Fans of the original will find plenty to love here. Worth checking out for fans of action-RPGs as well!
HIGH POINTS: The battle system!! In particular, the new reaction commands. These commands allow the player to engage in acrobatic, stylish countermoves with the well-timed press of a button, and usually lead to a bonus of major damage-causing proportions! Think God of War, only without the violence. Some may think that no violence means watered down action, but trust me, KH is fast-paced and some of the reaction commands will impress even the most hardcore, bloodlusting action fan! KH II has also added some improvements to the mechanics of the game, by mapping the camera to the right analog stick (a welcome addition!) and allowing you to set your battle menu items to auto-refill after battle (a helpful addition). This additions, among others, are very useful and make the game more streamlined.
Next, let's move on to the story and flow of the game. The story is a good one, and similar to the feel of the first game. I, personally, thought the original had a better story, but I enjoyed this games story all the same. I did enjoy the pacing of this game MUCH better than the first, however. The worlds involved less running through mazes and more action, story, and boss fights. I didn't like the pointless running around that seemed to bog down the original; this installment keeps the worlds tighter, and has more boss battles or epic events closer together. And trust me, this change of pace has not shortened the game at all! This game will easily take you 40-50 hours to beat the first time (unless you have a strat guide...not sure that would speed it up that much either though).
Finally, the graphics and music all remain as amazing and captivating as they were in the first game. The graphics have been tweaked, so they can definitely still be regarded as gorgeous by today's current gen standards as well. A masterpiece of presentation!
LOW POINTS: Though they are few, I did have some beefs with this game. First, some of the worlds feel sort of unnecessary to the overall flow of the game, and serve simply as time wasters. For example, the world of the Little Mermaid...their arent even any Heartless or Nobodies there, you just play musical timed-button pressing to classic songs from the movie and really crappy original songs made for this game. (the first one is TERRIBLE!) You are trying to save the universe, what does it matter if Ariel wants to be human so she can marry a prince?! Also, the replay value is pretty low. The game does have a harder difficulty level, which is nice, and a bonus if you complete 100% of the objectives, but most people use strategy guides and can accomplish this the first time through (not I though! I'm old school!). Also, the mix of Final Fantasy and Disney at times feels a bit tacked on, but if you really enjoy either series (FF for me) than its not bad enough to take away from the experience. I love the mix, I jsut felt that it was done a little better in the original.
THE SCOOP: This is a tremendous action-RPG that should be a treat for those who enjoy the genre and especially for those who loved the first game. Anyone who might be curious about this game should DEFINITELY give it a shot! ANd please, don't let the somewhat childish appearance of the game steer you away...if you enjoy lighthearted comedy, fast-paced and somewhat challenging action, as well as a sweeping story that doesn't take itself too seriously, don't dealy any longer! The gamer and the kid inside you will thank you for this endeavor!