Kingdom Hearths II is a direct continuation of the first part. The game is an Action / RPG released jointly by Square Enix and Disney Interactive. The project was created for the PlayStation 2 console and was released on December 22, 2005 in Japan, and then, the very next year, it became officially available in the United States, Australia and Europe.
The first part of this game series has acquired a huge army of fans. Kingdom Hearts II did not lag behind her at all and only increased the already considerable audience of fans. But what caused such great popularity of the entire series and the second part in particular? You will find the answer in this article.
Development history
The team began working on Kingdom Hearts II even before the re-release of the first part of the series (2002). Nevertheless, the developers took a very long time to formulate the game concept, which is why this process dragged on for many years.
According to project manager Nomur Tetsuya, the team’s main task was to work on the mistakes made in the first part. So, many elements of the gameplay were revised, some characters were better disclosed, the camera and the combat system were improved, and other, no less important changes were made.
The debut announcement of the game took place in 2003 at the TGS exhibition. Chain of Memories, which is a story link between the first and second parts, was also presented there. Then, already in 2005, the game got an official teaser site, which marked the beginning of an advertising campaign. By the way, the developers themselves admit that they hastened with the announcement of Kingdom Hearts II. That is why almost nothing was known about the game until its release.
Plot
Kingdom Hearts II is primarily a game for children. Yes, of course, there are intrigues, plot twists and all that, but this should by no means mislead you. Kingdom Hearts II, in fact, is a good tale, as its age rating hints at: Everyone.
So, you have to play for a guy named Sora, who travels through various locations representing various films and cartoons of Walt Disney Studios. At the same time, each of the game zones is made in its own unique style, and in each of them separate tasks will await you. You can help Mulan join the army, take part in the love story of Beauty and the Beast, and so on.
In addition, the game has a storyline based on the confrontation between Sora and his allies, and the sinister Organization XIII. The plans of the latter include the revival of the Kingdom of Hearts, and, of course, a passing capture of cartoon worlds. Naturally, the heroes cannot allow this, therefore, they enter the battle with the villains.
Gameplay
As mentioned earlier, the main character is Sora, whom you have to control using a third-person view. In addition, you will be accompanied by constant partners in the person of Donald Duck and Goofy. True, you will not be able to directly control your partners, relying on artificial intelligence in this matter.
The computer game Kingdom Hearts II, like most representatives of the RPG genre, has a pumping system. Winning over enemies, the main character, as well as his companions, gain experience and, upon reaching a certain amount thereof, earn levels. With each new level, certain characteristics of the characters increase, as a result of which they become stronger.
Battles in the game take place in real time. In battle, you can use ordinary blows, magic, summon, and also make attacks together with your partners. In addition, there are several items that can be applied directly during the fight.
Also, one cannot fail to mention the flights on a ship necessary for traveling between worlds, a wide selection of optional tasks, a transformation system (dive form), and much more.
Differences from the first part
In addition to noticeably prettier graphics, improved controls and a redesigned camera, Kingdom Hearts has another significant difference from the first part - the mechanics of dive energy. Fighting enemies, Sora accumulates a unique resource that can be monitored thanks to the scale on the screen. The resulting energy can be used both for calling companions, and for transformation into a special dive form.
If, with the appeal of the Allies, in principle, everything should be clear, then dive forms should be discussed in more detail. This transformation allows Sora to literally merge with her companions and temporarily gain new abilities.
Reissue Final Mix
Almost immediately after the release of Kingdom Hearts II on PS2, rumors spread that after some time a re-release of the game containing additional content would appear. I must say that these assumptions were not unfounded, because exactly the same story was with the first part of the series.
The re-release, called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, was announced in 2006, and on March 29, 2007, the game was released in Japan. As expected, the updated version includes English-language voice acting for the heroes (the text remained Japanese), bonus bosses, as well as several additional tasks. In addition, the title vocal theme of the game was changed (Sanctuary was used instead of Passion).
Reviews
Like Kingdom Hearts II itself, its reissue was warmly received by the press. Famitsu portal called the project the best in 2005, and according to readers of the same publication, the game took 29th place in the list of the best of the best for all time. In the Reader’s Choice category (IGN version), Kingdom Hearts II won the title of Best Game for PlayStation 2.
Gamers also honored the project with their attention. Needless to say, because the game still has a multi-million army of fans around the world. At the same time, the age audience of Kingdom Hearts II is quite diverse, which does not at all fit with its cartoon-anime theme.
All this does not mean that the game had no problems. So, many critics complained about the tightness, uncomfortable camera (although they admitted that it became better than in the first part) and confusing management.
Who doesn’t like the game?
Everyone has different tastes, therefore, no matter how high the Kingdom Hearts II ratings are, the game simply cannot be liked by everyone. First of all, it certainly will not appeal to those gamers who can not stand the classic Japanese heroes, brandishing huge weapons. Plus, do not forget that the game takes place in the Disney universe, which is also not popular among everyone.
For everyone else, the project is simply a must. In extreme cases, you can evaluate the game on YouTube videos, and only then decide whether to buy it.