Not having played the first game, I was unsure how the story of the sequel related to it. Apparently, Klonoa has appeared in a dreamworld called Lunatea. With his appearance comes trouble in the form of a sky pirate named Leorina. The world of Lunatea is kept in harmony by four bells scattered throughout the land. However a fifth bell, ominously called the Bell of Sorrow, is threatening the peace of Lunatea. So Klonoa teams up with a young priestess-in-training named Lolo and her goofy friend, Popka in a epic mission to save the world. It's a pretty generic plot that's packed with more cutscenes than Sword of the Berserk, but if there's ever been a story appropriate for kids, Klonoa 2 is it. Luckily, the game has more to offer than a kiddie plotline and an multitude of cinemas.

Klonoa 2 is undoubtedly a beautiful piece of eye candy. No game has made better use of cel-shading, with Jet Set Radio being the only possible exception. Klonoa and his pals fluidly move throughout the rich and colorful backgrounds, which possess an anime-like feel to the whole experience. The lush worlds are incredibly large and detailed, and the game features an extensive use of the PS2's light effect capabilities, rivaling those of Rayman 2 and Sonic Adventure, and serve as visible proof that the PS2 can portray a vast platforming enviroment. The camera stays on Klonoa at all times and even helps when trying to plan a specific jump or trick. There's never a hint of slowdown while you're playing and the load times when switching from game to cutscene to action sequences and vice-versa are short and sweet. Because of this, the pace of Klonoa 2 moves along very smoothly and the visuals never distract from the gameplay.

Gameplay is the key to Klonoa 2's success. In a word, simplistic. While Klonoa 2 doesn't add anything new to the platformer genre, it takes the best elements of it and implements its own brand of gaming. Though basic in nature, Klonoa can make use of his magic ring to nab enemies or other objects, and most importantly, has the ability to jump to reach various levels throughout each stage. With an enemy in hand, Klonoa can perform a double jump as well. Essentially, that's the extent of his abilities. What makes the control scheme so great is how you can use these simplistic moves to solve even the most complex puzzles. The puzzles are brilliantly set up and add a nice degree of strategy and timing to the levels. Yes the stages are linear as there is no way to stray from the set path, but the way they are ingeniously designed is what makes them so enjoyable.

Klonoa 2 also features a gorgeous soundtrack, featuring a mix of fast paced tunes and light, cheery melodies that harmonize perfectly with the story and gaming atmosphere. It's unlikely that many will notice the soundtrack, since the game's puzzles while likely be holding all of your attention, but I assure you, it's very good. Klonoa 2 also borrowed an element from Rayman 2 by featuring voices spoken composed of a fictitious language. It sounds as if the dialect of Japanese is being played out of synch. Whatever it is, it's certainly not English. So you'll need to read the dialogue in order to follow along with the story. Nevertheless, the voices are still very cute and some, especially Popka and Tat, will even make you laugh. (Editor's Note: Tat is definitely an amusing character! A personal favorite.)

Despite being wonderfully crafted in every facet of the design, Klonoa 2 suffers from one damaging flaw...it's too short. Coming in at around sixteen levels and around five bosses, the game just doesn't have the staying power to keep one interested past one or two plays. It really is a shame because it definitely has the potential to be a landmark title. Aside from that though, Klonoa 2 is an absolute gaming pleasure. For fans of platformer games, Klonoa 2 is a perfect mix of everything you like about the genre. And for all others, this is a game that should be at least looked at before judgement is passed that it is a "kiddie" game. While the storyline may be a bit generic, it's still charming and the gameplay is to die for. Hopefully when and if Namco decides to make another Klonoa edition for the console market, they'll make it a tad longer. Then, it can truly be considered a perfect game.

· · · Space Cowboy