We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie (PS5)

As part of Bandai Namco’s recent efforts to remaster old Namco games to bring back old and negelcted IPs, Katamari Damacy was reissued through Katamari Damacy Reroll in 2018, bringing the fun and addicting game to a new generation. Following this, a remaster of the second game in the series and the only other game to be directed by Keita Takahashi, We Love Katamari, was announced in the form of We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie (WLK Reroll), including extra content not found in the original release. Having played the original before, I was curious about the new content and went for a PS5 copy of the game, primarily because of how much I associate the brand with PlayStation, and found it to be the superior way to play the game.

Following the success of Katamari Damacy (the video game), the King of All Cosmos becomes so popular that he begins taking requests from fans on Earth. Throughout the game, the King’s backstory is also revealed, beginning from his adolescence to the birth of the Prince. While there isn’t much to the main plot, its meta direction makes it more of a tribute to the first game’s popularity, though the reappearance of the Hoshino family later on muddies this a little. The B plot focusing on the King’s backstory is a similarly interesting choice, as it expands on the lore of the Katamari universe while fleshing out his character.

The core gameplay is similar to the Katamari Damacy Reroll, but with some differences, such as the ability to now look from the perspective of the Prince or the katamari itself to help make rolling easier. The planet setup in the first game is replaced with the Select Plaza, where you can find fans across multiple screens to access different levels. While you do have the ability to run through the screens to make finding fans faster, the potential tedium is reduced in the remaster with the option to freely access unlocked fans through a special side menu, with another menu providing gameplay options. Some levels try to stand out from others and the original game by having unique gimmicks to keep things fresh, such as rolling up enough of a given object within a time limit, though the difficult Taurus and Ursa Major stages from the original some back with a vengeance with the CowBear level that follows similar rules.

 

Levels are now accessible through the Select Plaza.

 

New to the remaster, equipping the Camera, unlockable as a gift in one level, enables Photo Mode while in Prince View, letting you take selfies and pictures of hidden stickers in each level with the reward of a photo frame for taking enough sticker pics. Perhaps the most useful addition to WLK Reroll is that the game tells you how big you need to be in order to access the next part of a level, with the game also telling you where you need to go to reach said area or another objective, though this can be toggled off in the settings for those looking for an experience closer to the original release.

 

A very useful UI update.

In a feature carried over from the original release, this game introduces a 2P battle mode, accessible through a specific area when two local players have a controller connected. This mode consists of a series of three-minute matches, with a choice of arena (Room, City, World) and the given goal of either rolling up as many of an object as possible OR keeping a specific object on you as long as possible, with the winner receiving treats from the Queen. Players can crash into each other to knock objects off each other’s katamaris to gain an advantage, or a bigger katamari can roll up a smaller one if the size difference is big enough, though the latter case also presents the smaller katamari a chance to escape. For those seeking a more competitive game mode while with a friend, this mode can potentially provide a lot of replay value.

Like with the previous remaster, WLK Reroll boasts improved visuals and load times compared to the PS2 version, including an updated UI that even has the see-through visual change to match the current level without obstructing playability. Similarly to the gameplay, the remaster also lets you toggle the visuals to match the original instead of the remaster, allowing new and returning players to more replicate the PS2 game if they so desire. One thing I will mention, however, is that, despite being made to run on more powerful hardware like the PS5, there are some moments where objects have highly questionable draw distance, though I don’t know how much of this has to do with the Switch port being made at the same time rather than a separate release as with the first Reroll.

 

The sound design remains familiar with the original release and consistent with the Katamari franchise, though unlike the first remaster, WLK Reroll retains the English voice acting in the opening narration. The soundtrack is just as memorable and catchy as its predecessor, featuring new versions of existing tracks as well as brand new ones, with the option to even set which track you want to hear in a stage, if not the default one, before you start.

 

One last addition to WLK Remaster is the new Royal Reverie mode, consisting of five brand new levels that feature a playable younger King and delve further into his past. Each of these levels is unlocked as you progress through the campaign, which can be accessed by touching the new Bamboo Sword of Memory item in the Select Plaza, or otherwise through the fan menu. Said levels are more difficult, remixed versions of existing levels with their own objectives and twists, though this does add a nice bit of replay value, however briefly, and gives returning players an incentive to experience the game again.

Like with Katamari Damacy Reroll, We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie is perfect for new and existing fans of the series, with a handy recap provided for those who missed out on the former title but still want to see what the big deal is. As a Katamari fan, hopefully this will lead to some much-needed remasters of other games in the series, but only time and sales numbers will tell.