Kingdom Hearts (PS2)

Now a Disney and FF conglomeration would sound odd at first but this is honestly a great game and a great series. The story line is interesting and the original protagonist Sora blends in well to the Disney stories and mixes well with the characters. The battle system is a little unpolished, the old camera rotation style of L1 and R1 instead of the analogue stick, being unable to open treasure chests in the presence of enemies (even if they spawned across the room) and the menu lay out isn't very efficient (however I believe these are addressed in the remastered edition in Kingdom Hearts 1.5) that's to be expected though considering the time it came out and the fact it was the first game released in the series.

It's not gorey so doesn't turn your stomach if that's not the type of game you want to play and makes it great for kids to get into at a young age. It also has a good range of additional "quests" so to say, easy to track with Jiminy's Journal, including mini-games, secret bosses, treasure collecting. The item synthesis system is better in it's numbered sequel, Kingdom Hearts 2 though, but still interesting to use to make new items. The same applies to the Gummi Ships.

I would recommend this game to everyone. It's a fun game with an intriguing story line and great original characters.

Hey you! Yeah, I am talking to you! Are you sick and tired of the same old cliché videogames nowadays? If so, look no further, Kingdom Hearts is the game you are searching for. Kingdom Hearts has the perfect balance of great graphics, a hectic plot, animated Disney Characters, cool cut-scenes, and fun battle scenes that any avid role-playing gamer (RPG) would absolutely crave to get their hands on. Square Enix Gaming and Disney came up with a brilliant idea of combining Disney classic movies with a plot for the ages. I recommend this game to any adolescent, who is looking for a fun story plot and is sick and tired of the “old, typical shooting games,” such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo, or even Far Cry. Kingdom Hearts is a fresh game that is unique and put together very well.

Based off of these games, you are probably thinking, “oh great, another generic fast-paced game, big whoop!” Let me tell you something. This game is far too classy and outstanding to simply mimic other popular games. The gamer gets all of the epic characteristics I mentioned before but in a more fun, laid back atmosphere with Disney Legends guiding you along every step of the way! So maybe if you are hardcore kind of guy, but not so into the gory, disgusting scenes from hard-fought battles, this might be right up your alley! Let me give you a taste of the storyline, my friend!

Kingdom Hearts starts off with three characters, Riku, Kairi, and finally, the main character Sora. They are all best of friends on an island basically in the middle of nowhere in a made up world. At the start off the game, they decide to build a raft to travel to a “different world” and to explore around a bit. Keep in mind that this threesome is an extremely adventurous, tightknit group of youngsters and are always curious about what is beyond the perimeter of their small island. Little do they know, the day they decide to start their voyage on the raft is the same night the Heartless or the bad guys decide to come and attack. The three friends get split up trying to escape from the island and go through the rest of the game trying to find each other and restore peace. Kingdom Hearts sets up to be an exploratory game, as the Heartless along with the help of evil Disney Characters go around trying to capture the hearts of the good people, especially the keyholder, Sora. Meanwhile, Sora is having a grand old time hopping from world to world teaming up with Disney heroes, such as Hercules, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and many more, just trying to find and rekindle his deep friendship with his two old best friends from the island.

So you are probably wondering, what is possibly bad about this game? Well if you were to ask me, I would say there are some weaker points in the game, not necessarily bad things. One of the weaker points is that the fighting is too easy to learn and be good at. All you really have to do is keep hitting the x button on your PS2 controller and you will be pretty tough to defeat in battle. Obviously has you advance in the game, this will work less and less as you must incorporate abilities and different agility moves. Another weak point of Kingdom Hearts on PS2 is that the storyline can be confusing if you jump right into it. However, I see that as more of a good thing to have as a weak point because who wants a game that is completely predictable.

Furthermore, there are numerous benefits to playing Kingdom Hearts, and these benefits easily outweigh the negatives. For one you can reconnect with your childhood since a plethora of Disney classics are integrated into one storyline for the ages. I remember thinking it was so cool to be able to fight alongside the Disney Heroes I idolized in movies like the Beauty and the Beast or Alice in Wonderland. Also, if you like action and lots of it with countless memorable battles, then this game is right up your ally. Moreover, the plot is very well written and extremely captivating. Oh and did I mention that along Sora’s travels, Mickey Mouse asks Sora to help him find his wife, Minnie Mouse, who has apparently been captured by the Heartless. You really never know what world you will be going to next or who you will meet along the way. Sora ends building a gummi ship along with the help of others to navigate to the unknown. You even run into the owners of the 101 Dalmatians, and commit to trying to help them find their missing puppies. There are random, unexpected mini quests like that throughout the entirety of the game so there is always something new around the corner for you to explore! Another pro of this game is that the graphics are fabulous, and the music matches the gameplay very well. Sora along with his companions he meets in new worlds even make cool grunting noises as they engage in battle.

In summary, Kingdom Hearts is a classic game filled with action, some goofy cut scenes, and a memorable storyline with your favorite Disney characters. I am not going to be ‘that guy’ and ruin the ending of this fabulous game, but all I will say is that it is worth your time. I wholeheartedly recommend you buy this game if you love Disney! Reminisce on your old childhood and pick up a controller. You will not regret it; your new Disney friends are waiting…

A good start to the series, but needed more time to work on it. so bummed that final mix isn't in UK.

Kingdom Hearts, from Squaresoft and Disney, sounds like a game waiting to go wrong, right? No way! This PS2 game has got to be, by far, one of the best games out for any console. It has emotional story lines mixed with sad and touching pieces of music, as well as superb graphics, which make this unique game a 'Must Have' for your game collection.

Squaresoft, who are well known for their deep story lines and marvellous composers for music, teamed up with Disney, who are known for their fantastic characters... I could go on...

Trust me, go and buy this game.

Oh my God I love Kingdom Hearts, it is without a doubt the best game ever...the characters are good, the places are good and there a a few celebs along the way! I cant wait for Kingdom Hearts 2....buy Kingdom Hearts 1 NOW!