A classic video game series that began on the PlayStation 2 has finally returned with its first new installment in almost 15 years. There’s no question that the PS2 spawned some of the greatest video game franchises in the history of the medium. God of War, Kingdom Hearts, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, Guitar Hero, Yakuza, and Devil May Cry all began on PS2 and have continued in some form or another since then. Now, one series that hasn’t gotten a new game since 2011 has returned, much to the delight of fans.
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As of this week, publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment has released Once Upon a Katamari across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. If you’re somehow unfamiliar with Katamari, the series began all the way back in 2004 with the cult-classic Katamari Damacy, which was exclusive to PS2. This quirky game about rolling various objects into massive balls proved to be a hit and soon after spawned sequels over the next decade that included We Love Katamari and Katamari Forever.
In recent years, the original Katamari Damacy and We Love Katamari received remasters on new platforms, but the last wholly new game in the saga was 2011’s Touch My Katamari, an exclusive for PlayStation Vita. Once Upon a Katamari has now finally provided a completely new experience for players to jump into, while not straying away from the franchise’s roots that began on PS2.
As for the reception to Once Upon a Katamari so far, it has generally been positive. Currently, the game boasts a solid 78/100 aggregate review score on Metacritic and a “Very Positive” designation from players on Steam. While it clearly won’t be in the running for 2025’s Game of the Year, Once Upon a Katamari is definitely meeting the expectations that fans have for it, which is about all you can ask for.
More than anything, though, it’s great to see that these franchises that began on PS2 still have new life in 2025. Although many games that got their start on PS2 have gone away or have changed greatly over the years, Once Upon a Katamari is proving that there’s still a desire for more simplistic titles from this era. Hopefully, we will start to see more revivals like this in the years to come.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
