Yeah, I've mentioned it a few times but seeing as how I managed to sink 55 hours into the first title (Good god) I feel it's only fair that I bring up the time I've had with Kingdom Hearts recently. See, just as Fallout 76 Wastelanders dropped (I've downloaded it, I just cannot summon the F's to care yet) I've found myself completely engrossed in a brand new series. (Well, brand new to me.) I ended picking up the entire Kingdom Hearts franchise (Sans 3's DLC) for a steal at about £4.50 a game, (There are ten games, you can do the math) and now I'm struggling a bit to understand everything I'm experiencing, but I'm enjoying it. I think. As I sit down to write this little update, I've currently 100% the first game and am 1 hour into the weirdly different sequel/spin-off 'Re: Chain of Memories', so it's safe to say I've got a good feel for the start of the franchise but still have much ahead of me. Still, let me rap for a minute.
So first of all, can I just complain to the aether about how freakin' confusing the naming of these games are for someone trying to get into the franchise. As someone who wanted to start from the absolute beginning, imagine how utterly confused I was to be directed towards 'Kingdom hearts- HD 1.5 + 2.5'; like, what the heck does that mean? 1.5? So is that the game after the first title and before the second? No, apparently that just means it's the 'Remix' of the first game which mixes the western release's content with the Japanese version of the game, because it had some extra bosses. (Plus a healthily uneven coat of HD paint.) Then there is the fact that this pack comes with 4 extra games (which are mercifully put into order) but each one of these game's titles are positively bonkers! Re: Chain of Memories. 358/2 Days. Re:Coded. Are these even games? I suppose I'm going to find out!
Next I wanna talk about the gameplay itself, which I will say is one of this titles best strengths. Coming out in the early 2000's, there was a stigma surrounding RPGs out of Japan, especially the Final Fantasy series. All of these games were turn based fantasy titles that were dripping with exotic names, convoluted plot-lines and dense stat sheets, something which turned a lot of people off as they immediately assumed it was all too confusing. (And to be fair, a lot of these games kinda are super confusing.) However, the action adventure genre was booming around this time with popular titles like Banjo-Kazooie, Metroid Prime and Conker's Bad Fur Day all receiving some popular renown for being easy to pick up and fun. Seeing as how Kingdom Hearts would be aimed at a younger audience than Final Fantasy, it made sense to follow their lead and make an action adventure game, although one that married the stats of RPGs with the physical fun of action games. Not that I'm saying that Kingdom Hearts birthed the action RPG genre, (Morrowind did come out that same year afterall) but it did pave the way for the direction that the Final Fantasy series now takes today.
That all being said, I've never seen a action RPG hybrid that is so devoted to it's premise like Kingdom Hearts is. When you start the game you literally know how to do nothing else than whack your enemies, and this seems like it'll be all you need like it is in most action adventure games. However, as you progress things will readily become apparent that simply mashing A isn't going to cut it, enemies grow bigger and stronger, attacking takes second fiddle to avoiding and you need to start learning new moves. Therefore as the player levels they'll actually learn abilities just like in any RPG, although these aren't super impressive techniques like Cloud Strife's Omnislash, but basic moves like dodging and even blocking! This puts you in the surreal position where, as you go later into the game, you'll be juggling your 'ability slot points' wondering whether or not you should remove Sora's ability to perform a dodge roll in return for an extra swing on his ground combo. (You absolutely should not by-the-way. Get rid of that 'Block', it's super situational anyway)
It creates this environment where you really feel like you're starting out as a complete novice that is being haphazardly turned into a hero. And when you think about it, why wouldn't Sora be a complete novice from the beginning? He starts out as just a kid living on a desert island who's only point of note is that he just happens to be- the childhood friends of Tidus, Selphie and Wakka. (Wait what? Does Final Fantasy X's Tidus ever mention living on an island with Sora, Riku and Kairi or is this non-canonical?) My point is that this kid is just that, a nobody kid who gets picked to be the wielder of the Key Blade for no discernible reason other than he appears to be a super stubborn guy. (If stubbornness is the only qualifier than my Key Blade should be in the mail.) It makes sense for his heroes journey to literally take him from being a flailing child to a skilled- (well, he's still a child...) So in that way the weird approach to RPG skills really fits the tone!
Something which did take a bit more getting used to, as I mentioned, is the haphazard way in which this game throws together Final Fantasy and Disney. (Heck, even the interplay between the FF games and the Disney movies make no sense) I remember when I first heard about this crossover and was vaguely interested in the nuance involved with marrying these genres together. Let me save you that particular mystery, there is no nuance. Squall, Yuffie and and Aerith are seen hanging out with one another talking about how their world was swallowed up (Besides those characters being from different FF games) and Sora is expected to travel to various Disney worlds alongside Donald and Goofy without 'meddling' with these worlds, despite the fact that they make the most attention grabbing trio in the universe. We're talking about a party consisting of a spiky haired boy, a talking duck and a anthropomorphic dog (who also talks) how are they supposed to blend in? There's one moment in which you travel to Alantica and meet Ariel, who comments at how she doesn't recognise them. To this all Sora can say it that they are from different oceans, which our Little Mermaid actually buys! Yes, I understand that part of Ariel's character is being naive and curious, but girl; you are looking a dog/sea-turtle hybrid and a duck with tentacle legs, even a four year old could tell these abominations aren't fish.
Despite all of that, however, there is something undeniably magical about Kingdom Hearts, and I think it comes from the innocence of the protagonist. All that Sora wants to do throughout the entire game is find his friends, and maybe he's driven a little by his crush for Kairi, but he fights just as hard for anyone in danger simply because that's the kind of person he is. Sora will literally try to help anyone that he comes across in his journey and is determined to make friends with practically everyone he meets, and that's pretty adorable. In a more adult story and setting this could probably be looked as a weakness in character, a naivety that is detrimental to character growth, but around the worlds of various Disney properties like Tarzan, Peter Pan and The Nightmare before Christmas it just fits so nicely.
These past few days I've spent mining resources, crafting the Ultima Keyblade and squaring up to Superbosses, and I can truly say that I'm loving every moment of it. (Even the frustrating ones) There's something so satisfying about nailing that perfect combo on Sephiroth (Yeah, even he shows up in this game) or decoding the right combination of actions to successfully counter the Clocktower Phantom, and it's making me rethink my initial disinterest to the action/RPG genre. Admittedly, jumping into this series was my own way of making up for the disappoint of having to wait a full year to play Final Fantasy 7, (Kingdom Hearts is the series that FF7's game director, Tetsuya Nomura, worked on beforehand) but I'm feeling like this series may have evolved from just being a rebound to becoming my fresh new obsession. (And I'm totally okay with that.) Maybe sometime later I'll get to writing a full review on this game, but this month is particularly chaotic so it'll have to wait for now. Besides, before then I have to figure out exactly what the 'Kingdom Hearts' is. So it's like this place that exists within the primordial darkness that births each world, or is it the place you need to get to in order to reach that darkness? Or is it the light that we know exists within that darkness? Is it even a place? Maybe it actually refers to the doors which...
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