Once Upon a Katamari Review

The Katamari series has long been known for its unapologetically eccentric premise and gameplay, and after such a long absence, the developers have decided to finally bring the series back to the spotlight in the form of Once Upon a Katamari.

Bringing back its trademark absurdity and gameplay loop of basically rolling and gobbling up anything and everything in its path, The King of All Cosmos accidentally destroys the Earth and stars. Apparently, you can do that, and now, the Prince must get to rolling across time itself, traversing the eras to rebuild the night sky.

This title is simple in terms of technical gameplay, but Once Upon a Katamari shines in its charm and the value it provides, offering players various unlockables, levels, and a good amount of fun. Fans of the series will find an enticing package, while newcomers can finally dive in and see what the fuss is all about.

Keep Rolling On

Once Upon a Katamari, at its core, is a game where you are literally a ball that rolls across various objects, “assimilating” those objects and growing the ball slowly as you gather more and more to meet the level goals. While quite easy to imagine, it’s quite another actually to see it in action, and the Katamari series has really thrived on this eccentricity and mysteriousness, forming a cult following over the years.

Once Upon a Katamari shakes up the formula ever so slightly, offering players fantastic era-themed levels that span the Jurassic Era, Feudal Japan, and even the Ice Age. There’s a lot to see and do in this game, and while the main gameplay loop can get repetitive in that sense, the fun and absurdity across levels remain fresh.

Within these eras, there are various score-based levels players can engage with, each with objectives they must meet to clear. Some levels will require players to roll the biggest ball in the least amount of time, while others will require other objectives, such as collecting particular objects. Watch out, though, as you can’t simply roll and collect any object you come across! If you are still a small ball, then you’ll be unable to collect bigger objects until you increase in size. The levels are huge, and there’s a lot to collect, so rolling is almost always the best way to go about things.

It is entirely possible to speedrun some of these levels, requiring strategy and patience, especially when navigating obstacles. Getting crowns scattered across levels (three per level) is key to opening up progress. While some of them are easy to find and collect, some of them are quite problematic if you somehow miss them along the way, or you’re unable to reach them since you aren’t big enough just yet.

Gameplay-wise, Once Upon a Katamari may confuse newcomers with its control scheme. If it is your first time picking up a controller for this game, learning how the ball rolls will be quite a puzzle. While it may take a few rounds to understand fully, it does feel intuitive after a few rounds and will soon become second nature. Alternatively, there is a simpler control scheme that will feel more modern, in a sense, but players can choose to stay true to the classic feel. Of course, there’s a pretty robust tutorial on how to operate things so that you won’t get lost for long.

Once Upon a Katamari adds several improvements, such as power-ups that shake up gameplay quite a bit. Some samples include a rocket that will boost you in the direction you are facing, allowing faster collection of objects, and even a magnet that will automatically absorb surrounding objects for a given time. These really add a layer of unpredictability across levels and are a fun change of pace from the regular rolling, despite there being only a few of them and only lasting for short bursts that may feel lacking for some players.

Customization is another plus point for Once Upon a Katamari, allowing players to customize almost everyone in the game. You can change faces, colors, expressions, and a lot more, which will really give your character a look that you can call your own, if that makes sense at all. There are a ton of options to collect and unlock, which makes clearing levels something to look forward to.

Part of what makes Once Upon a Katamari such a blast to play is its soundtrack, which matches the eras perfectly. Players will get a mix of chill music to even J-pop, which is really a highlight. The game even has a “King of All Sounds Edition” that adds tracks from past games, and while it’s unfortunate to see that these tracks are locked behind a paywall, the current offering is good enough to get by.

Visually, the era themes are distinct and look really fun and charming. Even the objects within these eras are well-themed, offering a visual identity that keeps the gameplay loop feeling fresh throughout. The game does not really go for any realistic art style, so expect the same absurdity in how most things look, which is part of its charm.

Additionally, Once Upon a Katamari offers players a new multiplayer mode called KatamariBall. It’s pretty simple, as you’ll go up against three other players to see who can roll up the biggest ball. In a unique twist, you can also roll up opposing players, which takes chaos to the next level. It’s a fun distraction for the main campaign, and when you’re not going against other players, you can choose to go against the CPU for some mindless fun.

Once Upon a Katamari is not without its hitches, and the camera is still a big culprit in some levels that can be frustrating to roll around in. Controls can sometimes be a pain, especially when using twin-stick controls in tight spaces. Both of these can prove to be a headache, especially in levels that require players to beat a time limit.

Verdict: Buy it!

Once Upon a Katamari remains a joy to play, even after all these years. Don’t expect anything too complicated or technical, but veterans can enjoy the classic absurdity the series is known for, while new players can enjoy an accessible, low-pressure puzzle adventure title.

Its core gameplay and identity are faithfully retained, while additions like power-ups and a robust customization suite make the game more fun to play. While there are some problems, like some camera and control hitches, the fun is still retained throughout the playthrough.

Once Upon a Katamari is the perfect example of a game that does not take itself seriously and asks the same of its players. Kick back, roll around, and just enjoy the absurdity and ridiculousness of the proceedings.

*Once Upon a Katamari was reviewed on a PS5 with a review code provided by the publisher.