A game molded of many emotions and adventures. Fans will not want to miss out on this experience, young or old.
Alright, class, it's time for a bit of a math lesson here: SqaureSoft+Disney = Game of exceptional quality, that hosts a fine, new array of commands and reactions that is sure to please fans of CoM, and the original.
I, for one, have much to say on this whirlwind of an experience, hence why this review will focus on my adventures of the game in 'Standard Mode' or 'Medium Difficulty'. First and foremost, the storyline treds not too far from the other two games, in how it is presented, of course. Purely, you understand little of what's being said at first, but then, the cement and bricks slowly begin to heat and stick, one after another: You start out as a young boy named Roxas in Twilight Town, who is trying to make the most of his summer with his friends Olette, Hayner, and Pence. However, it isn't long until you learn the extent of the introduction, and what the true significance of Roxas and his mysterious motives are: DiZ, an enigmatic, masked man voiced by veteren Christopher Lee, is using a "witch" named Namine to slowly restore the forgotten memories of the child, and keep him abroad from the eager hands of the 13th Organization, a feral group of Nobodies who wish to access Kingdom Hearts and regain their humanity once and for all.
Therein, after a tedious, six-day introduction of the game, Roxas, and its genuine feel, Sora awakens from the pod of Namine with his two loyal companions, Donald and Goofy, and immediately whisks himself off, back into the hands of adventure. In fact, it is not long until you venture through the tower of Yen Sid whilst battling heartless up the countless stairways and gain your "Valor Form" from his fairy apprentices, a suit that can only be used when Sora has 'full drive' to its max extent. Valor Form is quite useful because it can exhibit and issue more powerful attacks, and holds special Reaction Commands (and/or AP bonuses) that are not available to Sora in any other method. In addition to Valor Form, there is also others that are unlocked from special levels and words, such as Wisdom Form, Final Form, and Anti Form. Each one clusters their own, unique advantages and falls, but all in all, they install a more exciting feel into the game.
I know you're wondering now - 'What are Reaction Commands and how do I execute their powers?' Well, first, Reaction Commands include special blocks like 'Roar' 'Battle Cry' 'Block' 'Parry', and moves that can only be performed with other guest characters, like Auron, Beast and so forth. In fact, Reaction Commands can even take out 1/3 of a mob at once, if used properly and timely.
Last for the gameplay, there is also a new-and-improved version of the Gummi Ship, with pilots the crew to their new worlds and destinations. In the first game, the Gummi Ship was a feature actually ranted about, for it was disappointingly uninspired, and hosted bland, abyss space environments that felt like a drag and waste of time to go through. This is not the case in Kingdom Hearts II. Now, each level has a new area for the ship to navigate, such as the water miles for Atlantica, and shadow highways for other levels. You can also upgrade your ship and customize it to fit your specific needs. Respectively, new upgrades are available with each track you complete. Another fine feature is that you can set the score for your time, and how many enemies were destroyed by your missiles.
Second, the graphics and sound.
I must admit that the graphics for this game surpass most PS2 titles, but that's just my personal view. However, I bet you can agree that the facial expressions, attention to even the smallest of details (Such as the bamboo forests of China and the gloomy atmosphere taken from the Underworld), and time drawn into the game can impress a wide variety of audiences, both young and old, that can take the utmost of the game's interior experiences. Although, most of this scenery is evident through cutscenes, which cleave through the fair majority of the game and beyond..
In comparison, the sound is quite top-notch and flies not too far from the nest. For example, the sheer, toe-tapping enjoyment of the 'Mickey the Mouse' theme in the Disney Castle area is enough to bring a smile to Walt's face, as is the musical feel you are treated to at Atlantica. Quite so, he whole area is a musical in itself. A deep, flimsy musical. Who knew Hailey Joe Osment could sing?
The voice acting is quite well picked, as well. Most of the voice actors from the first game are returning for the sequel, such as Hailey Joe Osment, David Gallagher and more. There are a few newcomers, however, and they do just as well in matters of performance. Christopher Lee, better known for his performance as Sauron in the Lord of the Rings, make an excellent DiZ, while Quinton Flynn also adds his own, unique, comical and slightly mocking style to Axel.
But last, the cream of the crop: The value, and the tilt. Foremost, the value here is pretty high, if you want to try the game on all the modes (Beginner, Standard, and Proud), otherwise, you're entitled to only one, all-around trip of the experience. However, there are peppered mini-games that could always withdraw about ten minutes of your time, granted you whiz right through them without any troubles.
And then, the tilt. Yes, the game has changed in matters of controls and combat, but it is nothing you can't learn in about a half hour's practice. Remember, folks, this is an Action RP, so the majority of your controls are used for Reaction Commands and sheer button-mashing, but superb button mashing, at that.
So, in conclusion, I would recommend this game to any fans of the originals, and also those who are new to the experience. Rest assured, you'll pick right up on it, and become a Proud Mode veteran in little time.
***
Pros -
- Great feel to the worlds
- Challenging and fun battles in every mode
- Mini-games, although easy, offer some granted amusement
- Great attention to detail and graphics
- FF characters, although overshadowed, offer a wonderful 'There's my favourite character!' feeling to the game and its respective fans
- Reaction Commands
- Party members are more useful than before, and heal, attack and issue damage at a more realiable pace
Cons -
- Recycled words, although with some altered content, still feel similiar to when they were introduced in the first game
- Too many cutscenes cleave through the gameplay
- Little influence from FF characters
- Aerith's VA