Kingdom Hearts
Can Square actually make a good Disney game? Shame on you for ever doubting them.
Published: August 26, 2002
I've said it before, and it bears repeating: Squaresoft has one of the best records in gaming. Sure, there have been a couple pratfalls with games like The Bouncer or Driving Emotion Type-S, but for every one of those stinkers, there are at least a couple games on the same level as Final Fantasy X. Front Mission 3, Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy Tactics; Square can still deviate from the traditional RPG mold and crank out a quality title.
Kingdom Hearts just happens to be another one of those quality titles. At its heart, the game is your basic action/adventure game with RPG elements mixed in. Even without the Disney characters, it would still be worth checking out, but then of course there'd be no real hook, as Kingdom Hearts doesn't just use the Disney backdrop as some sort of cheap façade for a typical Square adventure. Quite the opposite, in fact; this IS a Disney game, first and foremost, and it's an impressive one at that, managing to cull an astonishing amount of Disney lore, from music to storyline details to original voice actors to, of course, characters. Over 100 of them scattered throughout the 30 or so hour trip, and plenty of cameo treats for Final Fantasy fans to boot. Going into it, you don't need to know anything about past Square efforts to get anything out of the game, though just like the Disney elements, if you're steeped a bit in both traditions, you'll really soak up more of the game and walk away with a much more rewarding experience.
Trying to explain how the collision of Disney and Square worlds interact is a bit like trying to explain a TV show to someone from the 19th century, but I'll try. The key, I suppose, is understanding that in Kingdom Hearts, the worlds you'll encounter (nine of them pulled from Disney movies) all exist as if none of the others existed. Tarzan has never met Donald Duck, Aladdin has never seen Winnie The Pooh, etc., etc. Imagine what would happen if all of these worlds, though, were suddenly linked, and while the characters in the worlds can't necessarily jump to another, someone that existed outside of them could freely hop from world to world with no difficulty. Now imagine if there was an evil force devoid of hearts that was slowly swallowing up each of these worlds and you have a pretty good idea of the antagonist side of Kingdom Hearts.
This is exactly what's taking place when a young boy, Sora, and his best friends Riku and Kairi, have their plans of leaving their island paradise interrupted by an attack from these Heartless creatures. It turns out that Sora has a much bigger place in the grand scheme of things, and after an encounter with the Heartless, he and his friends are pulled from their world and separated. Sora soon meets up with Donald and Goofy, who have been sent out by King Mickey to find the bearer of a "keyblade," which Sora has recently inherited. Once they hook up, the story quickly shifts into a quest to both stem the tide of Heartless streaming into these Disney worlds, and a search for Sora's friends. Still following me? Good, cause that's about as much of the story I can explain without giving anything away. Suffice it to say the tradition of great storytelling on Square's part continues in classic form here.
As I said before, Kingdom Hearts much like a traditional action RPG. Combat takes place in free-roaming real-time. Sora wields the keyblade like a natural, comboing into attack strings with a couple presses of the X button. He's capable of using magic in now-classic Square naming conventions (blizzard, blizzara, blizzaga), either via the on-screen menu or with a press of the L1 button and X, triangle or O. Special attacks, rolls and a couple other moves can be activated from the on-screen menu or a press of the square button. The controls take almost no time to get used to, and this pick-up-and-play feel is bolstered by familiar RPG elements like experience and levels, increases in attack, defense and abilities. For those wondering, nope, you can't control anyone but Sora, but it's fun to watch the other characters duke it out, and you can customize the AI to play a certain way (healer, attacker, etc.) to gel better with your particular style.
Kingdom Hearts is a pretty game, but it's not especially flashy. There'll be no confusing this with some of the more flamboyant previous efforts like Final Fantasy X or even The Bouncer. In classic Square fashion, the game is replete with effects work, however, and it simply helps to solidify my belief that nobody -- and I do mean nobody -- knows how to do more with a simple spell or item use than Squaresoft's artists. The models are clean and detailed, but not exceptionally so, since they really need to mix with the animated-looking denizens of every world (though it is cool to see how their wardrobe changes with each world to blend in and not arouse suspicion from the locals; wait till you see the characters when they get to The Nightmare Before Christmas' Halloween Town). Textures are quite varied and detailed when the need calls for it (which isn't too often because of the general cartoony feel of the game), and it still amazes me that there's not a single loading screen anywhere in the game. No two worlds look anything alike, and stay very, very true to the feel of their respective movies.
It's not really the graphics that concern me, though, it's the camera. It's been a while since I've had as much trouble getting the camera to look where I want. It's not a constant tug-of-war war with the camera like, say, Mario Sunshine, since for the most part the camera goes where it should on its own. It's when you have to take a look at something that's not caught by the normal camera movement that you suddenly enter a Hemmingway-eque Old Man and the Sea-type struggle. The camera moves around you quick enough when you're in the open, but when it bumps up against an object, it functions almost like the characters, slooooooooooooooooooooowly rubbing against the object and at times getting completely hung up on a wall. What's worse, sweeping the camera around to the left or right is handled with the L2 and R2 buttons, while the right analog stick is largely unused (it comes into play when you need to make menu selections while on the move, but that's almost something that could have been done with the L2 and R2 buttons instead. I wish I could say it wasn't something that detracted from the gameplay, but the fact that you'll have to wrestle with it whenever you want a difference vantage point really does hurt the whole experience. It should be noted, though, that there are couple really cool shots during the cinematics, stuff that tends to stray from more traditional static or dolly-like movements found in most game cinemas.
Ahhh, and then there's the sound. There's been a bit of drama surrounding Utada Hikari's song, the title of which I can't even now mention, but I can tell you that it kicks mucho butt, and is woven into a couple separate pieces in the game quite well. Yoko Shimamura's choices in world music run the gamut from annoying (there's only so many times you can hear a weak rendition of "Under The Sea" before you start to go slightly mad) to fantastic, but usually fall somewhere in the middle. Not bad, but not especially memorable either. Oddly enough, the more dramatic parts and orchestrally scored pieces are incredibly moving, and while it probably wouldn't have meshed as well with the Disney worlds, I almost find myself wishing there was more to hear when you weren't being hit with a major plot revelation. Ah well, less is more, I suppose.
Perhaps most indicative of everything they've accomplished with Kingdom Hearts is Square's efforts to faithfully recreate a bevy of Disney worlds out though absolutely killer voice work and a translation that feels incredibly true to the Disney movies. Sure, there are a few quirky Japanese sound effects and some stuff that just doesn't translate all that well, but overall you'll get a very authentic feel with each of the characters, something that is due in no small part to the fact that in almost every case, the voice work is dead-on, often using the same actors that appeared in the movies or TV shows. What's more, it seems the choices in a few key actors were perfectly decided. Sorry, but you just aren't going to be able to find someone that does a good enough impression of Gilbert Gottfried or James Woods to be true the character unless you get the real voice. Plenty of big-name actors donated their celeb status and pipes to a couple roles, most notably the Square characters that make cameos (Mandy Moore as Aeris! Many More as Aeris!), and of course the three new Disney characters (that'd be Sora, Riku and Kairi for those that need a refresher) that the story centers around.
Hey, I'll admit it; I had my doubts about how Kingdom Hearts would turn out. It's the gaming industry's version of The Odd Couple -- Square and Disney -- but the combo couldn't have turned out better. I mean that. I really don't think anyone else could have woven as complex and enthralling a story into such enjoyable gameplay and kept it as true to both Square and especially Disney fans. It is important to make the distinction though, so listen up. This is Disney game with Square characters, not the other way around. Disney fans will freak when they see how many characters are brought in, and the way they're incorporated into the gameplay is so classically Square that long time fans of the developer will get an extra chuckle or two. Heck, even the difficulty feels right; challenging (perhaps too much so for the younger crowd, but then they probably won't get the story anyway) but still doable, and the sense of accomplishment after you finally get through with the epic boss battle at the end is one of the best treats a gamer can get.
Sprint as fast as possible to your nearest games store to pick this game up next month, and if you haven't pre-ordered a copy, maybe it's time you took the time to plop down the cash for it ahead of time. That's that much less time between you getting it into your hands and into your PS2.
Kingdom Hearts just happens to be another one of those quality titles. At its heart, the game is your basic action/adventure game with RPG elements mixed in. Even without the Disney characters, it would still be worth checking out, but then of course there'd be no real hook, as Kingdom Hearts doesn't just use the Disney backdrop as some sort of cheap façade for a typical Square adventure. Quite the opposite, in fact; this IS a Disney game, first and foremost, and it's an impressive one at that, managing to cull an astonishing amount of Disney lore, from music to storyline details to original voice actors to, of course, characters. Over 100 of them scattered throughout the 30 or so hour trip, and plenty of cameo treats for Final Fantasy fans to boot. Going into it, you don't need to know anything about past Square efforts to get anything out of the game, though just like the Disney elements, if you're steeped a bit in both traditions, you'll really soak up more of the game and walk away with a much more rewarding experience.
Trying to explain how the collision of Disney and Square worlds interact is a bit like trying to explain a TV show to someone from the 19th century, but I'll try. The key, I suppose, is understanding that in Kingdom Hearts, the worlds you'll encounter (nine of them pulled from Disney movies) all exist as if none of the others existed. Tarzan has never met Donald Duck, Aladdin has never seen Winnie The Pooh, etc., etc. Imagine what would happen if all of these worlds, though, were suddenly linked, and while the characters in the worlds can't necessarily jump to another, someone that existed outside of them could freely hop from world to world with no difficulty. Now imagine if there was an evil force devoid of hearts that was slowly swallowing up each of these worlds and you have a pretty good idea of the antagonist side of Kingdom Hearts.
This is exactly what's taking place when a young boy, Sora, and his best friends Riku and Kairi, have their plans of leaving their island paradise interrupted by an attack from these Heartless creatures. It turns out that Sora has a much bigger place in the grand scheme of things, and after an encounter with the Heartless, he and his friends are pulled from their world and separated. Sora soon meets up with Donald and Goofy, who have been sent out by King Mickey to find the bearer of a "keyblade," which Sora has recently inherited. Once they hook up, the story quickly shifts into a quest to both stem the tide of Heartless streaming into these Disney worlds, and a search for Sora's friends. Still following me? Good, cause that's about as much of the story I can explain without giving anything away. Suffice it to say the tradition of great storytelling on Square's part continues in classic form here.
As I said before, Kingdom Hearts much like a traditional action RPG. Combat takes place in free-roaming real-time. Sora wields the keyblade like a natural, comboing into attack strings with a couple presses of the X button. He's capable of using magic in now-classic Square naming conventions (blizzard, blizzara, blizzaga), either via the on-screen menu or with a press of the L1 button and X, triangle or O. Special attacks, rolls and a couple other moves can be activated from the on-screen menu or a press of the square button. The controls take almost no time to get used to, and this pick-up-and-play feel is bolstered by familiar RPG elements like experience and levels, increases in attack, defense and abilities. For those wondering, nope, you can't control anyone but Sora, but it's fun to watch the other characters duke it out, and you can customize the AI to play a certain way (healer, attacker, etc.) to gel better with your particular style.
Kingdom Hearts is a pretty game, but it's not especially flashy. There'll be no confusing this with some of the more flamboyant previous efforts like Final Fantasy X or even The Bouncer. In classic Square fashion, the game is replete with effects work, however, and it simply helps to solidify my belief that nobody -- and I do mean nobody -- knows how to do more with a simple spell or item use than Squaresoft's artists. The models are clean and detailed, but not exceptionally so, since they really need to mix with the animated-looking denizens of every world (though it is cool to see how their wardrobe changes with each world to blend in and not arouse suspicion from the locals; wait till you see the characters when they get to The Nightmare Before Christmas' Halloween Town). Textures are quite varied and detailed when the need calls for it (which isn't too often because of the general cartoony feel of the game), and it still amazes me that there's not a single loading screen anywhere in the game. No two worlds look anything alike, and stay very, very true to the feel of their respective movies.
It's not really the graphics that concern me, though, it's the camera. It's been a while since I've had as much trouble getting the camera to look where I want. It's not a constant tug-of-war war with the camera like, say, Mario Sunshine, since for the most part the camera goes where it should on its own. It's when you have to take a look at something that's not caught by the normal camera movement that you suddenly enter a Hemmingway-eque Old Man and the Sea-type struggle. The camera moves around you quick enough when you're in the open, but when it bumps up against an object, it functions almost like the characters, slooooooooooooooooooooowly rubbing against the object and at times getting completely hung up on a wall. What's worse, sweeping the camera around to the left or right is handled with the L2 and R2 buttons, while the right analog stick is largely unused (it comes into play when you need to make menu selections while on the move, but that's almost something that could have been done with the L2 and R2 buttons instead. I wish I could say it wasn't something that detracted from the gameplay, but the fact that you'll have to wrestle with it whenever you want a difference vantage point really does hurt the whole experience. It should be noted, though, that there are couple really cool shots during the cinematics, stuff that tends to stray from more traditional static or dolly-like movements found in most game cinemas.
Ahhh, and then there's the sound. There's been a bit of drama surrounding Utada Hikari's song, the title of which I can't even now mention, but I can tell you that it kicks mucho butt, and is woven into a couple separate pieces in the game quite well. Yoko Shimamura's choices in world music run the gamut from annoying (there's only so many times you can hear a weak rendition of "Under The Sea" before you start to go slightly mad) to fantastic, but usually fall somewhere in the middle. Not bad, but not especially memorable either. Oddly enough, the more dramatic parts and orchestrally scored pieces are incredibly moving, and while it probably wouldn't have meshed as well with the Disney worlds, I almost find myself wishing there was more to hear when you weren't being hit with a major plot revelation. Ah well, less is more, I suppose.
Perhaps most indicative of everything they've accomplished with Kingdom Hearts is Square's efforts to faithfully recreate a bevy of Disney worlds out though absolutely killer voice work and a translation that feels incredibly true to the Disney movies. Sure, there are a few quirky Japanese sound effects and some stuff that just doesn't translate all that well, but overall you'll get a very authentic feel with each of the characters, something that is due in no small part to the fact that in almost every case, the voice work is dead-on, often using the same actors that appeared in the movies or TV shows. What's more, it seems the choices in a few key actors were perfectly decided. Sorry, but you just aren't going to be able to find someone that does a good enough impression of Gilbert Gottfried or James Woods to be true the character unless you get the real voice. Plenty of big-name actors donated their celeb status and pipes to a couple roles, most notably the Square characters that make cameos (Mandy Moore as Aeris! Many More as Aeris!), and of course the three new Disney characters (that'd be Sora, Riku and Kairi for those that need a refresher) that the story centers around.
Hey, I'll admit it; I had my doubts about how Kingdom Hearts would turn out. It's the gaming industry's version of The Odd Couple -- Square and Disney -- but the combo couldn't have turned out better. I mean that. I really don't think anyone else could have woven as complex and enthralling a story into such enjoyable gameplay and kept it as true to both Square and especially Disney fans. It is important to make the distinction though, so listen up. This is Disney game with Square characters, not the other way around. Disney fans will freak when they see how many characters are brought in, and the way they're incorporated into the gameplay is so classically Square that long time fans of the developer will get an extra chuckle or two. Heck, even the difficulty feels right; challenging (perhaps too much so for the younger crowd, but then they probably won't get the story anyway) but still doable, and the sense of accomplishment after you finally get through with the epic boss battle at the end is one of the best treats a gamer can get.
Sprint as fast as possible to your nearest games store to pick this game up next month, and if you haven't pre-ordered a copy, maybe it's time you took the time to plop down the cash for it ahead of time. That's that much less time between you getting it into your hands and into your PS2.