Author Topic: EP Review: Katamari Damacy  (Read 8496 times)

Russell Nash

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Russell Nash

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Reply #1 on: August 04, 2008, 12:04:00 PM



stePH

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Reply #2 on: August 05, 2008, 04:04:00 AM
Yay!

I first heard Steve's review about a year ago, but didn't give it much thought afterward because I didn't own a PS2.  When it comes to games, I'm a PC guy all the way.  But I've been in the market for a PS2 for a little longer than a year since my wife picked up a pack with Dance Dance Revolution: DDRmax and two dance mats at Sam's Club, at my suggestion that it could serve as a form of exercise.  I finally picked up a used PS2 last month for my birthday and was reminded of Katamari Damacy while looking through my old Escape Pod directory; I remembered thinking the concept sounded interesting so I began searching in earnest for it.  I had just about been reduced to ordering it from an Amazon seller, but lucked into a local copy last Saturday.

Wow.  It's every bit as fun as I expected.  The kind of game that could only come out of the same country that gave us Urusei Yatsura and Urotsukidouji.  Totally surreal weirdness.  I love how the police in the "world" level shoot at the katamari as it rolls ominously toward them.  :D  I wonder at the purpose of the "presents" though; they seem to affect the gameplay not a bit (except for the camera which can be used to take screenshots).

To dispute Steve's review a little bit, I didn't really see the King of All Cosmos as being stoned (though the game's backstory does have him destroying the sky in a drunken bender) ... mostly his conduct in the game seems self-absorbed and condescending.  And I just can't seem to please him in the "make Cygnus" or "Make Pisces" stages.

I love this game though.  It's easily the prize piece in my meager PS2 game collection now (the rest being GTA:Vice City, Gran Turismo 3, and the aforementioned DDR:Max).  Must go play more now; bye.


[edit]
My wife watched me play it just to see what I've been on about these past two or three weeks, and pronounced: "Seems to me you'd have to smoke a lot of pot to think this game is really fun.  But then of course you probably wouldn't be able to play it very well."

Well, I haven't smoked up in years, and I still think it's really fun.  :)
« Last Edit: August 05, 2008, 01:18:25 PM by stePH »

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Reply #3 on: August 05, 2008, 10:58:27 PM
It's a fantastic game - as is the I ♥ Katamari sequel. 

Even my cat loved those games.  He'd sit in front of the TV, and help me roll things up with his paws.  He was a helper.



wakela

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Reply #4 on: August 06, 2008, 01:02:08 AM
I thought this game was fascinating, thought there was something that always disturbed me about the king, and not in a good way....

However, the game made me motion sick, so I can't play it.  Same with the new Metroid for Wii, which is too bad because it looks really cool and was expensive.

It's interesting the the Japanese are known for both embracing conformity and for being extremely creative.  Not a lot of middle ground with these guys. 



stePH

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Reply #5 on: August 06, 2008, 02:04:29 AM
I thought this game was fascinating, thought there was something that always disturbed me about the king, and not in a good way....

However, the game made me motion sick, so I can't play it.  Same with the new Metroid for Wii, which is too bad because it looks really cool and was expensive.

I get nausea from some first person shooters (Half Life 2 in particular) but chewing ginger tends to relieve it.  I favor the non-crystallized candied ginger from Trader Joe's.  I believe it's Norman Chan, former PC Gamer intern now working for sister publication Maximum PC, who chews the raw stuff.


It's interesting the the Japanese are known for both embracing conformity and for being extremely creative.  Not a lot of middle ground with these guys. 

I agree.  Toshio Maeda was a true visionary.  ;D

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


wakela

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Reply #6 on: August 07, 2008, 01:34:30 AM
I thought this game was fascinating, thought there was something that always disturbed me about the king, and not in a good way....

However, the game made me motion sick, so I can't play it.  Same with the new Metroid for Wii, which is too bad because it looks really cool and was expensive.

I get nausea from some first person shooters (Half Life 2 in particular) but chewing ginger tends to relieve it.  I favor the non-crystallized candied ginger from Trader Joe's.  I believe it's Norman Chan, former PC Gamer intern now working for sister publication Maximum PC, who chews the raw stuff.

That, my friend, is an excellent tip.  Now that I think of it, my dad said chewing on an orange peel helped him when he was on boats.  Since I live in Japan, finding ginger is not the greatest of challenges.  I'm going to try this out...  Thanks!



stePH

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Reply #7 on: August 12, 2008, 04:54:14 AM
 :D


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Reply #8 on: August 13, 2008, 04:15:05 PM
stePH, I'll see your Darth Vader and raise you an XKCD:



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goatkeeper

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Reply #9 on: August 18, 2008, 09:22:11 PM
hilarious.  What a great soundtrack- best video game music since Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy II



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Reply #10 on: August 18, 2008, 11:26:34 PM
OOOooh if only I weren't going back to UF, i would totally get this game.

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


stePH

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Reply #11 on: September 21, 2008, 02:35:40 PM

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


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Reply #12 on: February 26, 2010, 06:01:43 PM
I LOVE this game.  In general, too many of the professionally published games out there follow formulas, just like most Hollywood movies.  The ones that break the mold are worth playing just for the novelty, and sometimes they, like this one, are friggin spectacular!

I heard about the game from a co-worker, who has admittedly weird tastes in all media.  he'd just seen a review on Gamespot or some such thing, but he didn't have a PS2 so he couldn't play it.  On paper, it sounds rather stupid, but I was intrigued enough to shell out $20 to buy a copy (cheapest new video game in recent history!).  I had fun right from the get-go, and I admit I squealed in delight the first time I gained enough mass to absorb a human.  You can see the human stuck to the ball wiggling his legs and he's screaming all the while.  Love it!!!

The King of the Cosmos creeps my wife out with the bulging crotch shots.  Worth a laugh to see her reaction every time!

And yeah, that theme song is ridiculously catchy.  I don't usually keep copies of the reviews here, one listen is enough for me, but I kept this one so that I can listen to the song blurb at the beginning.




stePH

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Reply #13 on: March 02, 2010, 03:31:03 PM
And yeah, that theme song is ridiculously catchy.  I don't usually keep copies of the reviews here, one listen is enough for me, but I kept this one so that I can listen to the song blurb at the beginning.

Why not get the soundtrack CD?

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


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Reply #14 on: March 02, 2010, 06:01:59 PM
And yeah, that theme song is ridiculously catchy.  I don't usually keep copies of the reviews here, one listen is enough for me, but I kept this one so that I can listen to the song blurb at the beginning.

Why not get the soundtrack CD?

There's a soundtrack CD?  I am so there! 

I'd really like a ringtone, too, but haven't found one.



stePH

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Reply #15 on: March 05, 2010, 12:39:31 AM
Why not get the soundtrack CD?

There's a soundtrack CD?  I am so there! 

Katamari Fortissimo Damacy



Appears to be out of print, maybe you can do a "ten rib trot" like I did.

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising