There’s still a lot to like about the Klonoa games, but their rudimentary platforming and the trivial extras of these remasters show how they’ve aged.
For many people of a particular generation, there is a unique nostalgia that comes from playing a classic mascot platformer from the late 90’s or early 2000’s. Game publishers have discovered this lately, and so more and more mascot platformers are being remade or remastered. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is one of the more obscure IPs to get hi-def treatment – the original clonoa games have always been cult classics, but they have remained relatively unknown over the years. Nevertheless, Bandai Namco released this HD collection in honor of the 25th anniversary of the series. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and those of 2001 Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil together for the first time.
on the surface, clonoa‘s premise seems like a typical platformer fare. Both games chronicle the adventures of Klonoa the Dream Traveler, an adorable rabbit-cat thing that jumps and floats through some equally adorable worlds in 2.5D. He’s joined by a bunch of friends and supporting characters in every game, some of whom have predictable roles, while others have weirder darker secrets and hang-ups. The only recurring element between the two games is Klonoa’s mysterious ring, which fires wind bullets to trap enemies. Enemies can be used as projectiles or to double jump, and many of the games’ platforming and puzzles revolve around those intentionally basic mechanics. But all is not as it seems, as Klonoa eventually discovers the true nature of these worlds and his role in them.
It must be said that these are very decent remasters of clonoa and clonoa 2 (which hasn’t been on any other platform since the PS2). All the things fans fell in love with over 20 years ago are here, and for the most part, those things are as charming as ever. The bold, vibrant colors and character designs still retain their appeal, firmly rooted in the Sonic late 90s aesthetic. The original sound design is also great with all its rousing music and effects, despite the dialogue being crushing. But above all, the surprisingly melancholy plot twists reformulate the stories of both games and are even better afterwards. That doesn’t make them narrative masterpieces, but the unexpected meditations on escapism and isolation formed the basis clonoa games set them apart from other platformers at the time — and they still do.
However, other than a good HD retouch, this remastered collection adds little to these titles and doesn’t do much to celebrate Klonoa’s 25th anniversary. There is no bonus content other than the addition of an easier mode and remote co-op options. The games themselves aren’t exactly exciting either; puzzle solutions are usually immediately apparent, and platforming challenges tend to be tests of patience rather than tests of skill (there’s a lot of waiting involved). The central mechanism of grabbing and throwing enemies just isn’t that interesting compared to other more kinetic platformers – which was also the case when the original games came out. Yet they are both still fundamentally enjoyable despite their lack of challenge, and at least clonoa 2 offers more variety with its branching levels and hoverboarding.
It might be easy to say that Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is just a few remastered games that don’t compare to more modern platformers, but that’s only half true. While their relatively low sales and cult following meant the formula didn’t really get a chance to evolve, almost anyone can still jump into these games and have fun. The lack of meaningful new content similar to clonoa‘s 2008 Wii remake is disappointing, but the content that is here it is still worth it. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a nice offering for fans with little service, and can also be a good package for newcomers – or even people who are picking up a platform game for the first time.
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. Screen Rant is provided with a PS5 code for this review.
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