Is there anything next-gen about the new Katamari?

[Shifty Geezer]

GameTrailers have a gameplay vid, and I'm thinking there's nothing here advancing the game. Poly counts may be up a bit, but everything still looks very low-res. Texture resolutions seem as low as ever. The lighting can be argued as an art-style choice, though I'm sure on PS2 it was the technical limits that chose the art-style for them. On next-gen they could have made things look more interesting. There's no dynamic lighting and the 'ball' shadow is just a grey circle on the ground that doesn't even grow with the 'ball'. But most notably, the physics are exactly the same as the PS2 version. A bounding sphere or two for collisions, and objects clipping through each other. It wouldn't be too hard to have a gravity attract objects and pull them into the ball for a tighter fit, optimizing the core into a bounding sphere. Given how simple everything else is, I'd hope there'd be enough CPU grunt to manage this.

Overall I'm seeing a last-gen game no different from it's predecessor. Which is a shame as the experience could have been spruced up nicely. As it is I can't see why Katamari fans would care to buy this new rendition.

 

[V3]

Katamari sounds like a fun idea for a game. But its delivery, I mean the way things control and behave in the Katamari games, are just medicore. Its a good idea that doesn't deliver because developers either just sucks or can't be bother to invest the time to fine tune the game. After 3 Katamari games, I don't think I'll invest in the fourth one, unless they improve things. Novel idea can only get you so far.

 

[cthellis42]

Indeed, there's nothing next-gen about this kind of release, nor particularly compelling. It's a bit cleaner and probably a lot smoother-running, but it's not really impressive in the slightest by what they've released so far; simply more of the same.

The only thing they really COULD do well with this level of simplicity would be in user-created levels (both smaller arenas for multiplayer mayhem and the possibility of full, importable boards), but I don't see that happening with this outing.

My only real hope is that Keita Takahashi has gotten out from under it. I know he wasn't wild about doing ANY sequels, and was rather dragged into We Katamari, but one hopes they're letting him do his own thing and search for a new and interesting kind of game to establish, while they have other units continuing to churn out Katamari.

 

[fearsomepirate]

Indeed, there's nothing next-gen about this kind of release, nor particularly compelling. It's a bit cleaner and probably a lot smoother-running, but it's not really impressive in the slightest by what they've released so far; simply more of the same.

Which makes the PS3 release all the more strange. You'd think a game like that would be ideal for that one console in Japan that's selling over 60K every week.

 

[Mmmkay]

GameSpot are suggesting that it'll be an XBLA title, which could go some way to explain its technical capabilities. They also set themselves the goal of maintaining the art direction of the originals, but catering for zero load times during rolls. 4xMSAA certainly helps too.

fearsome, while it has only been announced for PS3 and 360, the original rumour of its existence indicated a Wii version will also come. And currently it's being strongly rumoured that it'll only see a 360 release this fall.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Where rumoured an XB360 exclusive at first sounded unlikely, I wonder if they see this as more of a port of the PS2 version, and as 'We Love Katamari' is compatible with PS3, the same game would then appear on both machines? Or it's a download (Live only?) title. Can't be much by way of assets given the lack of texturing. Still, an improved physics engine would do wonders and add nothing to size requirements. Same with better lighting. They can keep the same simple design, but add some dynamic lights and shading, give things a bit of gloss etc.

 

[Neb]

Saw the video, ugliest game this generation and past generation to (well good for PS2 standards perhaps). Yeah I know it's all about the gameplay but if that was true for me I would still be playing 10+ year old looking games.

 

[rabidrabbit]

From the video if I didn't know it was for xbox360 I could've been foole dit was the PS2 Katamari game. Nothing new there from the looks of the short video.
Perhaps that's why it's "xbox360 exclusive", wouldn't make much sense to bring it to PS3 Store when the compatible PS2 game can be bought cheaply, and many might already own it.

Wonder if there'll ever be a true next gen Katamari Damacy game, made for motion control.
Not that it'd be that exiting news anyway. The Katamari game was fun for a while but soon grew old due to simplistic game mechanics and not enough variety in gameplay. The music was goos d though.

 

[AzBat]

In the June 07 issue of Office Xbox Magazine(US), their cover story was an exclusive first look at Beautiful Katamari. It covered 7 pages. Since I'm only an Xbox player I never heard about it before, but was intrigued by the concept. Anyway, in the article states the graphics are not really changed much since it wouldn't fit their unique visual style. However, they updated it to support high-definition wide-screen and surround-sound. Also added is a new online functionality in the forum of a Versus Mode and support for downloadable content(presents and cousins). An additional offline Co-Op Mode is included too. The number of objects in the game expand from a previous 1486 objects to 5000 in the Xbox 360 version. The music has also been expanded with the addition of 10 new tracks. 8 new cousins are included and 15 different gifts for each of the Prince's 3 body parts will be available.

BTW, they also included a video interview with Game Director Jun Moriwaki on the July 07 demo disc. I'm pretty sure this is the same interview they used to write the article for the June 07 issue. Anyway, they mentioned their playing around with the idea of Six-Axis support on the PS3 version. Things might have changed since then though.

Nothing I read in the article or watched in the video said they would making it an Live Arcade title, but they did mention in the article that the August 07 demo disc would have a playable demo. I should be receiving my issue any day now. Even with the update I could see how the game would lend itself to Live Arcade, but at a limit of 250MB I don't see that really happening.

Tommy McClain

 

[cthellis42]

Indeed no one expects a huge upgrade to something that doesn't befit the style, but since they are not, they could make blisteringly huge advancements otherwise; AI, physics, shadowing, AA/AF, framerate... Thing is, it doesn't seem to have changed much at all, except in some slighty highey-poly models, slighty better texturing, and simple AA. (And, of course, the higher resolution and sound fidelity.)

The previous Katamari games already had a versus mode, and the second had co-op multiplayer... Downloadable content is shruggable (especially if it's "cousins" and "presents" rather than boards or modes), and if there are no creation tools...

Basically, the game looks like what Katamari 3 would have on the PS2, only at a higher resolution. Slightly higher quality, and a few added extras. (Now you can wear THREE presents instead of TWO!)

The main thing I'm glad for is not seeing Keita Takahashi listed as Game Director, so my hope is that he's well underway on whatever project he thinks will kick butt this time.


P.S. If they release it on the PS3 and do NOT have SIXAXIS support...! WILL DESTROY!!

 

[Arwin]

Yeah, obviously the Wii and PS3 versions are going to support motion control. That should do the game a lot of good, imho.

 

[Corwin_B]

I wonder how the 360 controller will work for Katamari... That game worked great with the symetric analog sticks of the DualShock, but may be less intuitive on the asymetric 360 pad.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Dual-analogue control is fairly common, especially for shooters. It doesn't feel as natural/comfortable as DS's symmetric design IMO, but it's no problem.

 

[Mmmkay]

GameSpot have since corrected their article to note that Beautiful Katamari will in fact be a full retail release and not an XBLA title which they initially claimed.

[Correction: Beautiful Katamari will be released as a full retail package and not a download on Xbox Live Arcade, as previously reported. GameSpot regrets the error. -Eds.]

 

[AzBat]

they did mention in the article that the August 07 demo disc would have a playable demo. I should be receiving my issue any day now.

I got my August 07 issue today and the Beautiful Katamari demo wasn't on it. Instead there was a demo of Eternal Sonata. At least they got the publisher right. LOL

Tommy McClain

 

[Scott_Arm]

PS3 version dead?

http://wii.ign.com/articles/800/800761p1.html

Anyone have any other sources tellin' whether the PS3 version is cancelled?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Wouldn't surprise me. Any Katamari fans will already have the previous versions which play on PS3, and this next-gen version doesn't really improve on anything. I wouldn't expect the game to sell too well on PS3, and couple that with the low install base, it doesn't look a very profitable venture. Wii would likely reach a new audience with a larger install base. If it were me in charge I'd probably shift efforts (although if I were in charge I'd be creating a proper next-gen sequel!)

 

[PARANOiA]

Wouldn't surprise me. Any Katamari fans will already have the previous versions which play on PS3, and this next-gen version doesn't really improve on anything. I wouldn't expect the game to sell too well on PS3, and couple that with the low install base, it doesn't look a very profitable venture. Wii would likely reach a new audience with a larger install base. If it were me in charge I'd probably shift efforts (although if I were in charge I'd be creating a proper next-gen sequel!)

Sixaxis control would have made it worthwhile.

Edit: Did you know I only recently realised Sixaxis is a palindrome

 

[AzBat]

With Namco announcing it's official E3 lineuptoday, it's confirmed that Beautiful Katamari is exclusive to Xbox 360.

Other Xbox 360 exclusives include Ace Combat 6, Eternal Sonata and Culdcept SAGA.

Dynasty Warriors: GUNDAM will release for both Xbox 360 and PS3. While PS3 gets Time Crisis 4 as an exclusive.

Tommy McClain

 

[AzBat]

Beautiful Katamari demo now available on Live Marketplace. Hopefully it's longer than the OXM demo. It was way too short.

Tommy McClain