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KINGDOM HEARTS II (PS2)
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Publisher: Square Enix.
Developer: Square Enix. Released: September 2006 (Europe). Genre: RPG. Posted 21st November 2012. By Shane Battams © 2012 |
Two worlds collide once again as the squads of Square Enix and Disney work together for Kingdom Hearts II, the sequel to the 2002 RPG. The first game was praised for its potent aesthetics and solid, if extremely challenging, RPG gameplay. And let’s face it; the combination of Final Fantasy-style characters with the innocent world of Disney was extremely badass. Its sequel aims to please again, this time with more characters, more worlds and more, well, badassery. Does it flourish into one of the system’s best RPGs, or has Square Enix lost their touch altogether?
You once again take the role of Sora, a guy with spiky hair, big shoes and a giant key thing called the 'Keyblade'. In the previous game the Keyblade chose Sora as its master, deeming he has the right qualities to use it. Along with his Disney companions Goofy and Donald Duck, an older and more mature Sora must travel through multiple Disney-themed lands to rid them of The Heartless, as well as find friends who have disappeared due to circumstances from the first game. The gripping story, bolstered by the game’s terrific presentation, is emotionally powerful, with an ending which may make the more soft-hearted of gamers cry.
Fans of the original will be able to quickly jump into KHII, as its mechanics remain mostly true to the original. One of the biggest fixes is the camera, as the right analog stick lets you easily adjust your view compared to the obnoxious original. Another improvement is direction. Compared to its confusing predecessor, KHII contains mostly linear levels, which while easier, give the game a much better pace. The dreaded Gummi ship also returns from the original, which we can safely agree was the worst mechanic of that game. However, it is much-improved in KHII, with an on-rails shooter replacing the mediocrity of the original. A rich create-a-ship mode also adds more value to the Gummi levels, but overall, like its predecessor, the Gummi ship is simply a thin mechanic added on, albeit much less frustrating this time around.
You once again take the role of Sora, a guy with spiky hair, big shoes and a giant key thing called the 'Keyblade'. In the previous game the Keyblade chose Sora as its master, deeming he has the right qualities to use it. Along with his Disney companions Goofy and Donald Duck, an older and more mature Sora must travel through multiple Disney-themed lands to rid them of The Heartless, as well as find friends who have disappeared due to circumstances from the first game. The gripping story, bolstered by the game’s terrific presentation, is emotionally powerful, with an ending which may make the more soft-hearted of gamers cry.
Fans of the original will be able to quickly jump into KHII, as its mechanics remain mostly true to the original. One of the biggest fixes is the camera, as the right analog stick lets you easily adjust your view compared to the obnoxious original. Another improvement is direction. Compared to its confusing predecessor, KHII contains mostly linear levels, which while easier, give the game a much better pace. The dreaded Gummi ship also returns from the original, which we can safely agree was the worst mechanic of that game. However, it is much-improved in KHII, with an on-rails shooter replacing the mediocrity of the original. A rich create-a-ship mode also adds more value to the Gummi levels, but overall, like its predecessor, the Gummi ship is simply a thin mechanic added on, albeit much less frustrating this time around.
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Sora hacks away with his Keyblade, the most peculiar weapon ever
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A simple command list makes the game pretty accessible, which you can use by highlighting an option with the D-Pad and pressing X. You can select magic abilities, special attacks such as the potent “Rising Sun” which takes out a group of enemies with ease, as well as jump and other simple abilities. You also have Limit Breaks, where Sora unites with a teammate to deliver powerful attacks, governed by the game’s magic meter, and different character combinations create different breaks. There is also a Drive system, where Sora combines with another character to create a new entity, but it’s a pretty basic and uninteresting mechanic.
KHII has a level system which can cater to hardcore RPGers, but also prove accessible (or, ignorable) to those inexperienced in this style of game. Levelling-up rewards you with ability points, allowing access to different abilities. Choosing certain abilities will mean your character becomes predominantly melee, magic, or support-based. You can also change these quickly, unless you're in combat, so there is great flexibility in creating the character arc you want. Experts will be able to spend time perfecting their characters attributes and abilities, synthesising new items, and grinding to level up, while those less into the role-playing aspects can breeze through the game without paying much attention to statistics.
While the accessibility of the RPG mechanics is a plus, the game’s biggest problem is its overall ease. The campaign packs a whopping 40+ hours of gameplay, but the game will rarely confront you with challenging fights, and while the difficulty does start to pick up towards the end of the game, most decent players may be able to complete the entire campaign without dying. The main problem is that the game relies too heavily on button-mashing combat, as it pretty much boils down to bashing the X button until the Darkness are all dead. Though the reaction commands add some spice, with explosive and visually impressive attacks, they cannot compensate for a game which 85% of the time relies on the press of one button. Even the game’s boss fights mainly come down to mashing the X button until they die, which is a shame as later in the game these fights become more integral to the experience.
KHII has a level system which can cater to hardcore RPGers, but also prove accessible (or, ignorable) to those inexperienced in this style of game. Levelling-up rewards you with ability points, allowing access to different abilities. Choosing certain abilities will mean your character becomes predominantly melee, magic, or support-based. You can also change these quickly, unless you're in combat, so there is great flexibility in creating the character arc you want. Experts will be able to spend time perfecting their characters attributes and abilities, synthesising new items, and grinding to level up, while those less into the role-playing aspects can breeze through the game without paying much attention to statistics.
While the accessibility of the RPG mechanics is a plus, the game’s biggest problem is its overall ease. The campaign packs a whopping 40+ hours of gameplay, but the game will rarely confront you with challenging fights, and while the difficulty does start to pick up towards the end of the game, most decent players may be able to complete the entire campaign without dying. The main problem is that the game relies too heavily on button-mashing combat, as it pretty much boils down to bashing the X button until the Darkness are all dead. Though the reaction commands add some spice, with explosive and visually impressive attacks, they cannot compensate for a game which 85% of the time relies on the press of one button. Even the game’s boss fights mainly come down to mashing the X button until they die, which is a shame as later in the game these fights become more integral to the experience.
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Like his voice actor, Sora sees dead things, all the time. Allegedly.
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Square have always managed to push the PS2 to its limits, and KHII is no exception. Every world, from the spooky Halloween Town to Port Royal, is brought to life with beautiful colours and exquisite detail. All of Disney’s characters are similarly drawn with detail, meaning the awkward transition for 2D characters is dealt with smoothly, and the game’s great animation means the player can feel every emotion. Audio is awesome too, with Haley Joel Osment returning to voice Sora again, and many of the original actors who voiced their Disney characters in the original animations return, adding an incredible feel of authenticity to the game. The sweeping orchestral score really fits the crux of the game as well, adding heavy emotion to an already high-fever game.
Kingdom Hearts II is great overall, but not spectacular like a lot of Square’s previous RPGs. Though its extreme ease will most likely deter many of the more hardcore gamers, its emotional story, high-quality production and mechanically-sound gameplay will appease almost everyone else. If you’re the kind of gamer who would rather be told a great story than be stimulated by very challenging gameplay, KHII will definitely be worth a purchase. It definitely improves on its predecessor, but the game’s main improvement sadly remains Kingdom Hearts II’s chief flaw.
Kingdom Hearts II is great overall, but not spectacular like a lot of Square’s previous RPGs. Though its extreme ease will most likely deter many of the more hardcore gamers, its emotional story, high-quality production and mechanically-sound gameplay will appease almost everyone else. If you’re the kind of gamer who would rather be told a great story than be stimulated by very challenging gameplay, KHII will definitely be worth a purchase. It definitely improves on its predecessor, but the game’s main improvement sadly remains Kingdom Hearts II’s chief flaw.
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VERDICT
Visual: 10/10
Audio: 9/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 8/10 |