Review #582: Klonoa - Door to Phantomile

 A $150 classic.

 Klonoa on the PS1 is more than just a 2.5D platform game, it's an investment. Having become a bit of a rarity nowadays, Klonoa commands a hefty price, and, as luck would have it, it just might be one of Playstation's best platforming games.

 As with other, future Klonoa games, the story is a bit hard to decipher, but it amounts to Klonoa and Huepow, a round, sprite-like entity that inhabits Klonoa's wind ring, are the best of friends and on a day like any other come to find out about Glahdius and Joka, two miscreants up to no good. Klonoa is a good pupper-thing, so of course he jumps at the opportunity to stop them. The story will take them through 6 worlds, 2 stages each, as they go through the various lands of Phantomile. Something I did not see coming was the game's tone, it's not as whimsical and quirky as Klonoa 2, but rather, bittersweet, with a plot that isn't afraid to delve into some rather depressing themes. I think this is the first time I can say that I enjoyed the plot of a Klonoa game.

 By now you know the drill, Klonoa is a simple game with two basic mechanics: Jumping and Capturing. With one button Klonoa jumps and with the other one he shoots a wind bullet a few meters in front of him, any enemy that gets hit by it gets captured by Klonoa, who can then use it as a platform to perform a second jump upon or as a projectile. The entire game is built upon using both mechanics in increasingly more complex situations, just as jumping from enemy to enemy or figuring out how to use enemies in order to reach a certain part of the level.

 The game's puzzles are never as complex as they would get in future installments, but I can appreciate the simplicity. While Klonoa can take 6 hits in this game, as opposed to 3, this game definitely felt more challenging than Klonoa 2 or Klonoa Advance 1. I think that while the other games tried to come up with more interesting puzzles, this one was content with putting your platforming skills to the test, so it's not as much about figuring puzzles, but rather, having to overcome platforming sections with challenges that can kill you if you don't have the ability or reflexes needed.

 Klonoa isn't worth the $150(And upwards!) price it commands nowadays, but then again, which game does? Despite that, and sadly, Klonoa- Door to Phantomile is a fantastic game filled with charm and fun gameplay. If you ask me, I think Klonoa 2 is a teeny, tiny bit better and cheaper, so it's a better alternative, but it's not like it's a complete substitute, as both games have slightly different flavors. The game is a bit short, probably around 4-5 hours long if you try to collect everything and unlock the bonus stage, so you might want to think twice about taking the plunge with this one, even if the game is oozing quality.
 9.0 out of 10