Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series Review: Time Travel Is Real And This Game Proves It
As soon as Klonoa’s main menu music filled my ears, I was no longer a 27-year-old games journalist reviewing a remaster of a cult classic. I was sitting in my childhood bedroom, way too close to my CRT TV, PS2 controller in hand, looking at the adorable cat rabbit thing and giggling stupidly at the silly sounds he made. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series perfectly captures the essence of the original Klonoa games. This double-remaster barely changes a thing, and that’s what makes it both so wonderful and just shy of perfect.
I played Klonoa 2 to death as a kid but the series seems to have passed a lot of people by. Even at TheGamer, many hadn’t heard of it before I expressed my desire to review the remaster. Turns out it's a bit of a cult classic - you’re either a diehard fan or you’ve no idea what the hell a Klonoa even is. This remaster is for those of us who can still hear his giddy duperedeh as they read that nonsensical word.
RELATED: Sonic Origins Review - Great Fun, Despite Itself
Phantasy Reverie Series puts a new coat of paint on both the main series entries, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, released on PS1 and PS2 respectively. You know how you remember games being a lot prettier than they really are? Well, these 2.5D puzzle platformers look just as amazing as I remember - developer Monkey Craft has managed to deliver a perfect piece of nostalgia, which is no easy feat.
The levels are laid out identically, with the same puzzles, collectibles, and enemy placements as before. I’ve always preferred Klonoa 2, and that’s been the case with these remasters as well. It’s got a more coherent story, better level design, more varied gameplay, and tougher puzzles. The Door to Phantomille remaster has
Read more on thegamer.com
