19:34 The Windmill Song isn't ear grating to me. It's probably one of the most interesting pieces of music in the entire series (time signatures of 3/4, 5/4, 6/8, and improvisations) as someone that's interested in video game music composition. I do have to say that I can't blame you, the theme uses mostly high notes in its melody. I guess you could say the same for Green Greens in Kirby as that's the case for that theme, too (interestingly, both are the first levels for both games). About Huepow and other characters that speak, they're honestly not that bad. In fact, I have a high tolerance for stuff like this. I have to admit there are worse voiceovers in media, though. SPOILERS BEYOND THIS SECTION - - - - - - - Now, about Huepow himself. I honestly can't bring myself to hate him. Yes, he did something horrible to Klonoa that affected him throughout the entire game and will for the rest of his life, but does he deserve hate for that? Yes, if he shows that he never cared for Klonoa and only thought of him as a throwaway hero when he was desperate to save Phantomile, but this isn't the case. He actually started to care after Klonoa not only showed that he was a hero, but a great person in general. This caused him to show great remorse for what he did and tried to make up for it, but it was too late by the end of the game.
Klonoa was one of the first games I ever completed back in the 90's. It gave me happiness and heartbreak. The first video game that ever made me cry. But it was powerful, and its strength in its story has stayed with me ever since my childhood. Not any other game from that time has its magic and beauty, this truly is a gem like no other. Thank you for covering it and recognising its worth.
I dont see a problem with wind mill, is good, sure you may think "is generic fantasy" with "generic levels" at the start. But that isn't that the point? Giving you a fake sense of fantasy to later hit you that pretty much everything was a dream and a complete misdirection?
One of my favorite games of all time, i found my copy 2 years ago in storage inside my slim ps2, the disk art was covered in what appeared to be dr pepper, after cleaning it up and booting it up, i startef playing and it was one of the greatest experinces of all time, it made me get into the series.
So this man got pac man on his hat, Griffith as the boss, and a giant ass wedding ring? Gramps is dead, learning that he’s been fucking isekai’d. Also when’s the streams coming back?
When I saw the ending, it was sad and really messed up on Huepow's part. Gaslighting him by giving him made up memories, making him believe he lived in this world, just so Klonoa could trust him into saving the world. Yes, he does regret it but, still.
"klonoa the true definition of a hidden gem" Surely its true,and i cant believe i found it when i was younger,it was the best namco game I've ever played
You ain't heard bad voice acting until you've played the Wii remake for Klonoa. Edit: Good review, though. You definitely helped give this game the attention it deserves.
There's a fair few superficial similarities (especially in Lunatea's Veil onwards), such as the anthropomorphism, the cannons blasting you across the map, and Klonoa's ring and blue outfit (several of these only being in LV onwards). When I saw him for the first time on the Steam trailer, I thought he was a Sonic rip-off too, but once you play it you realise it really isn't.
@@leohendrix7696 I'm not a big fan of his Klonoa 2 redesign either, I prefer his more cat-like look from Klonoa 1 such as the face and eyes. He seems a bit generic in Klonoa 2, and tbh I feel like Klonoa 2 in general was a bit too much like a generic PS2 platformer.
Also I'm surprised you didn't mention the Wii version. If you think the voice acting was cringy in the original, then Klonoa's voice in the wii game will straight up destroy you (but I think the actor still did a good job, it's just that his voice doesn't fit Klonoa at all). It has a better translation though. Also the remaster of the first game is based on the Wii version. Just a fun fact.
The music and level choise was the whole point tho? It’s supposed to grab players into thinking this game is happy go lucky so then it can hit you with the heavier moments. That’s why the Windmill Village exist in the first place. Like you said its night and day, dream and nightmare
Love this game but I more excited to get into the second game since that was the one I grew up with. Also King Sorrows theme is one of the best songs from a video game ever written.
@@graymads I'll be completely honest, I've not really played much of the Klonoa games but I love their aesthetic (and anything 90s mascot related). I didn't own a ps1 back in the day so I missed out while I was playing n64. Might just power through the games since there's only a handful. Also I need to finish watching Digital Foundry's retro vid on Klonoa too lol
Really good video. I agreed with most of what you said other than the Windmill Theme, which is one of my favourite tracks. I can't remember where you mentioned the annoying voice acting, but if you want REALLY annoying voice acting, check out the Wii version's Phantomilian dub. Everyone likes to dogpile on the Wii version's English dub just for Klonoa's voice, but it's really not that bad otherwise. The Phantomilian dub on the other hand is extremely over-acted and annoying. Balue is particularly bad, despite having a good English voice actor. 11:03 I've always wondered if Ghadius' line here was inspired by Cao Cao's line, "Better to betray the world than let the world betray me" from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Speaking of the Wii version's voice acting, Ghadius' English voice actor delivers this line perfectly. It was changed to, "I don't care", and it's chilling how much disdain he puts into it. 18:26 I only recently noticed that the stained-glass windows in the Moon Kingdom (as well as the crystal statues that you have to break in Vision 6-1) depict Ghadius. Although this doesn't really make sense if you haven't read the manual and don't know who Ghadius was.
Ghadius was probably in the Moon Kingdom with the Light Spirit which makes sense they both there are good dreams and bad dreams respectively and and when he got sealed away by all the other four spirits and not killed in my opinion I’d because the felt bad for him he does parallel the King of Sorrow which just makes me feel bad for Ghadius and I don’t think I am alone on the opinion.
@@brockbooth630 Ghadius was originally one of the gods, but he grew envious when no-one worshipped him so he lashed out and started a war against the other gods.
@@tom13king I know what he did I just saying he and the King of Sorrow are one and the same they were both rejected by the world the who got a some what good end (I know the King of Sorrow was reborn) and one had a explosive end if the Klonoa gets the third game the next villain will as will fill rejected somehow sorry if you miss understood and for the long rent I am just a big fan of the first game grow to love the franchise.
9:18 dude, I never thought I would laugh like a maniac to that scene 😂😂. Thank you for that!. And its awesome that you are explaining things about my favourite childhood game in 2023! Btw you notice how much a difference it makes if you really put your heart and effort into a game. The wii remake lost a lot of charm compared to its orginal. Its feels by far not so mystical like the orginal did. I mean just compare the moon kingdom cutscene from psx and the Wii one. You see that they rushed many things in the Wii version. I was mind blown how basic and trashy that cutscenes was with BETTER resources and graphics. The orginal cutscene is a triple A movie compared to that. I absolute agree with you. This game had definitely one of the most impacting atmospheric experiences on me in that era
@@SirDavid290 thats true. Both trashy. I may like how the first levels look like, but right at the sun kingdom I got very upset. Somehow the PSX version looked much scarier. For example whenever it got dark (solar eclipse) the background clouds got violet and looked much more eerily. Jokers death with all his scars gave me goosebumbs as a kid. And also the last Moon Kingdom level. The background, the prisma, everything looked kinda mystical. All the flying meteroids (?) Or debry in the sky are just simply missing. The sky looks just empty. They but some few stars in there and thats everything. I really expected a high quality version of the PSX background. I loved these levels for its mystical appearance. The Nahatomb boss also somehow.. idk, something is missing. Again the background in the last one, like the strange waves in the background looking like the whole phantomile dimension is turning into a nightmare. Idk if they made it less scarier for the kids tho. I really shit my pants as a kid in the psx version.
Finished this game a year ago. The plot affected me in a way no other game did (except for klonoa 2 lmao). Got attached to Klonoa so much I can't get myself to play it again (so I wouldn't put him through the ending twist again). I would disagree on the first hour being weak, it's maybe too easy sometimes, but still enjoyable. Great game overall. If some of you want to play it I'd recommend the PS1 version instead of the remaster, since it has better cutscenes. You can get in on PS3 I think? And yeah, fuck Huepow lol.
While I really don't understand your compains about the voice acting part, the game literally takes place in Klonoa's dream, so it makes sense why the characters speak a weird gibberish language, I still genuinely enjoyed your review, great work.
The voice acting was utter trash. I played the Wii version in german duuuude, even I can put more emotions into voiceacting. In german they used like the same guy to voiceact 3 characters... in a game with not even 10 characters. Like the voice actors simply road the script not knowing what is actually going on in the game The gibberish one is 100000x better
15:54 The most infuriating part of the game. Spent an hour here. How I beat that as a child, I'll never know. How I managed to beat it again on the PS4...I still don't know...
Mario :40 years and character that have as much development as a moist piece of paper Klonoa: hitting you in the feels with its squishy exterior and rock hard depression interior....twice...in a span of 4 years
that drone strike joke caught me off guard but i’m ashamed i didn’t see it coming anyway- (also was Huepow really that bothersome? or did the “oh hell-“ factor of the ending knock that out of my system-)
First stage and music are the weakest links but I love when games or any form of entertainment start off that way. It looks bland and relies on overused tropes...but as you stick through it the production crew pulls the rug from under you. When you replay the game or re-watch the show, film etc. you can't see it the same way again because of the plot twists and story procession.
I wouldn't call the first stage 'weak', it's probably intentional for it to be simple compared to the rest of the game. The overall theme is going from light hearted to serious/melancholy, and first stages in platform games are often treated as an introduction to the controls etc, so in the grand scheme of things it's still fitting when you take it as a whole.
@@ShintogaDeathAngel I understand your point but I just disagree. You can have simplicity and be interesting. Klonoa 2’s first stage was a great example. Sonic Adventure 2’s city escape is also a great example. Final Fantasy VII isn’t a platformer but you start off in a whole metropolis. The first minutes of the game, it kept the players engaged and it also teaches them the ropes.
*Drone striked like a Palestinian hospital* Aged so well it's borderline synchronicity, fitting since we're talking about Klonoa, a game set in dreams.
I really like this video, but can you explain why you find the dialog and voice acting in this game cringey and annoying? Because I hardly find the voice acting annoying, and I never find the dialog cringey at all. Have you even heard other games that came out before and after Klonoa that has actual cringey and sometimes even obnoxious dialog and voice acting?
