Well, i re-played this game twice already.
And somehow... This still is one of the games that keeps trying to pull me back the most, and it isn't that great comparing it to Door to Phantomile or L'sV, or, well, Dream Champ Tournament. (excluding EOD, i do not like that one)
I'm writing this because, i feel like posting something, or, just, well, writing.
It's strange, how this game looks very limited, simple, and, has rather empty big rooms, but, it is very atmospheric, and, somehow is the best looking game despite being in monochrome and looking very simple, it is, style really, it isn't that it is the best looking game, it is that it becomes by having the best unintentional style, there is a certain atmosphere that complements with the music, lack of color, empty big levels, it's, somehow quite sad...
This is the game to introduce the puzzle formula, and also other things, i call this the beginning of modern Klonoa, not just because he already has the smaller pupils, but, it feels that way, and, 3 hit points, less enemies and such.
So the levels aren't linear, and they involve getting the 3 moon fragments to complete a level, you get them by solving puzzles.
If you ever play this game, use Oswan emulator if you want to play on PC, good luck finding a real Wonderswan just to play this game. (altho there are many other hidden gems in the Wonderswan, i call it the Gameboy 2)
As well, use the original game unpatched, don't use the translation patch, because, it's not very good or complete, and cuts alot of text to fit in, instead, check this awesome post out, read while playing, but keep track of your self.
https://forum.klonoa.network/?topic=466.0The game stars Klonoa and Hewpow (or Huewpoe) again, taking place after Door to Phantomile (?), but since they are different dreams, it doesn't matter and nothing is connected, they see a girl crying, because the moon is missing for some reason, apparently the moon was shattered into pieces and used by artists? Well, the girl points out to their museum, so they go and retrieve the fragments by, entering their paintings? Somehow the artists also have no issue by them being there, they just kinda let them get the moon fragments back, which is silly, but, sure.
As for the worlds and levels...
Every world has 6 visions, there are 5 worlds, and one extra.
World 1 is right at home, as in, it quite literally is supposted to be something like Breezegale (and it is, considering this game didn't had this art theme originally early in development), as should a world 1 be and it is, it's, just easing you in, but, maybe it is a bit too easy... But, well, it makes sense.
It also is like that, because the artist Picoo of world 1 wants to make reflective drawings based on past.
The music is exactly that, it's quite sad and empty, but, nostlagic, and, well, whenver i was, well not having good times, listening to it was like onions, but, not acidy, but, instead because of feelings, so, well beware, well Klonoa fans are Omori fans so, whatever really.
You then realize, there are no bosses in this game.
World 2 introduces new crates, and is themed after...? I'm not quite sure, but i kinda like the parallax through the windows, reminds me of Forlock a bit, and maybe it is supposted to be that. (also considering early in development) It is, disappointingly easy still for the most part, at this point, you'd expect the puzzles to be more challenging, which is, foreshadowing...
Treffle, this world's artist loves doing giant things, and, he's tiny, no idea why this is the world's theme, but sure.
The music in this world is infamous, but, i don't find it, thaat bad, but i suspect people dislike this soundtrack because of this song, but, at least i think that's what i remember seeing back in the day.
World 3 introduces walls you can open and close with switches, it has a spooky prison theme. This is when the game starts to get more reasonable with its difficulty, instead of painfully easy and mindless, but it still isn't that much really.
This has one of the biggest stops in the game, out of nowhere in a level, one of the puzzles is much harder compared to everything else in the game, so it might take alot of time to understand it.
Koof, this world's artist is a comic artist, all panels are supposted to be the prison cells, which is, interesting.
This world's music is repetitive, but fits, it has kind of a heart beat to it, which fits the spooky theme, and, makes you go insane for listening for it for too long, well, again, kinda fits, but that is probably unintentional, i think this might be my least favorite song, it's, not bad, but, again, i think it's really repetitive and tiring.
World 4 introduces bombs / fireworks, it's a sky palace, and it looks very nice because of it, specially the parallax in the windows. The difficulty is just right in this world, there i say, the game basicly peaks here.
Kaho, this world's artist is, a photographer, which i'm not all too sure as to why it is themed after a sky world, but, sure.
The music is amazing in this world, there i say, the best track in the game, and fits the world, the puzzles are interesting, well, everything basicly works here.
World 5 introduces multiple numbered doors and they get kinda confusing. This is where the game gets hard and confusing, and, the levels are the longest, this world has my favorite visuals and presentation, and probably is the most memorable world, it might even be my favorite Klonoa level / world ever! But this definely isn't the most fun part of the game, it's just the theme and aesthetics of it that is my favorite ever. Still, not a bad world for the "final" world, it is one of the better ones.
This is the museum it-self i believe.
The music is, okay, it's fitting, rather nostalgic, think of it as world 3's music, but better and less repetitive and more "nice" per say, this song sets the mood.
World EX (bonus world) is, well, like Door to Phantomile's "Vision EX", it is a time attack world, it's a good and similar challenge to Balue's Tower, but i don't have much else to say about it.
The music is, strange, but kinda cool, it is however kinda obnoxious i guess, but it is alright.
Every level has 30 dream stones, and each dream stone is a chunk of a picture frame of each world, getting all dream stones from all levels from one world completes the picture, they look nice, and i did go after them all in both playthrough, and so should you, as they aren't all that hard to collect them all, and the art work is, again, pretty.
I think this game is a, 3/5, half of this game is a good puzzle Klonoa game, but the other half just feels kinda there, and also, drags on for too long this game, the worlds kind of overstay their welcome, all and all, yeah...
It makes up for the gorgeous and unique style of this game, that is probably unintentional, but got better because of it.
The story is, nice and all, the game plays fine enough, it's just not that great... It's, a weird one.
Do i recommend you playing this game? Well... Hard to say, but, yes, i think if you like Klonoa puzzle games, you should, or me who doesn't like the puzzle games, i'd recommend either way, but don't over-play it, again, it might over-stay its welcome.
Eventually, i'll make a full fledged 3D Re-imagining of this game in GZDoom, with advanced 3D visuals and such while keeping the style close to the original, i want it to make you forget it's a GZDoom mod, i made a proof of concept, but i'm not working on this mod at the moment, since i have others to play.
Hope you enjoy this game, i tried to keep the story rather vague, because, well, i want you to play it, altho, you don't have to.
