This review contains spoilers
[ Story: 10/10 | Gameplay: 9/10 | OST: 10/10 ]
This will very likely be the only 'review' I'll ever write for a game, if you can even call this one at all haha. I need to fully let out just how much this short, sweet game impacted me as hard and as fast as it did.
Klonoa is not a happy game, don't make the same mistake I did before touching it myself. On the surface it's an adorable bubbly platformer starring a lil cabbit fella and his bulby ring friend, as they travel level through level making enemies 'big and round' and trying to put an end to Ghadius' antics.
From the moment you jump into the first level, this game already screams charm through it's artstyle and unique 2.5D leveling design present throughout the entire game, which makes for excellent placement and solving for little puzzles; this is a REALLY goddamn fun puzzle platformer.
You're laughing and having a blast seeing this adorable little dude go about and scream 'WAHOO!' and then your first tragedy hits. Well goddamn, this adventure's vibe just turned into an immediately depressing one in the span of 2 minutes; but it's ok! We're about to head back into the fray and continue our happy adventure to stop the evil bad guy!
As your progress continues onwards towards the end, and as you finish off Ghadius and save the world from darkness, you celebrate! You did it, the world is saved and you can get your happy ending!
Now in a timeline where Namco actually made this happen and everyone laughed and cheered, this would make sense. No, just like the manipulation Huepow put onto Klonoa, this game threw you through a big fat lie and made you sob and cry instead of throwing your hands up in cheer.
It's deceitful, and it will fucking hurt, but it's a pain you'll soon learn to love and cherish for as long as you live.
Door to Phantomile aims to wring your heart in both directions by coaxing you into it's cute charm and Kirby-like aesthetic, only to take you on the steepest rollercoaster of emotions known to gaming and break your heart just before the credits roll, and if it isn't from the voice acting, it's from the music.
I could probably write an entire other 10 paragraphs on why and how the music is as impactful and beautiful as it is, and why Vision 6-1's Untamed Heart is one of, if not the rawest, best compositions to ever grace gaming as a whole.
I love and adore every aspect and detail about this game; the levels, the story, the characters, the music. Everything. And knowing I'll never get to experience something like this for the first time ever again is arguably the most heartbreaking thing about this game.
You have a special place in my heart now Klonoa. Thank you <3
This will very likely be the only 'review' I'll ever write for a game, if you can even call this one at all haha. I need to fully let out just how much this short, sweet game impacted me as hard and as fast as it did.
Klonoa is not a happy game, don't make the same mistake I did before touching it myself. On the surface it's an adorable bubbly platformer starring a lil cabbit fella and his bulby ring friend, as they travel level through level making enemies 'big and round' and trying to put an end to Ghadius' antics.
From the moment you jump into the first level, this game already screams charm through it's artstyle and unique 2.5D leveling design present throughout the entire game, which makes for excellent placement and solving for little puzzles; this is a REALLY goddamn fun puzzle platformer.
You're laughing and having a blast seeing this adorable little dude go about and scream 'WAHOO!' and then your first tragedy hits. Well goddamn, this adventure's vibe just turned into an immediately depressing one in the span of 2 minutes; but it's ok! We're about to head back into the fray and continue our happy adventure to stop the evil bad guy!
As your progress continues onwards towards the end, and as you finish off Ghadius and save the world from darkness, you celebrate! You did it, the world is saved and you can get your happy ending!
Now in a timeline where Namco actually made this happen and everyone laughed and cheered, this would make sense. No, just like the manipulation Huepow put onto Klonoa, this game threw you through a big fat lie and made you sob and cry instead of throwing your hands up in cheer.
It's deceitful, and it will fucking hurt, but it's a pain you'll soon learn to love and cherish for as long as you live.
Door to Phantomile aims to wring your heart in both directions by coaxing you into it's cute charm and Kirby-like aesthetic, only to take you on the steepest rollercoaster of emotions known to gaming and break your heart just before the credits roll, and if it isn't from the voice acting, it's from the music.
I could probably write an entire other 10 paragraphs on why and how the music is as impactful and beautiful as it is, and why Vision 6-1's Untamed Heart is one of, if not the rawest, best compositions to ever grace gaming as a whole.
I love and adore every aspect and detail about this game; the levels, the story, the characters, the music. Everything. And knowing I'll never get to experience something like this for the first time ever again is arguably the most heartbreaking thing about this game.
You have a special place in my heart now Klonoa. Thank you <3