Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series review: Bounce back in time

With Klonoa Phantasy Reverie series’ release, publisher Bandai Namco brings a curious and forgotten franchise back into the light.

The late 1990s to early 2000s are fondly remembered as the golden age of platformers. New mascots in the genre continued to pop up throughout the era.

From iconic names like Jak & Daxter to lesser-known ones like Croc, there was no shortage of engaging new characters across various platforming experiences.

Klonoa is just one of the many examples of the latter. Conceived in 1997, first for the original PlayStation, the series features the titular Klonoa, an anthropomorphic creature able to traverse dream worlds. The last main entry in the franchise was for the Game Boy Advance handheld console in 2002.

But now, 20 years later, the cult-classic hit has resurfaced in the form of Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series. Is it worth checking out, or is it best left forgotten in the past?

Return to world of dreams in Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series

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To start, this modern rendition is a remastered compilation of two older games. One is a Nintendo Wii remake of the original PS1 game, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, first released in 2008. The other is Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil, a 2001 PS2 title.

This enhanced bundle updates the visuals and performance for modern hardware and audiences while keeping the classic gameplay fundamentals intact.

Oh, what’s this? (Image via Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series)

At their core, both games are visually and functionally identical, with the same mechanics. In Door to Phantomile, players are introduced to the goofy and energetic Klonoa. With the evil Ghadius intent on unleashing nightmares on Phantomile, the furry protagonist and his wind spirit friend Huepow must put an end to it.

The sequel, meanwhile, takes place in the dream world of Lunatea and features a brand new cast of characters, like Lolo and Popka. A new threat has arrived in the form of sky pirates Leorina and Tat.

All narratives are told in the form of fully animated, in-engine cutscenes. Interestingly, the gibberish voices return from the original PS1 game, contrasting with the Wii remake, which featured English voiceovers.

Both titles’ stories are simple and cute but don’t be fooled by the colorful graphics and kid-friendly design. They can and will take some serious turns.

Double jump extravaganza

The gameplay is just the right balance of easy and challenging (Image via Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series)

The gameplay is a 2.5D platformer, essentially 3D graphics set on a 2D plane. Each level is called a Vision and sees the hero navigate from start to finish.

Besides movement, his core abilities include jumping, hovering (by holding the jump button), and the Wind Ring. The latter is a magical item that fires a Wind Bullet that can be used to activate switches, collect items, and inflate enemies to grab onto them.

The Wind Bullet is a key gameplay element as it is what further expands Klonoa’s base abilities. For example, a platform that cannot be reached by jumping or hovering requires using an enemy to be inflated and used as an additional bounce to progress.

There are many kinds of enemies, with the most common being the variants of Moos. Each has a different gimmick and must be dealt with uniquely. Some cannot be grabbed from the front, while others can be armored, with their defense only broken by throwing an enemy at them.

Collectathon frenzy (Image via Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series)

But when not dealing with enemies, there are several collectibles to find. These range from the common green (and rarer, blue) crystals (called Dream Stones) to life one-ups, Nagapoko Eggs, and prisoners to rescue.

Collecting 150 crystals grants an extra life, while the rare and temporary Mirror Spirit powerup can double the points granted by crystals while active.

In typical puzzle-platformer fashion, many of these higher-end collectibles require smart usage of pickable enemies to platform and achieve the objective. It is a combination of all of these systems that form the puzzles of Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series.

Explore worlds of Phantomile and Lunatea

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The Visions are scattered across a world map and are largely linear. They can branch off occasionally, with these dead ends hiding a rare collectible behind a platforming or puzzle challenge.

The puzzles are, for the most part, simple and intuitive but can get more advanced as the game progresses.

There are 150 Dream Stones in each level with six unique collectibles (like the prisoners). Note that since there isn’t a map to track where users are going, it can be easy to progress ahead and miss out on one of the six level collectibles as it is often not possible to go back.

So first-time gamers may need a subsequent second re-run to grab everything.

There are various sights to see throughout both titles, from forests and caves to quaint towns and amusement parks. Occasionally, a Vision can spice up the pacing with new elements, such as an on-rails segment or a brand new gimmick unique to that stage.

There are also larger-than-life boss battles featuring simple but well-designed creatures to fight. This remaster also adds in co-op, but it is somewhat limited. Called Support Mode, a second player can grant a boost to Klonoa’s jumps.

Few pitfalls

Round and bouncy (Image via Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series)

It isn’t a perfect experience. The Wind Bullet projectile can sometimes be somewhat finicky, as it has a concise range (in Normal mode). It only fires straight ahead, meaning users must be careful when trying to grab onto enemies while walking on an upwards slope (as the bullet will hit the slope and not the enemy walking toward the player).

This short range can also be very frustrating during boss fights or challenging platforming segments that demand fast input, but Klonoa refuses to grab on to the foe despite being pretty close.

Speaking of modes, the game introduces an Easy Mode which grants Klonoa infinite lives and raises his health from 3 to 5 hearts. Additionally, the hearts are only drained one-third of the way instead of half, which almost doubles the Wind Bullet range.

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The game also features downloadable DLC content, but it does not seem worth the asking price. It adds a few additional cosmetics as well as digital artwork and soundtrack.

The problem is, unlike other Steam digital art/audio goodies, this one comes bundled in a separate Unity-based application. As such, the music and artwork cannot be accessed individually.

Graphics, sound, and performance

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Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series was reviewed on PC with the following specifications:

Processor: Intel Core i5-8300H @3.9 GHz
RAM: 16 GB DDR4 @2666 MHz
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 4 GB
Storage: 500 GB NVMe SSD

Given the basic nature of these sidescrollers, I had no issues running them at 1080p and max settings (including Anti-Aliasing at 16). There are not too many options to tinker with, but fundamentals like Shadows, Depth of Field, etc., are accounted for.

At the end of the day, these games run at a smooth 60 FPS throughout.

The very first level from Door to Phantomile (Image via Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series)

The visuals are cel-shaded and pleasing to the eye with a vibrant color palette. However, bloom can occasionally feel a tad excessive, but there is not much to complain about the visuals.

On that note, some fans may prefer the darker tones of the originals, especially felt in Klonoa 2. The colorful aesthetic can cause background details (like trees) to appear flat. There is also a pixel filter, giving the games an early 3D look which is a decent touch.

This remaster utilizes the Unity engine, featuring updated assets for both environments and character models. Both titles are stark upgrades over their originals, featuring sharper, more detailed backgrounds and stage elements.

It isn’t a simple upscaled port, that’s for sure. However, some blemishes remain, like the compressed voice audio from the PS1 release. But otherwise, the music is pretty decent.

In Conclusion

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Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a successful remaster that brings beloved classics to a modern era. While minimal, the updates do not take away from the experience.

The iconic puzzle-platformer gameplay is retained in all its glory and ramps up in challenge over time.

For fans of the series, this is worth a double-dip. But those meeting the cutesy protagonist for the first time will be delighted to partake in a fresh and entertaining adventure that is old-school through and through.