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Me & My Katamari Mini Review
Chris Leyton
18/05/2006
UK gamers may not have taken to NAMCO's Katamari; however, Takahashi-san returns with the last title in the series...
The disastrous debut of We Love Katamari earlier in the year on the Playstation2 seems to suggest that image-conservative UK gamers are not ready to drop their preconceptions just of yet. Unlike the rest of the world, it seems we're no longer ready to accept whacked out videogame that throws convention out of the window.
Still EA remains committed to a publishing agreement with NAMCO which has seen the quiet roll-out of Me & My Katamari for the Sony PSP, the last in the series from the reluctant Keita Takahashi. Unfortunately the biggest issue surrounding PSP titles returns to thwart Me & My Katamari, namely the conversion of Playstation2 titles to the thumbstick depraved design of the PSP. Sony's handheld has impressed with its ability to handle PS2 conversions from a visual point of view, yet there are too many games that sorely miss a second thumbstick, and sadly Me & My Katamari suffers more then most.
The roll-em-up that sets new standards for sheer lunacy once again finds the Prince rolling a Katamari around differently themed levels, picking up varying objects to increase the size of the Katamari. As far as a story goes in a Katamari title, Me & My Katamari finds the King of All Cosmos and the Royal Family taking a well-deserved holiday on the planet Earth. The mere presence of the King, however, is enough to cause a vast tsunami, devastating the nearby Paradise Commonwealth Island. Thus the hapless Prince is once again brought into action to make amends, rolling up mighty Katamaris to form new islands for the inhabitants.
Sadly what was once the most eminent aspect of the game, an intuitive control system that appealed beyond demographic splits, degenerates into a muddled system utilising a combination of the d-pad, face and shoulder buttons, which will leave even Katamari veterans slightly bemused to begin with. Such a control system on a reflex heavy game like Me & My Katamari inevitably leads to the PSP "sore thumb syndrome", ensuring that this is one Katamari title best left for short bouts.
Further still the game continues to feel technically inadequate compared to previous games in the series. Objects attached to the Katamari often begin to disappear as it grows in size, whilst the portable adaptation seems to throw up more camera issues and glitching through objects then previous versions.
Me & My Katamari does, however, succeed in other areas that have become characteristic of the series. There's a stack of bonuses and cousins to roll-up and unlock, along with a Wi-Fi ad-hoc multiplayer for up to four players. The return of classic tunes such as "Katamari on the Rocks" and the vivacious visual style are also as brilliantly diverse as before; much like the rest of the game, it's either one you're going to love or absolutely hate.
Despite fundamental problems Me & My Katamari remains an enjoyable experience in true Katamati tradition. With the most bizarre humour you're ever likely to see in a videogame, the same simple premise, the strangely hypnotic tunes and a functional stab at getting the basics right, Me & My Katamari is a thoroughly recommended title for fanatics and newcomers alike.
