When I first learned about the original Kingdom Hearts, I was appalled.
“A game with Disney and Final Fantasy characters? Nietzsche was right; God’s dead.”
It took about three separate tries to sit down with the game before I could finally stomach it.
But a strange thing happened—I started to like it. I liked it a lot.
It had a certain charm, and the game play wasn’t half bad, either.
Since then, there have been more sequels, remakes and spinoffs than Disney’s own Dalmatians.
But, surprisingly, they’ve been consistently good.
Square’s latest rendition, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (read three five eight over two days) for the Nintendo DS doesn’t disappoint as it continues the Kingdom Hearts legacy of solid games, despite a confusing storyline.
In 358/2 Days, you play as Roxas, a member of Organization XIII, who uses the power of his key-shaped sword (called a keyblade… creative name, I know) to collect the hearts of the shadowy Heartless.
What’s his purpose for doing so, you ask?
Don’t worry your pretty little head over that. The story for 358/2 Days is as convoluted as any other Kingdom Hearts game.
None of it really makes sense. We’re talking about a universe in which Winnie the Pooh and Cloud Strife co-exists. Nothing really needs to make sense.
But for those who care (those of you who are undoubtedly wearing an anime T-shirt while reading this), Roxas and the rest of the members of Organization XIII are what are called Nobodies, bodily shells without hearts.
If they can collect enough hearts, a gateway called Kingdom Hearts will open, and they’ll all become real boy…or something like that.
The game play is excellent, however. 358/2 Days provides action-RPG, sword-swinging fun with a deep level of customization.
Different gears can be attached to Roxas’ keyblade to transform its abilities, such as ground specialization or air combos.
Loathers of Chain of Memories will be glad to hear that this is not a card game in disguise; 358/2 Days is as close as you’ll get to playing the PS2 Kingdom Hearts on a hand-held.
However, the customization system does have its flaws.
For some reason which escapes me, the designers thought it’d be a good idea to make players equip level-ups.
That’s right, not only do you have to gain experience to level up, but you have to spend precious ability space to gain their effects.
Granted, you receive level doublers and such, but this still seemed like a superfluous addition.
The levels are about what you’d expect on the Nintendo DS.
They’re 3D environments but nothing spectacular. The biggest problem here is that you’re revisiting Disney’s worlds that you’ve probably already been to three times before if you played the prequels.
Things are getting boring, Square. Let’s branch out a little. Give me some worlds from other Disney movies or, heck, non-Disney worlds altogether.
I hear Final Fantasy has some nice settings you might want to try.
The game style of 358/2 Days is perfect for a hand-held.
Roxas is assigned short missions with reasonably varied objectives.
Players can revisit these missions with a Challenge mode or just to find hidden loot.
Curiously, there is no “save anywhere” feature. Players must wait till the end of the mission to save.
This game would have been perfect for on-the-go gaming if not for the absence of this handy option.
Honestly, one of the best features of 358/2 Days is the multiplayer.
Players can play not only as Roxas but all the Organization XIII members and even some hidden characters.
Each character has his or her own unique weapon and play style, and they’re all customizable with the abilities you find throughout the single-player game.
You and three buddies can race through levels you have previously beaten, competing for crystals to gain prizes at the end.
The downside: no internet support. You’ll have to WLAN for this one, friends.
Overall, 358/2 Days is a solid portable game from a lovable franchise. Sure, the story is more complex than Pirates of the Caribbean 3, but the game play is enjoyable and rewarding.
This is a must-have for anys Kingdom Heart fan or action-RPG gamer on the go.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the Nintendo DS gets a 4/5.
To contact Shannon Grippando, email him at sgrippando@gmail.com.
