Kingdom Hearts 2 is a nostalgic and enjoyable game with cameos from Disney and Square Enix.
Does this long anticipated sequel live up to the original?
--GAMEPLAY--
People who played the game would commonly critisize the awkward camera and basic gameplay style. Although not everyone felt this way about the original, Square Enix decided to try make improvements.
First off, the camera in Kingom Hearts 2 is completely different this time around. Rather than using the R2 and L2 buttons, the player uses the right analogue stick to move the camera up, down, left and right. By pressing the R3 button, the camera will return to the default position. The camera feels pretty comfortable to use and you'll rarely find yourself complaining about it.
The battle system has been slightly altered too. As you may know, Kingdom Hearts has a free roaming battle system, allowing you to approach, lock on and freely attack enemies without being taken to another screen. Not only will the player be using X and square (for attacking and using magic etc), but they will also be using something called "reaction commands", which are always set to the triangle button. These commands will be used during battle, whilst exploring worlds and even on the world map. They can be used to talk to people or used most of the time for attacking enemies (and for other purposes too). Each enemy will trigger a specific reaction command. The player will be alerted as to when they should press triangle and will have a certain amount of time to press triangle. Unfortunately, reaction commands are not difficult to perform and can easily be triggered by mashing the triangle button. The animations during some of the rection commands are quite spectacular though, making this game even more visually appealing.
The gameplay itself isn't quite as fun as it was in the original and has been made far too simplified. Throughout most of the game, enemies are incredibly easy to defeat. There are a few moments where you'll find a boss tough, but most of the game will be a pushover. Towards the end however, the game does get particularly difficult. A lot of this game really does feel like it's all just button mashing. Unlike the original, I sometimes did get tired of continuously pressing X with the occasional square or triangle.
Most worlds will be way too linear. Most of the game will be 'go to the next area', 'trigger a cutscene' and then 'fight enemies'. This will then repeat.
There is also a new feature called "Drives" in Kingdom Hearts 2. Drives are usable once the main character (Sora) fills the Drive Gauge up to a cetain amount. Once the gauge is full, Sora can change the colour of his clothes and gain new attacks. The Drive won't last for long however, and the gauge will deplete until it reaches 0, which makes Sora return to his original clothing. If the game itself was more difficult, drives would be a nice addition, but beacuse the game is far too easy, drives make the game even more of a pushover.
Overall, the gameplay isn't Kingdom Hearts 2's strong point. With a higher difficulty, this game could be a lot more enjoyable to play.
--GRAPHICS--
When it comes to graphics, Kingdom Hearts 2 shines. This is about as good as PS2 can handle as far as graphics are concerned. Every single character in the game is beautifully modelled and animated, making interaction with the characters one of the most enjoyable things about this game. The worlds you will visit in this game are nostialgic and fantastically detailed. This game is full of stunning effects when magic, summons or even just regular attacks are used. This is what makes Kingdom Hearts 2 feel so fun to play and will often be the reason you will keep on playing it.
There are also almost no frame rate issues in this game either, even when hundreds of enemies are on the screen at the same time.
--SOUND--
Traditional Disney and Final Fantasy songs and voice actors are also what makes Kingdom Hearts 2 so nostalgic. You'll be familiar with most of the songs you hear on this game, especially if you're a fan of Disney films.
--VALUE--
Kingdom Hearts 2 will last a pretty long time if you want it to. Playing the game from start to end will take about 30 - 40 hours. There are also sidequests to do, such as optional bosses and worlds. This game is packed with stuff to do so there won't be much time to put it down.
With more than 15 worlds to visit, Kingom Hearts 2 is bound to last.
--OVERALL--
Kingdom Hearts 2 is does not live up to the original, but still manages to stand out as an enjoyable game. Some fans will be dissapointed, but most fans of the previous game will enjoy this no matter what. This is a great addition to the series, but a little more freedom and difficulty wouldn't go amiss.
This may not be the most challenging or mature game you play, but it will have a lot of heart. That's what makes the Kingdom Hearts series so succesful.