Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts 2

   The worlds are once again in need of your assistance and so, you must take Keyblade in hand again and fight for the well being and stability of the worlds once more. The sequel to one of the most popular RPGs of all time, as well as one of the most speculated and anticipated games of all time has arrived. Kingdom Hearts 2 is everything we ever wanted it to be and so much more. A game with intensely strong narrative and enjoyable gameplay all tied in together with the merging of both Square-Enix and Disney licenses. The game much like the first starts you off slow, but will soon have you asking more questions than you had when you first started the game. With the immersion of a new character and a story to make anyone’s head spin; so begins the story of Roxas and Kingdom Hearts 2.

Roxas doesn't look scared in the least bit.

Unlike the first game, you find yourself playing the game as a different individual other than Sora. Instead, we are introduced to this new world through the eyes of Roxas. Much like the first game you will spend the beginning of the game opening completing tasks to get you more orientated with the controls, as well as a background to set the setting for the unfolding story. Though it would seem something strange is going on with our boy Roxas, as it would seem he is having dreams about Sora and those connected with him, as if Roxas is a container of sorts for Sora’s memories. Never fear though, within a few hours everything will be made clear and -- then even further confuse you as the story continues to develop and you suddenly find yourself on the edge of your seat, ready and willing to progress through the game. Once in control of Sora the real story of the game truly begins and questions you have about some of the characters you meet in the beginning will linger into much of the game until about 2/3s of the way in when everything starts connecting.

As some of you may be aware, the Kingdom Hearts platform for areas and playable regions is not like that of the average RPG. Instead of spanning one planet and its various countries and cities you will find yourself traveling through worlds with the Keyblade as your guide. Among the worlds in true KH fashion are various popular Disney worlds featured in either movies or television. As you progress through the game, unlocking new worlds and meeting new characters, you will be able to change appearances, aid in pivotal fights of various movies --even finding yourself wielding designer Keyblades of that area upon specific completions.

Throughout the game you will encounter various forms of enemies, ranging from Disney to villains, Heartless, and vessels left behind called Nobodies. Although some of the creatures are returning (monsters like the Heartless,) you will have an array of new types of Heartless as well as the introduction to an entirely new form of enemy called the Nobodies. These creatures are the result of a being that has lost its heart and the Nobody is all that remains. Depending on the strength of the heart from which the vessel is left determines whether or not it takes a shape of a Nobody or retains the shape of its original human. Among the Nobodies is Organization XIII, composed of originally 13 powerful Nobodies, whom half of which were disposed of in the game Chain of Memories for the GBA. Of the enemies, the Nobody will be your greatest enemy, for like Ansem in KH1 they will retain their human form and be a difficult obstacle. These enemies will also change depending on what area you are in, whether you’re fighting pirates along side with Jack Sparrow or the MCP with Tron at Space Paranoids. You will find yourself completely engaged in the battle against the Heartless, Nobodies, and Organization…and you couldn’t be more confused.

Now on to a subject I rarely care much about, but the fact that the designers did such a good job creating the game I figure I would set aside some time to discuss the graphics in the game. First and foremost I would like to point out that the CG cut scenes has been cut down to simply the introduction and the ending. All other scenes will be done with the in-game graphics, which just further proves how well the game was designed. Not only that, but the seamless transition from just running around to fighting (much like the first game) is extremely smooth and coherent. Not to mention the sheer number of enemies that can be on the field at one time. Also the fact that every character you encounter has facial expressions and fairly accurate mouth movements. Also the environments are very accurately mimicked depending on the areas you are in, and it really feels like your fighting in these various worlds. My only real problem with the level design is the lack of depth from the areas that were there in the first game. It would seem as though the number of areas you can actually travel through has been significantly cut down, this also makes things like leveling up more of a chore because you find yourself running through empty areas that you just cleared. Other than that, the actual design of what there is, is flawless, with a very attractive art style and overall perfect presentation.

Sora can change form with his drive ability, allowing 2 Keyblades to be used at once.

Among the coolest features in Kingdom Hearts 2 has to be the Keyblades . T his time you will not only get an array of weapons for completing various quests and worlds, but with the addition of the Drive forms you will be able to equip two Keyblades at a time ( with exception to the Wisdom Form. ) This new feature allows you to comb ine various powerful Keyblades together, as well as be able to mix and match their custom abilities. The drive feature also allows you to learn various abilities that are specific to that drive form. Each Drive form has a growth ability (called growth because it steadily improves as you level up the form.) that will greatly help you along as your quest continues. Many of you will also find that some Keyblades may appear weaker than others, but you need to also pay attention to the Keyblades ability . F or example, The Gull Wing Keyblade will double your experience in Critical situations : though not the strongest Keyblade, it's a very useful one none the least. Sora isn't the only one however that gets his share of weapons . Donald and Goofy your only 2 constant companions in the game are among those that receive new and improved artillery . Some of the coolest things about their equipment is the ability to gain weapons of foes you have taken down a large number of time s. A s a result , you may find yourself wielding a weapon that is far superior to anything else in your inventor y . As well as weaponry, your characters will also be able to equip enhancing items to your defense, elemental resistance , AP, as well as your strength. Your abilities will also become a great addition to your fighting abilities allowing you to increase the number of combos your character can do, increase the power of finishing moves , and various other moves that will greatly influence your ability to win battles.

One of the most useful things in the game however, has little or nothing to do with the actual gameplay or even the story, which of course is the journal. This new feature may very well be the most important aspect of your entire quest. It not only records every bit of unfolding story but also allows you to track what areas of worlds you have completed. So for those of you that are all about finishing a game 100% this is the feature for you. Not only that but just near the end of the game the entire journal will fill with question marks allowing you to backtrack to worlds and complete areas of the game that you have not. The journal also serves as a place of vast information , regarding every character you encounter in the game, as well as information on the enemies you face , and even the Ansem reports ( that are so valuable in explaining the situations that have unfolded , as well as the events that occurred after Kingdom Hearts and prior to and thereafter in Kingdom Hearts 2. )

The most appealing aspect of this game has to be the music. Thanks to the wonderful composers of Square Enix you are treated to listen to classic Disney themes and original clashes of instrumental orchestra. Utada Hikari returns to create her rendition of Passion entitled, "Sanctuary". We are even treated to hear celebrities sing their hearts out in Atlantica, there is no greater pleasure then hearing Donald singing a New World is Dawning. To sum it up the music attaches to your soul, in all retrospect.

Although this game seems to have the making of a perfect score , there are some aspects of the game that could have been changed. Despite the games incredible story telling , you will find yourself at times just putting down the controller as events unfold . T his is especially true in the beginning of the game, as prove to this, I replayed what originally took be around 4 hours to complete , and this time I skipped all the scenes. What I found was I completed that portion of the game in less than an hour , ( granted , I knew what to do and didn't have to read anything either so I could skip just about everything, but that just shows you how much narrating there is in this game. ) However , I feel that despite all the narrating it really makes up for it with just how good the story is and how involving you become in the game.

Overall this is one of the most fun experiences I have had playing an RPG since… well Kingdom Hearts 2 . (Did you mean that? Or was this supposed to be a joke?) Those of you fans of the first game will not want to miss out, and I wouldn't be surprised if the game didn't gain some new fans as well. Overall the game can be completed in 20-30 hours if you know what you are doing. For those of you that are seeking to complete the game 100%, I did so around 50 hours of gameplay. For those of you interested in challenges I highly recommend beating the game 100% (I t not only allows you to feel a great sense of accomplishment, but in the process you will have to defeat Sephiroth, which in itself is an awesome feeling. )

In conclusion the game is simply put , “Epic.” If you enjoy RPG's, Square-Enix, or even Disney, I highly recommend not only playing this game but also buying it, because I don't think just renting it is enough (that's for sure.) The game offers some unique story telling an d a refreshing change to the combat engine, though at times it may seem either to easy or too hard, it was still one of the best gaming experiences I have had in some time.

Final Score - 9.6/10