Anyone Played Beautiful Katamari Yet?

[eric_ruck]

I'm wondering if it's worth picking up now for cheap, later for cheaper or never. I was introduced to Katamari late, on the PSP version, that most PS2 Katamari fans weren't wild about but I loved (having never played it with two analog sticks, I guess). I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more games until I finished Halo 3 and Bioshock, but, well, this one is so different.

 

Plus my kids could play it (they're too young for shooters). Maybe I should do it for the kids.

 

I downloaded the demo from XBL but it was too short to really decide anything (well, except that I agree with the reviewers that the control could be a little faster, the Katamari feels heavy).

 

Anybody have any post-purchase opinions?

 

Eric

[Scumdogg]

As far as picking it up later for cheaper, do the Katamari games ever really drop in price? My wife just picked up We Love Katamari on the PS2 a couple weeks ago, and it was still $30 used. Also i downloaded the demo for her, and her opinion seemed to be that the Katamari rolled faster and smoother than on the PS2 game. I thought there was a little weirdness based on the analog sticks not being side by side, like it always felt like i was pushing one too hard.

 

Anyway, just kinda rambling here, but we do fully intend to get the game new. So i guess that's where my recommendation lies. It's only $40, and the more new copies they sell, the sooner we'll see another one.

[moycon]

I plan on getting it but haven't yet. Basically if you like the original, you'll like the new one. Its the same game, just new locations and sharper cleaner graphics.

[Artlover]

Hmmm. Looks like I have a reason to get a 360 afterall.

[NE146]

I got it. Played through the initial tutorial. Seems fine. But yeah... it's katamari. Not much else to say there

[Lord Helmet]

I really enjoy the Katamari games. I'll be picking this up pretty soon.

[eric_ruck]

OK, so I picked up Beautiful Katamari. FYI I got Me & My Katamari pretty cheap not too long after it came out but it was a lucky stroke.

 

So, remembering back to the PSP game, I'd say the difficulty is about the same. Took awhile to unlock the first few levels after getting the hang of "driving", and I still haven't managed to get a decent score on any but the practice level. But if I remember correctly that'll all sort of come together.

 

I think the same stuff is here to like. According to the docs, there are gadgets to find, which might be fun. Played VS mode with my kids, which was also fun. The crazy music and movies are still fun. King gets old but you can skip him with the Start button.

 

Gripes: I find the controls sluggish. Maybe it's be but the Katamari seems slow to respond to requests to move in any direction, and I don't think it'sjust simulated weight, especially since the problem gets worse when you see the frame rate drop. Oh yeah, the frame rate drops. Not consistently but often enough. Back to the controls, I probably need to loosed the death grip on the controller pads, but I find myself doing the quick 180 turn accidentally way too often.

 

The most annoying thing with the game is the camera angles. It gets stuck behind ramps, bookcases, whatever with annoying frequency. Sometimes I use the quick 180 just to get the camera to move.

 

The game's still fun, and I appreciate the value price, but unless you really like Katamari, I'd wait to pick up a used copy. That said, I have every intention of playing this one through, just like the last.

 

Eric

[Scumdogg]

The wife and i picked this game up today, since we both just finished the We Love Katamari. I'm not sure where the complaints about sluggish controls are coming from, it feels a lot faster to me. Especially going up ramps or the sides of buildings. That in particular seems a whole lot smoother. I do notice that getting stuck on the background seems to happen a little more frequently though, and i'm not sure why that is. Still though, after a couple levels i just kind of adapted to avoid those situations and everything's fine.

 

I like the added challenge of the points system, having to roll up certain things in certain levels. Most of my scores are pretty low admittedly, but my score on rolling up hot things was *epic*. As with other series when they translate onto the 360, i also have to say i'm having slightly more fun because of achievements. Gives me a reason to try to roll up *everything*, instead of just repeatedly getting the stuff that will make my Katamari the biggest.

 

Also i'm enjoying the silence in the hub area. The constant yelling in the last game got to me after a while.

[Scumdogg]

Got something to add here...i just finished the game, after two very short sittings. I was taking my time, too, but it could probably be done in a couple hours. Sad.

[Red 5]

Got something to add here...i just finished the game, after two very short sittings. I was taking my time, too, but it could probably be done in a couple hours. Sad.

 

All Katamari games can be "beaten" in a very short time.

 

However, finding ALL the items, getting a score of 100 or more on each level (which opens up eternal mode), finding all your cousins and presents, and getting a low time in time challenge will take you a long long long time.

 

I have played this game night after night and I love it.

Is it different from the other Katamari games?

Nope.

 

Is it still fantastic?

Yup.

 

Also, reading the description of all the items is hysterical and just reading everything you have collected could take you a few hours alone.

 

I don't think you can ever really beat it because you are always competing against yourself to get a bigger Katamari or a faster time.

 

But I love Katamari and have owned every version of it from PS2 to PSP to 360. I love them all.

[Scumdogg]

I'm aware that all the games are short, but what i'm saying is that this one seems to have significantly fewer levels than at least We Love Katamari did. That's the only other one i've played, so it's my only basis for reference. There's really only one level that strays from the "Get it this big in this time limit" formula too, where We Love Katamari had several. The campfire level, the one where you had to estimate your own size and stop when you could fit inside Saturn's ring, etc. The only one on here that really strays significantly from the formula is the hot things level.

I'm not at all trying to bash the game, i love it. I don't regret buying it. I'm just saying that even compared to the other Katamari game i've played, it seems short.

[liveinabin]

Are the environments very different from the first two games? All the footage I've seen could almost be a straight port. Damn I want a 360. They only have to make one that works and I'll be there, cash in hand.

[Red 5]

Are the environments very different from the first two games? All the footage I've seen could almost be a straight port. Damn I want a 360. They only have to make one that works and I'll be there, cash in hand.

 

Not exactly a straight port, but some levels are VERY familiar.

I love the game to death, but it is really time for a overhaul.

 

New objects and the smaller levels are new and fresh, but the big big worlds are starting to feel the same.

 

That said, I can't wait to go home and roll tonight, because despite the shortness and familiar levels, it's still as addicting

as crack.

[Red 5]

double double post post.

Edited October 24, 2007 by therealred5

[Scumdogg]

Isn't there basically just one level in Beautiful Katamari? I mean, different levels start in different houses and whatnot, but they all open up to the same town, yes? I don't recall any really isolated levels like in We Love Katamari.

 

Also a question. I was looking through the achievements list to see what needed doing, and was extremely displeased to see achievements like "Download Levels and get all the Cousins!". What. The. Hell. Aren't the initial 1000 points worth of achievements supposed to be attainable just buy buying and playing the game? I've never seen an achievement that required you to BUY stuff to unlock it, that's what the 250 points developers can tack on are for.

 

That really adds up to making this feel like an incomplete game, or at the very least an intentional case of microrape.

[moycon]

I've never seen an achievement that required you to BUY stuff to unlock it, that's what the 250 points developers can tack on are for.

 

That really adds up to making this feel like an incomplete game, or at the very least an intentional case of microrape.

 

My understanding is that the downloaded content is additional points for a total of 1250. They just had the additional points built into the inital release before the content was even available, in fact I'm not sure it's available now (haven't checked) but from what I heard there will be 4 additional area's at 200 points a piece. Basically all new content = $10

 

Per majornelson.com

 

Content: Milky Way Constellations

Price: 200 Microsoft Points

Availability: Only in Canada, Japan, Mexico, United States

Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone) Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence] Roll up all 88 constellations to make the Milky Way. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

 

Content: The Weaver Girl

Price: 200 Microsoft Points

Availability: Only in Canada, Japan, Mexico, United States

Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone) Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence] Collect lots of string and yarn to make the Weaver Girl, Vega. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

 

Content: Shopping Spree

Price: 200 Microsoft Points

Availability: Only in Canada, Japan, Mexico, United States

Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone) Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence] Be a thrifty shopper and go on a shopping spree to make a Space Station. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

 

Content: High-calorie Katamari

Price: 200 Microsoft Points

Availability: Only in Canada, Japan, Mexico, United States

Dash Text: [ESRB: E (Everyone)Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence] Collect lots of food to make Cetus the Whale. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

[moycon]

I gotta agree with Scummdog on this one. The game is great fun but too short. I've finished it today after 2 days of playing by rolling up the Black Holewhich automatically give you 100.

I have 100's on almost all the levels, collected almost all the cousins and presents, and have 86% of the collection.

I have more than half of the achievements.

I would say wait till you can find this game used for $25 or so. Especially since you have to drop another $10 to get more levels.

I love it a lot, but it IS way too short.

[Red 5]

In case those who finished it missed it, there is a bonus level after the black hole level.

After the credits, you get to roll up <snicker> Uranus.

 

A mini game opens up in the credits too.

 

So there are actually 2 bonus levels.

Edited October 27, 2007 by therealred5

[moycon]

In case those who finished it missed it, there is a bonus level after the black hole level.

After the credits, you get to roll up <snicker> Uranus.

 

A mini game opens up in the credits too.

 

So there are actually 2 bonus levels.

 

Yeah, I got Uranus and the mini-game.

Uranus is an untimed level where you roll up what the king requests for half the level, and then just free-for-all till space.

Pretty fun.

The biggest challenge is going to be be collecting 100% of the collection.

From what I understand, in order to do this, you also have to play the co-op levels.

It helps to have 100s on the levels also, that way you can play the Eternal mode and search and roll up things you need to complete the collection. I'm at 95% now, but I'm missing many many things yet.

[Red 5]

95% ! ?

 

Holy crap that's some serious rolling !

[moycon]

95% ! ?

 

Holy crap that's some serious rolling !

 

Like I said, it's going to be very difficult to get the 100%. Many of the stuff needed is rare and only appears in one place when you're certain size I think. Since I posted that I've only advanced to 96%

[+kisrael]

I would love some kind of photorealistic bonus level.

 

Also, I wish on the original that it wasn't so hard to unlock unlimited time on the final level, so that I could let my non-gamer friends enjoy it.

[Scumdogg]

95% ! ?

 

Holy crap that's some serious rolling !

 

Like I said, it's going to be very difficult to get the 100%. Many of the stuff needed is rare and only appears in one place when you're certain size I think. Since I posted that I've only advanced to 96%

 

 

I'm somewhere in the mid 90's as well, percentage-wise. The area of stuff that seems to be giving me the most trouble is the individual countries...they all look the same and it's hard to get them all...i'll have to get eternal mode unlocked on that level first i guess.

[moycon]

95% ! ?

 

Holy crap that's some serious rolling !

 

Like I said, it's going to be very difficult to get the 100%. Many of the stuff needed is rare and only appears in one place when you're certain size I think. Since I posted that I've only advanced to 96%

 

 

I'm somewhere in the mid 90's as well, percentage-wise. The area of stuff that seems to be giving me the most trouble is the individual countries...they all look the same and it's hard to get them all...i'll have to get eternal mode unlocked on that level first i guess.

 

Its really a piece of cake to get 100% on the big level. Just roll up the black hole...Instant 100%.

You'll need to be about 1,000,000 km in size. This is no problem if you've been replaing the levels trying to get 100%. Everytime you create a planet, whether you beat your last score or not, the planet shows up in the solar system the next time you vist. In fact you must do this to get 100% collection since the other planets you create all have new names and are considered unique.

Edited October 31, 2007 by moycon

[Scumdogg]

Its really a piece of cake to get 100% on the big level. Just roll up the black hole...Instant 100%.

You'll need to be about 1,000,000 km in size. This is no problem if you've been replaing the levels trying to get 100%. Everytime you create a planet, whether you beat your last score or not, the planet shows up in the solar system the next time you vist. In fact you must do this to get 100% collection since the other planets you create all have new names and are considered unique.

 

 

So...wait... In one level i got 100 on my first try. So do i have to go back and do *worse* in the level to get the other planet names?