The creator of the legendary Katamari series, Keita Takahashi, is back with another game totally unlike anything else. To a T, a slice of life experience following a teenager stuck in a T-pose – no, really – is an endlessly creative delight that reminds us just how singular our medium is when the sharpest minds can express themselves without restrictions.
Just like how in 2004, no one had ever played anything quite like Katamari Damacy, here in 2025, I can assure you that no one has ever played anything quite like To a T.
Back then, it was about rolling around, collecting as much mass as possible to reignite stars in the solar system. Now, it’s about rolling around on a unicycle, perfectly balanced by a character unable to retract their arms as a result of a lifelong quirk restricting them to a T-pose.
Japanese creative Takahashi still has that magical allure. The way his brain works is different from the rest of us. His wildest and frankly goofiest ideas carry a meaning that he’s able to extract, stylishly dress up, and present in video game form.
It’s a gift we’re lucky to be able to experience here again with the release of To a T on May 28, 2025. We just had to speak to the man himself to learn all about his latest creation.
What is To a T?
The premise here is simple enough. You take control of Teen, a 13-year-old with a unique curse (or gift). They’re forever stuck in the shape of a T. From birth, their arms have been outstretched, and that’s where they’ve stayed ever since.
Naturally, this makes for a rather challenging life. We’re along for the ride, tracing a few weeks in Teen’s life as they navigate school, mature in a vibrant city full of interesting characters, and generally come to grips with their condition.
How do you go about brushing your teeth when you can’t bend your elbows? What about eating lunch? It must be difficult to use the bathroom too, right? To a T has you figuring it all out right along with Teen.
Broken into eight chapters spanning roughly five hours, the game follows an episodic structure bookmarked by songs from a delectable soundtrack that’s wriggled into my brain and hasn’t crawled back out. Seriously, do yourself a favor and listen in. Each track is a genuine treat.
The writing is often heartwarming, regularly funny, and above all else, sincere. Even with its over-the-top concepts and radical designs, you never feel out of touch with the characters at the heart of it all. And trust me, our protagonist being stuck in a T-pose might actually be the least insane part, so that statement really means something.
To a T is an absolute delight to play.
We’re all better off for having Takahashi’s genius bottled up in another video game experience. Here’s what the acclaimed creator had to say about his new release.
What Takashi said about it
Where the crazy ideas come from
“I didn’t care about categories or genre. I just wanted to do what I wanted to do, very selfish.
“I wanted to make a very simple game. The previous game, Wattam, I know it looks simple, but it was very complicated. I did not want to make such a complicated game again.
“One idea I came up with was that you control the two arms with the left stick and right stick. The idea was so boring. Grab something, throw something. But when I thought about what the character looks like if the player didn’t input at all, it has to be a T-pose.”
Annapurna InteractiveBeing stuck in a T-shape certainly has its challenges.
T-posing is harder than it looks
“I thought this would be super simple. We just use a human-shaped asset. Nothing unique. The animator still complained. Maybe next time we should use regular humans, not one stuck in a T-pose.
“I didn’t think about how even this cartoonish character, even in the cutscenes, such a simple character… If the eye direction is off, everything is off. Those kinds of tiny things drove us nuts.”
Making fun
“When I joined the games industry in 1999 as an artist, my initial thought was that interactivity was the highest priority. I kept focusing on interactivity. But after I finished Wattam, I recalled what I was thinking at the art school.
“I made some stupid sculpture, very, very silly. But it made people smile and laugh. I really loved that moment. What I really wanted to do was not interactivity, but make people smile.
“People say regular life is boring. They like to see Instagram or TikTok, it’s very addictive. But they miss something. Our life is not so boring, you just need to switch your perspective a little bit. Remind yourself of when you were younger.
“In the game, you’re brushing teeth, then you spit the water. It’s nothing new. It’s so silly. But it’s still fun to do, even as an adult.
“If an adult plays the game, I think I want them to try something from the game, then feel stupid. Stupid things make people a bit nicer and lifts their minds. That’s something we need at this moment.
Annapurna InteractiveWe could all do with a little more positivity in our lives.
That tremendous soundtrack
“All the music was composed by my wife. She’s very talented and very creative.
“I just gave her a hint. ‘Please make nice vibes.’ That’s it. She just uses her creative power to compose such nice tracks.”
To a T launches across PS5, Xbox Series X | S, and PC (through Steam) on May 28, 2025.
