If you haven't gotten this game, get it. Many of the flaws of the old
game were fixed and what wasn't broken got a cementing and some new
features to further richen the experience. It just feels like this
generation's Final Fantasy VII in every way, save graphics and gameplay, the latter being better than the Playstation RPG.
One of the most noticeable parts of the game is the gameplay. Like most
Square Enix games, you'll embark on a perilous quest to in the end save
the world. Along the way recruit new characters (automatically, sad to
say) and watch them grow and develop before you. However, this game is
a little more about game than story. You'll battle in real time without
a special little area secluded just for battle as in so many RPG's
before it (including this game's prequel). It includes most of the
remains of the last game's system, including the greatly integrated
abilities and menus (yes, menus). However, almost nothing from the last
game is carried over except select skills. The summons you knew before
work more like the limits I'll explain later. Although this is a nice
new feature, it's sad to see that so little summons and you'll probably
hate Stitch and Chicken Little. The magic also gets a sad overhaul,
destroying the earlier spells from before. While the spells sound good
on paper, they do very little. Plus if ever the time comes that you run
out of magic, it regenerates automatically instead of with hits,
letting you cast as many spells as possible without having to earn it
really. In fact, the spells are more supplementary than integral to the
battles.
However, the rest is pretty well pulled off. You still bash away at the
Heartless (and Nobodies this time around), but there's a bit more
strategy thanks to the reaction commands. Coincidentally, this new
system feels much like Resident Evil 4's similar system, the only
difference being that you only use ▲ and that there's a lot more
variety. They can be as simple and rudimentary as Reversal (sliding
around to the Dusk's backside) to difficult and highly involved (like
the ones in the final boss fight). Along with this is the new limit
command carried over from the parent series Final Fantasy. It sucks up
your magic for a devastating attack that requires the use of a partner
in your party. It's pretty well implemented, except for the Limit Gauge
that doesn't really do anything but clutter up the screen. You can also
use something called Drive Form in which you exchange a party member
(always Donald and/or Goofy). Fortunately, this feature is well
implemented unlike the magic. The game will customize itself to
whatever form you use the most. So if you're a slick shooter (Wisdom)
or a crazy button masher (particularly Valor), there's something here
for you. Gummi ships this time around feel a bit more intergrated into
the whole game. They're still not at the level of not feeling like a
side note, but the missions this time are like a cute Star Fox. You can
create your own ship (but don't, it's cumbersome and confusing) and
unlock new missions and ships. The game can also be played in first
person, but don't bother. The fact that you can't see your Keyblade is
a bit of an oddity, the constant spins in battle seem disorienting and
you can't lock on while in this mode. However, despite how all this
wraps up majestically, it doesn't make for a long game. In fact, it
seems like you're sprinting from cutscene to cutscene.
The graphics are a vivid change from the dark and grim games making up
the populous of the game world. Each world is a great cavalcade of
color, like a Mario game with a boost of Disney. However, the graphics
sometimes seem PS1-era flat (like when the camera zooms in on Axel when
you first fight him) and the sprited mouth movements don't line up with
the words and will continue to speak in between the gaps of words and
sentences.
The music in this game is on par with Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem,
Dragon Warrior and other RPG's. It features carefully orchestrated
pieces of delight. The voice acting is also pretty good, although while
some voices are the best in this industry (Leon, all Disney
characters), some of them suck because of the acting (Cid) or the voice
of the person (Aerith's emotionless performance in particular). All in
all, the music is OK but the voice acting is where it excels.
But what Square Enix game wouldn't be complete without a tear jerking
story? Fortunately, Kingdom Hearts II up the ante in story. If you
haven't played the first 2 games, then don't worry. The game's intro
and prologue will bring you up to speed (and 1 mile faster). The story
itself is much more complex with many more plot twists. It also feels
much darker due to the main villain. Whereas this game's villain is a
group of brooding cloaked superfreaks longing for true existence, the
original's was a Disney villain (albeit an evil one) and then, briefly,
an evil doppelgänger/Heartless creator. And just like I said before, it
has a Final Fantasy VII feel to it. Evil villain you pity and
transforms into a biblical sized leviathan? Check! Death of a character
that moves you to the point of tears? Check! Complex side story about
revenge? Check!
If you're looking for a good game to last some good amount of time,
look past the kiddy Disney layer that was slightly peeled away and get
Kingdom Hearts II.
