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Good game for veterans, too many issues to recommend it to new players

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Beautiful Katamari feels like a port or an expansion pack. It packs competent levels that play well but do not really innovate. It plays well enough to be worthwhile for fans of the series, but has too many problems to be recommended as someone's first game.

First, what it does right:

The graphics are certainly improved. Widescreen 1080i really helps the visibility of your target objects, which makes the game fun to play and watch. Object detail is probably double what it was in the PS2 installments. Which, to be fair, still isn't saying much compared to most next-gen games. But it is noticable and nice.

The overworld is whimsical and fun. It is similar in concept to "We Love Katamari," but minus the annoying conversations you were forced to have with the people in that world.

The music, when it is not remixes of the previous two games, is very good. There are no painfully annoying songs as in WLK, and some of the J-pop is really catchy.

The larger stages expand the scope of gameplay nicely. Difficulty is ramped up, so if you can beat the other two games with your eyes closed, this installment offers more challenge for your gaming dollar.

What doesn't work:

The framerate issues are just unforgivable. Even though detail has been increased over previous games, it is nowhere near other more stable next gen games on the 360 or the PS3. Yet, when a lot of movement is on the screen or you are swinging the camera around quickly, the framerate chugs to a very frustrating degree, and exacerbates control issues. This is just sloppy coding. We all know the 360 can handle this amount of polygons without turning into a slideshow.

Speaking of controls, it is difficult to put my finger on, but my thumbs get a lot more sore playing this that the PS2 games with the dual shock. Other players I've talked to have confirmed this. Either it's the response programmed in, or the controller itself, but you can feel it. I tend to think it's the game, because it's more noticeable on the larger levels than the smaller ones.

The difficulty, while welcome for a veteran, will probably be painfully frustrating to a newbie. Several levels are timed so that it takes extremely fast and consistent play to even make the minimum objective. Control and framerate issues add to the frustration.

Online modes add interest, but do not really evolve the gameplay in any new directions. It's the same stuff you could do on split screen on the PS2. Also, you need a Live Gold membership, at $50 per year, to do it. Given the overall lameness of 2-player Katamari modes, this is unjustifiable.

I find myself wishing the game were on PS3. The controller is better, perhaps the framerate issues could be solved (again, I think this is the programmers' fault, not Microsoft's), and the online play could be free and wireless.

Nonetheless, it's a good game which fans of the series will enjoy. I bought it for around $30 and felt this was a fair price. Now that it's $20, it's not a bad cheap title to get for your 360. If you want to get a friend into the game, though, get them the original game on PS2. It's better balanced, has fun story cutscenes which help set the tone, and doesn't have the framerate issues of this installment.

Great Game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is the fist time the Katamari Franchise has appeared on the Xbox 360 and it is my first experience with its weird world. Beautiful Katamari is a fun whimsical game that will draw you in from the moment you first start playing. Even the menu system and the level selection is presented in an undeniably charming way. As for the gameplay it is a lot of fun to roll up Katamari and you're rewarded for trying to build the biggest and best version. You'll probably find yourself playing the levels multiple time to try and beat your high score. The game is not very long, but with the high replay and amount of fun you'll have, it is well worth the price.

Pissed off that Namco switched platforms

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 25
Date: April 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I was a huge fan of the two PS2 Katamari games, and even bought myself a PSP in order to play the third game, which was also wonderful.

However, after announcing for months that they would release the next Katamari game for PS3, Namco suddenly pulled a switcheroo and decided to release it on XBox 360 only. I've even checked with their consumer relations, and they have no plans to release it for PS3. That move strikes me as not only stupid but also kind of mean to Katamari's loyal fans, who have thus far been PS users. I've already got a PSP, PS2 and PS3, and have neither the funds nor the room for another gaming system at this point. (If I do shell out the cash for another gaming system this year, it will certainly be a Wii.)

Maybe it's unfair of me to give this game only one star when I haven't had the opportunity to play it, but Namco's outright rejection of loyal fans really chaps my hide. Get a clue, Namco!

Way too frustrating and hard to control

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 32
Date: November 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Skip this one.

1. To start each request (level) you have to press the A button about 20 times to get through pointless dialog. If you fail the level and want to try again you have to click 20 times through a "punishment skit". This is every time, on every level and there's no way to skip it.

2. Controlling movement is very difficult and has left me sorry I trusted any of the reviews on Amazon. The automatic camera angles are equally bad.

3. Most requests (levels) are timed. And the game doesn't give you enough time on the clock to perform the required task without a lot of effort. Young children will be super frustrated.

4. The King who narrates the game is rather insulting which makes a difficult game even less appealing to play. He says things like you're a loser, you're mediocre, etc. Hard to believe this is a Japanese game.

Roll on Beautiful Katamari!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Bought it on sale from Amazon at [...]. Good price and fun to play. If you like old school games that provide a challenge but don't require hours to learn or complete one level. This is the game for you. Just wish it wasn't so short.

We need more games like this!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Beautiful Katamari is one of those precious gems of a game that rarely come along. I know there have been other versions, but this one was my first. And the experience is top notch.

To put it simple, you roll a sticky ball around and collect stuff in order to create planets, the moon, and even a supergiant. The sticky ball can pick up bigger and bigger things as its size grows. It may sound kind of rediculous, but once you play it, you'll be hooked.

The game features some quirky Japanese flair. At first, it seems quite odd, but as you get into the game, you wouldn't want it any other way. Color, art and humor fill this game and it is done very well.

The gameplay is fantastic, fun, and addictive. The music is great, and many game developers should take note of how they use it in the game, as it just adds to the charm. Online is fun too, and it has a neat little social aspect to it.

I could probably go on and on about Beautiful Katamari, but I'll just leave it at this, buy the game, put away your thoughts of what a game should be (especially you hardcore gamers) and just have fun. Because isn't that why we play games in the first place?

Amazing fun for any age.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game is very fun and pretty simple to play. The object is just to roll up a bunch of crap and get it to a certain size before the time runs out. Easy for anyone, fun and highly recommended. It's silly and I don't have to worry about getting blown up, eaten by a zombie, or shot at. My girlfriend who never plays video games, can't keep her hands off this one. Addicting for such a crazy little Japanese game. Graphics aren't state of the art but they don't have to be. Don't hesitate...go buy this game now.

Delightfully Zany

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 08, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Just seeing the looks on my peoples' faces when they saw this playing on the television made the game worth it. I'm not a big gamer, I really hate the first-person shooters my husband plays but this was a game we could play together. It really is beautiful.

If you think rolling a ball is without challenges, just wait until the King punshis you! I really scambled to get that katamari (clump in Japanese) as big as possible to avoid the King's verbal lashings.

Fun but a little short

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've heard quite a bit about the Katamari series and always wanted to try it out, but never had a PlayStation 2. So when Beautiful Katamari came out for the Xbox 360, I had to get it. Overall, it's a fun and unique game with the cool ability to roll up all sorts of stuff...from thimbles to cruise ships to planets. It can definitely be pretty short if you play straight through, but the replay value is pretty high. Apparently I need to "learn how to roll better" as the King of All Cosmos says because the scores I got for each level are pretty abysmal. It's still fun (and frustrating at times!) to try and get higher scores.

Graphics are a bit simple, but that's okay. Soundtrack is...interesting, but fun...as well. Co-op and Versus modes are somewhat limited, in my opinion. In Versus, I would have liked to see a huge world where you try to get larger than your opponent in a certain amount of time, but there are only three settings (small, medium, and large) where you try to collect the most number of cones, and can charge your opponent to knock the cones off them.

Pros:
-Fun, unique game play
-Good soundtrack (I don't know how it compares to the other games)
-Cheaper than other games

Cons:
-Somewhat short
-Can be a little frustrating at times

Worth Playing

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

As a fan of the Katamari series I was interested in the game when it was released. However they went away from its budget minded price, after Amazon made it a Deal of the Day I jumped. The main game is kind of short you could finish the game in one setting if you wanted. The replay value is there find all the cousins and present makes it worth playing over and over. The music is fantastic, controls are good, and the graphics are an improvement over the PS2 games while keeping it's charm. Over all a good pick.

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