We Love Katamari (PlayStation 2) review "We Love Katamari is as guilty as a pleasure gets. Never has rolling up a ball of mass destruction been so undeniably fun. Who would have thought picking up chickens, PE teachers, and ice cream sandwiches with a sticky sphere would be so addictive? Even The King of All Cosmos doesn't get it. But with fans of Katamari Damacy screaming for more, how can he not bask in his newfound stardom? Thus he commands his tiny, neon-green prince back to Earth to amass katamaris to please his ador..."

We Love Katamari is as guilty as a pleasure gets. Never has rolling up a ball of mass destruction been so undeniably fun. Who would have thought picking up chickens, PE teachers, and ice cream sandwiches with a sticky sphere would be so addictive? Even The King of All Cosmos doesn't get it. But with fans of Katamari Damacy screaming for more, how can he not bask in his newfound stardom? Thus he commands his tiny, neon-green prince back to Earth to amass katamaris to please his adoring fans. And boy, does it ever!

What do you think they love about Us?
Our looks? Our tights? Our moustache?

We Love Katamari is a pure sequel to Katamari Damacy and, in many ways, pays homage to its roots. Whereas the first installment followed the rather inconsequential storyline of an arbitrary family, this time around, we see how the King of All Cosmos in all his magnificence came to be. This historical account could have easily been irritating and monotonous, but it is told in such a quirky and picturesque manner that it is actually enjoyable and relevant. Also, in dedication to the age-old snowman, there is a refreshing level that lets you re-experience the childlike innocence of rolling up that ball of fresh snow. Memories of winter will come rushing back to you and just put a smile on your face.

Fans will also be happy to know that the core gameplay has been left mainly untouched. Some missions that have you rolling sumo wrestlers and fireballs do add some much needed variety, but you are still basically trying to please your "never good enough" father by making katamaris as large or as fast as possible. And while katamaris are now turned into planets as well as stars, filling the Cosmos with stardust and comically-named celestial bodies remains your lofty goal.

Oh…Eureka! We've got it!
It's Our chin! Yes?? That must be, yes, must be.
Our chin is so magnificent.
Earth is full of dedicated followers of Our chin.

Raising the replay value, Royal Presents and Royal Cousins provoke you on a scavenger hunt as before while cooperative and versus play finally give some oomph to the multiplayer experience. Finding Royal Presents will allow you to wear some bizarre accessories like a giraffe head or Mt. Fuji. Similarly, finding Royal Cousins will allow you to swap with some bizarre relatives like Dipp, a cousin with color-changing poka-dots. Still, the multiplayer experience is still not up to par. Co-op mode requires a lot of frustrating communication (and a lot fights) between you and your partner, and you would be hard-pressed trying to find another person a skilled player to compete with you in versus mode. We Love Katamari remains a solo experience, just like its predecessor. However, the game invites you into its world so thoroughly that the lackluster multiplayer modes don't even matter.

The meaning of life…of course you forgot.

Nothing about this sequel feels out of place. An interactive and well-paced tutorial ensures that all players are comfortably reacquainted with the controls. A few more camera angles have been added, but honestly, the camera has never really been an issue. There are times when objects block you from seeing where you are, but most of the time, you are so busy rolling around that you usually get out of tight spots quickly and painlessly. In addition, a Select Meadow has replaced the planet interface that previously made it difficult to find the missions you wanted. Each person and animal is instantly recognizable, be it Hensel & Gretel or a meowing dog, so as you skip and dash from screen to screen, you can fulfill their requests without having to run in circles. Though you have to hear people shout like an art teacher with diarrhea -"Origaaami!!! Origaaami!!", the meadow makes mission selection much easier.

A big hit with Earth, the star so full of stuff.

More importantly, the bizarre yet effervescent atmosphere is alive and well. Between the King of All Cosmos speaking in Esperanto and spanking your ass with laser beams, the graphics all give off this "naïve spunk". Whether they're "cowbears", innocent pedestrians, or the countries of South America, rolling up everything in your path is a callous yet pleasant experience. The fluid soundtrack helps you move along without a care in the world. Although the music is not as spirited as the first installment and the J-pop is sometimes too bizarre, tracks like "Houston", "Meadowtrance", and "Angel Rain" provide a relaxing tone that wasn't there before.

Yes, We Love Katamari is more of the same, but it is also more of what we want. It's quirky. It's colorful. And most of all, it doesn't take itself too seriously.

We have no idea what you're talking about. - The King of All Cosmos

Community review by draqq_zyxx (November 08, 2005) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.