- The game includes subtle changes such as altered wall collision detection, varied stage unlock conditions, and generally shorter stage durations. These small tweaks contribute to the overall gameplay experience.
Performance:
- Players report significant improvements in FPS and overall graphics, with the game running smoothly without crashes or bugs. This indicates a well-optimized port, especially compared to previous titles.
- There is conflicting feedback regarding ultrawide support, with some players confirming it works well while others experience letterboxing. This suggests potential inconsistencies or specific setup requirements.
- Players appreciate the quick loading times, which are further enhanced by short cinematic transitions between scenes. This contributes to a more seamless gameplay experience.
- The game reportedly runs very smoothly on the Steam Deck, offering a high-quality portable experience. This is a positive for players who prefer handheld gaming.
- The game supports 4K resolution, which is a positive for players with high-resolution displays. This contributes to a visually enhanced experience.
Recommendations:
- The game receives strong recommendations for both long-time fans of the series and newcomers. Many reviewers consider it a must-play, a perfect addition to the franchise, and a worthwhile purchase, even suggesting it as a good starting point for new players.
- While generally recommended, some reviewers suggest that new players, especially those unfamiliar with the series, might consider waiting for a sale due to the price point. This also serves as a way to support future installments.
- The game is praised for delivering the expected Katamari experience, with some calling it the 'perfect Katamari experience' and a source of 'wild insanity.' It's seen as a game that honors its predecessors and provides joy.
- Due to the simple gameplay and potential for 3D sickness, new players are advised to watch reviews and gameplay videos before purchasing to ensure it's a comfortable experience for them.
- It is highly recommended to purchase the standard edition initially to enjoy the new music tracks before considering the DLC, which contains music from previous games.
Miscellaneous:
- Players have mixed feelings about the DLC. While some find the price high, others understand it due to artist involvement and appreciate the inclusion of past 'Lovely Songs'. There's also anticipation for additional stages and a soundtrack release.
- The game is considered a good entry point for newcomers to the Katamari series. It contributes to a strong collection of available Katamari titles, with hopes for more ports in the future.
- The King of All Cosmos is noted for his unique fashion sense, well-written dialogue, and tendency to talk down to the player, which is a characteristic trait of the series. Some players even suggest his retirement.
- The game reportedly uses the same engine as the mobile game Katamari Rolling LIVE. There's also a desire for an update to adjust vibration strength and a workaround for language settings.
- The game is consistently described as absurd, silly, and fun, capturing the unique charm that the series is known for. This aligns with the original game's impact on introducing absurdist humor.
Similar games
Blend with other games
98%We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie
92%Yooka-Replaylee
92%Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition
92%Penny’s Big Breakaway
92%Curiosity
92%PowerWash Simulator 2
92%Lunistice
92%Psychonauts 2
92%Revenge of the Savage Planet
92%Puyo Puyo™ Tetris® 2
92%Super Chipflake Ü: Quest for the Uncooked Schnitzel
92%Bomb Rush Cyberfunk