[rapappa the pepper]

I feel like despite Klonoa having plenty of games... I've come to realize that, there isn't really much more to say about them after playing them for a while, they are, well, very linear, and very "designed" games in a way, to the point that, well there isn't really much you can do with them. I always thought Klonoa games to be more replayable, needed to be less rigid, however I can not pin point in what way.

I don't think releasing an "okay-ish" remaster is enough to resurrect Klonoa because they are the exact same games, with those exact same problems, after the hype from 2022, I feel like there isn't really much more to talk about the PRS version, or even much reason to go back to it in the following years now that the hype went off. I know it'd be riskier but if Namco really wanted Klonoa to have another chance, they would have to make a new game, rather than a remaster and make it a hostage situation, you buy the game if you want more Klonoa, or you let it die. It's really unfortunate, afterall, Klonoa started as a new project idea in the 1990s, and that within of it-self is already a risk, and it was one worth of taking. But I'm still hopeful but I don't know if Namco made enough from PRS. They might have made okay numbers and is probably among the best selling games in the series, but considering they didn't brag about its sales, maybe it wasn't really much. I would estimate between... 90k - 300k.

[Glazier]

An idea of a non linear Klonoa game is actually pretty nice IMO, it just has to be executed properly.

I really want more answers to questions which were left unanswered in the previous games. Klonoa is a franchise which has a very great universe which is mysterious yet really interesting

[HaggisD1]

The next Klonoa will either be worse than the other ones or very good, if they actually put heart and efforrt into it and want to create a product that their coustumors will enjoy.
I don't know where the Klonoa devs are now, but without the old staff Klonoa might never be as good as back in the day.

Klonoa is a simple, they shouldn't be able to make a really bad game. The only way they can screw up is by making the game on purpose easier and simpler.
Unless they literally do something unthinkable .

(For specific gameplay expectations, we already have enough boards  )

[SerialDreams]

Isn't there already a topic similar to this one somewhere?

In any case, here's what I think, broken down:

IMPROVED GAMEPLAY
==================

I've said it in other threads, but it can never be reiterated too hard.
For as much as I used to enjoy the games, the mechanics of the gameplay even late game are too simplistic and unremarkable. The next Klonoa game should keep the general formula of it's predecessors, but the evolve and improve the game part.

I think an evolution of the perspective from 2.5D to full 3D (or perhaps a blend of the two a-la Crash Bandicoot) would be a strong first step.

Not only would it potentially expand the existent mechanics, it could also possibly open the door to new ones.
Going more hopeful, a 3D perspective might also open the door to potential multiplayer support.

LOCALIZATION
==============
I love the in-universe language. It's simple and charming, even as silly as it might sound at times.
However I can't help but feel that the series as a whole would have had more of an appeal if previous games had received localized dubs. Although the Wiimake tried and failed at this, I believe localized dubs with a strong voice cast would help to make the games more appealing to folks picking up the game for the first time.

I'm not even saying they have to completely forgo Phantomilian, it could be a language option like the Wiimake, but the default one should always be the localized one.

As for what a 3D Klonoa could look like, this demo by Taldius on GameJolt is a darn good proof of concept.