When two very different worlds collide (Kingdom Hearts (PS2))

Member Name: Hydromancer

Product:	Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
Date:	31/05/08 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: excellent visuals and voice acting, fast-paced and fun combat, diverse locations, long lasting

Disadvantages: combat can get repetitive

Kingdom Hearts is by not a good game. It is, in fact, a fantastic game and one of the best I have ever played on the PS2. It provides an entertaining combination of great graphics, action packed gameplay and an intriguing plot that is sure to appeal to a large community of gamers.

What you notice first and foremost is the plot. This is, without a doubt, the game's defining feature. If you think it is impossible to combine two completely different worlds successfully, you are wrong. Kingdom Hearts does exactly this, but the two worlds colliding here are so unlike each other that I was extremely uncertain if the formula would work. But, thankfully, the formula works like a charm. Sora is a young boy who dreams of escaping a small island on which his family has lived along with others for as long as he can remember. This is why Sora, Kairi and Rikku, the best of friends, are busy making a raft which would carry them away from the island to whatever exists beyond it. However, on the eve of their departure, they are attacked by mysterious shadow creatures, called the Heartless, which begins a tale that spans many worlds. Sora's journey would lead him through the world of Disney as well as that of Final Fantasy. The characters are engaging and memorable whether it be Squall from Final Fantasy VIII or Donald from Disney's cartoon army while the storyline is simple yet complex with numerous twists and turns along the way.

While the game does not have that same level of texturing and shading as we have come to expect from Square Enix, it is still a visual treat. There are an incredible number of different worlds and locations, from Alice's Wonderland to the world of The Little Mermaid, each with its own unique visual style and characters. The animations unfold smoothly and are on par with the best of the PS2. Characters are well-detailed and exhibit a surprising amount of facial expressions. Even the Heartless come in many varieties, each with its own style and behaviour which adds a lot of variety to the game.

The musical score is well-orchestrated with every world and every location having its own theme. Square Enix has paid big money for the voice acting and it shows. The voice acting is superb with all voices matching the characters and not lacking in emotion. It really feels as if the voice actors put their heart and soul into acting out the storyline and help being Kingdom Hearts to life.

The gameplay is easy to master but it does get tedious as the game progresses. Battles and movement are very well integrated and happen simultaneously. There is an element of 'hack and slash' as you use your 'keyblade' to attack and destroy your enemies. You can also use items, cast spells or summon characters like Simba and Tinkerbell during combat and this enhances the combat experience. The battles fought are very fast paced and you really have to move your analogue stick to jump over your enemies or leap to the side to avoid their attack. Overall, the combat is fast, furious and fun. However, to proceed to the next area for the first time, you have to knock out the enemies in the area you are in and this pattern is repeated throughout the game so gets repetitive. The camera angle can be adjusted during gameplay by pressing the R2 or L2 buttons but the default angle does get annoying sometimes when you are moving rapidly. The story itself is well told through a series of flawless animations supported by dialogue and is guaranteed to keep you engaged. The main objective is to visit different worlds and 'lock' the doors that the Heartless use to enter that world but how you go about achieving it is completely different.

The game will last you a very long time. There are a massive number of worlds to explore and 'lock' and there are numerous sidequests besides that. From fighting battles against Hercules in the Colosseum to collecting items needed to customise weapons, there is just so much to do. The main adventure will take around 36 hours to complete but it will take you much much more time to complete the game as you will almost certainly will be tempted into a sidequest.

In conclusion, Square Enix has given us an unorthodox game that manages to capture the essence of both Final Fantasy and Disney to deliver a unique and refreshing experience that is sure to amaze almost any gamer with its intriguing plot, strong gameplay and excellent graphics and voice acting.

Summary: The most charming game you can play on a PS2