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Overview
Just like the previous games in the series, Empire of Dreams stars Klonoa, a dream traveler with a strong passion for adventure. In the first game, Klonoa met up with Huepow, a boy with strange powers from a dream world. Huepow's world was in danger, so he snatched Klonoa from the real world and filled his mind with fake memories, leading him to believe that he and Huepow had been best friends all of their lives. Klonoa, believing that this is his own world, sets out on a journey to save it. When he succeeds, Huepow tells him the truth. Now that the world has been saved from all evil, Klonoa can no longer stay. An emotional ending follows with the two characters being forced into saying goodbye.
In the sequel, Klonoa has become a dream traveler and makes his way to a new world with a new evil. Since Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil is still quite new and not everyone has had a chance to play it, I won't spoil its story for you. If you haven't already bought K2, go out and do so right now. It's an incredible game and is worth every penny.
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams reunites Klonoa and Huepow as they enter a world without dreams. To restore happiness to the world and allow everyone to dream peacefully again, Klonoa must do what he does best and kick some bad-guy butt. Throughout each stage you'll find 30 diamonds (if you're good enough to find them, that is), but some special stages feature 100 diamonds. Nabbing each and diamond is tough, especially on the hover-boarding stages. But every moment spent looking for them is a joy.
Gameplay
The gameplay is undoubtedly the most important aspect of a video game. After all, they're called video games, not video graphics or video music. And believe me when I say that Klonoa: Empire of Dreams delivers like no other. Being able to take Klonoa wherever you go is the best thing since slice bread. Sitting in the waiting room at the dental office is always, at the very least, the most excruciating 10-20 minutes of my life. Boredom is one thing, but not being able to get the thought of having another tooth pulled, filled or root canaled out of my mind is pure torture. Klonoa ended all that. For the first time in my life, I was able to sit calmly in that chemical-infested room and not worry. I was so enamored with Klonoa that I completely forgot where I was. When the dental assistant called my name, I was speechless for a minute. I then remembered where was, looked at my watch and said, "Is it time for my appointment ALREADY?" No joke.
Graphics
Klonoa 2's cel-shaded graphic style lent itself well to the GBA (not to mention how cool it looks), so Namco decided to stick with the cartoony-ness of its predecessor for Empire of Dreams. At times, Klonoa's trademark 2.5D gameplay shines through, most notably during the first boss. As the spiked glove-wearing boss attempts to jump on Klonoa, the camera zooms way out, then quickly zooms back in when the boss lands. The camera also pans out when Klonoa jumps or moves further away from the boss.
That isn't all that'll catch your eye in Empire of Dreams. The bright, blue sky is filled with moving clouds and rainbows. Klonoa's moves are just as fluid as they were on the PSone. A lot of detail has gone into Klonoa, as well as Huepow and the many inflatable baddies you encounter throughout the game.
Fun Factor
I was (and still am) thoroughly impressed by Klonoa's sound quality. Thanks to the Game Boy Advance's "advanced" sound processor, Namco was able to implement actual voice-overs and sound effects from the PSone and PS2 versions of the game. You'll hear him say many things in his native, make-believe language, instantly bringing back memories of the original. Familiar sound effects and music from the past games (including the classic title screen theme) really add to the experience and help make the game feel even more complete.
Overall
Without a doubt, this is the best game available for the Game Boy Advance. Castlevania was excellent and Mario Kart: Super Circuit is great, but neither of those have gameplay as polished as Klonoa: EoD. Its undeniable charm and unique play mechanics are far superior to Mario Advance and offers a lot more replay value than any GBA title out there. Generally, portable games are only worth playing through once, but Klonoa is so far beyond that, it's practically a console game.
- Gameplay
9.0 - Graphics
9.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
9.0
