Katamari Forever
Katamari Forever is a video game that consists of 4 releases
Reviewed on Oct. 2, 2009
Katamari Forever doesn't change much about this quirky, long-running series, and you know what? That's totally OK.
Read Jeff Gerstmann's full review
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Quick Look: Katamari Forever
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Katamari Forever is the first game in the quirky Katamari Damacy series for the PS3. It's a combination of old and new levels in high definition with all-new music.
Overview
Known as Katamari Damacy Tribute (塊魂トリビュート) in Japan, Katamari Forever is the first Katamari game to hit the PlayStation 3, and the first true high definition entry in the series (1080p.) The game features levels from all the previous games in the series (except for Me & My Katamari, the PSP version) as well as all-new levels. The old levels feature many more objects than before, along with the HD makeover. The cel-shaded style shown in the trailer is just one of many graphical filters that can be applied at will.Story
Once again, as the diminutive Prince of all Cosmos, you are tasked with putting all the stars back into the sky. This time the reason for them being destroyed is that one day the King of all Cosmos went up into the sky and got hit on the head by a giant space rock. Because of this he has lost his memory and cannot fulfil his duties as king of the universe. In a panic, all the cousins band together to create RoboKing, a temporary robot replacement. After using the tutorial to create the RoboKing's reactor core, the cousins discover that there is a glitch in the system and the RoboKing flies up into space and destroys all the stars with his laser eyes before falling back down to earth. Now with the RoboKing's glitch fixed, your objective is two-fold: team up with RoboKing to put all the stars back where they belong, and go into the real King's mind and relive older missions in order to help him restore his memory. Graphics
Example of Katamari's Graphics.
Normal Tone - The standard look for the game.
Wood Tone - This gives everything a wood grain finish.
New Tone - Makes everything pastel colored and cel-shaded.
Comic Tone - Another cel-shading tone, but with more primary colors and thick black outlines.
Mono Tone - All objects are black and white.
Pencil Tone - Everything is shaded as if drawn with colored pencils.
New Challenge Modes and Gameplay
Katamari Forever adds new challenge types to the series repertoire. One challenge sees the level stripped of its color, while rolling up objects brings their color back. This new "coloring" mode will be known as "RoboCosmo". You'll do this mode for a member of the King's family called Lobo. Another challenge gets rid of item collection altogether and features a sponge ball that soaks up water from pools. As you roll it around the barren landscape, plants bloom in the ball's wake, with much the same effect as Amaterasu's powers in Okami. Other bonus modes that become available after beating a mission are Katamari Drive, Eternal, and Katamari Classic. In Katamari Drive mode your Katamari will automatically move forward only giving you control on turning. In this mode timers are shortened becauase of the speed at which you move. Eternal Mode is a mode that was introduced in the older Katamari games. In this mode you can go through the level without a timer, this mode is best for finding cousins and Royal Presents that you have not gotten already. Lastly Katamari Classic mode takes away the power ups in the game and also the prince jump. You have to get through the level based on how well and efficently you can roll up objects.
The game also adds power-ups to the familiar gameplay in the form of the RoboKing's broken heart. This allows players to have items nearby automatically suck towards them and attach to the Katamari. There is also another version of the power-up where you gain the ability to have things sucked towards you for a period of time while you roll instead of just all the items around you at that moment.
Online ranking is available for some of the challenge levels.
Controls
Roll forward: Press both analog sticks forward Roll backward: Press both analog sticks backwardsTurn left (or right): Press both analog sticks diagonally up and to the left (or right)
Roll left (or right): Press both analog sticks left (or right)
Brake: Press in the opposite of your current direction
Face left (or right): Press one analog stick up or down.
Quick rotation left (or right): Press one analog stick up or down, and press the other analog stick in the opposite direction.
Climb: Hold the left and right sticks while facing a step or wall.
Prince Dash (move forward quickly): Quickly press both sticks up and down, in sequence.
Prince Turn (180 degree turn): Press L3 and R3 buttons simultaneously.
Prince Hop (Jump): Quickly shake the controller up or down, or press R2.
Prince Look (Look around the surrounding area from the Prince's point of view): L1 button
Normal Eye / Miracle Eye (During Prince Look): L2 button / R2 button.
Katamari Look (View your katamari from the surrounding area): R1 button.
Zoom out / in (During Katamari Look): L2 button / R2 button.
Camera Prince (Photographer Mode): Press Circle button during Prince Look or Katamari Look.
Expand Photo (During Photographer Mode): Triangle button
Shutter (During Photographer Mode): Circle button
Move line of sight (during Prince Look, Katamari Look, Photographer Mode): left stick
Pause: Start button
Vibration ON/OFF: Select button
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features some prominent names in Japanese electronica, namely Rei Harakami, YMCK and Sexy Synthesizer, the latter two heavily involved in retro chiptune music.atom™ - Everlasting Love (atom™ remix)
AFRA - Katamari On The Rocks (5cm Price Remix)
Takuya Ohashi (from Sukima Switch) - Katamari On the Wings
KiKi Kirinji - Houston （Re-Arranged by KIRINJI）
GUIRO - Bluff Spirit （Refreshed by GUIRO）
Saigenji - Katamari Sword Song
SEXY-SYNTHESIZER - Katamari On The Swing （SEXY-SYNTHESIZER ALL ABOUT namco Mix）
Señ or Coconut - Katamari On The Funk （ Señor Coconut's Katamambo remix）
SOFT - You are Smart （RAAGINIA SOFT MIX）
Hardfloor - Nana-Nan Damacy (Hardfloor Alternative-Remix)
Buffalo Daughter - Galactic S-O-U-L
Beautiful Hummingbird - Cherry Blossom Season （fanfare mix）
Horikoshi Wind Ensemble - Sunbaked Savannah High School
Shigeru Matsuzaki - SHADOW AND LIGHT
Kimitaka Matsumae - The Royal Academy Of Katamari （Kimitaka Matsumae Remix）
Micazo - Sayonara Rolling Star （Yuri's Mixx）
Yuusama & Natsukodachi - Lonely Rolling Star No More
Leah Dizon - EverLasting Love ＋ You
Rei Harakami - Do Re Mi Ka Ta Ma Ri Do* （-rh rehabikitation re-arrange-）
Leopaldon - The Moon And The Prince （Leopaldon Mix）
YMCK - A Crimson Rose and a Gin & Tonic （YMCK 8bit Mix）
*A pun using the syllables of "Katamari" in the Solfeggio system of singing i.e. Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti like in Sound of Music.
Many of these are remixes of famous songs from the first game (Moon & The Prince, Bluff Spirit) or reimaginings (Sunbaked Savannah High School and Lonely Rolling Star No More).
| Game Name | Katamari Forever |
| Platform(s) | |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Developer(s) | |
| Genres | |
| Themes | |
| Original US Release |
Sept. 22, 2009
need a fuzzy date? |
| Original US Release |
September
2009 know the real date? |
| Aliases | |
| OFLC |
OFLC: G
|
| CERO |
CERO: A
|
| ESRB |
ESRB: E
|
| PEGI |
PEGI: 3+
|
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