As a kid, I remember being very interested in playing the Kingdom Hearts games for a pretty long while due to its combat and the Disney worlds. During that time I had a DS so when I found out this game existed I was excited and eager to buy and eventually play it. It was on sale at Target when I finally was able to get the chance to buy it. Did I? Nope, I got something else and heard that Re:Coded was coming out in the not-very-distant future so I waited to buy that the next time I had money. Boy am I glad I did because I do not think I would be into what is my favorite video game franchise if it was not for that decision.

The combat is fine but it isn't as fun as most of the other KH games including Re:Coded. The best thing about 358/2 Days combat is the ability to use Limits. Limits are incredibly useful in dealing with a lot of the tough enemies you will encounter on your missions, but outside of them there isn't anything to write home about. The best part of the game by far is the story. While I think other Organization XIII members could have used a little bit more screentime (Marluxia is my favorite one), the Sea Salt trio are easily my favorite trio in the series and I loved the dynamic they all had with each other. It makes the emotional scenes in the game hit that much harder especially when you reach the game's ending.

Everything else about the game I didn't really enjoy. The panel system was a nuisance and outside of the ability to get double, triple, and even quadruple-level panels, I really didn't like the concept of it given how it ties to pretty much everything including magic, items, and even down to the keyblade you use. The command deck in the other handheld games wasn't perfect, but at least you had a bit more freedom to choose what spells, items, and abilities to put in it nor did you have a limit to how many times you could use your commands. The mission-based structure and the missions that come with it make the game feel more like a chore than a video game you're supposed to enjoy. Exploring worlds in Kingdom Hearts is generally more enjoyable when the game keeps them to one visit per playthrough instead of being forced to revisit them multiple times. The last thing is that this game has two of the worst story bosses in the entire series, Leechgrave and Ruler of the Sky. They not only are quite powerful but the way both of these bosses are designed will really test your patience.

I believe this game did have multiplayer functionality that looks fun and with some cool secret characters which I believe would make the game a bit more tolerable if I had people to play it with. Similar to what I said with Sonic Unleashed, I do think this game would also benefit from a remaster that makes changes where they are needed and with online multiplayer for the multiplayer mode. Until Re:358/2 Days becomes a reality, I would suggest only watching the movie in the collections to get the 358/2 Days experience.

Reviewed on Apr 18, 2023


4 Comments


11 months ago

Good review. I too hope that one day Re:358/2 Days will be a reality, mainly because a game where you control Roxas has a lot of potential, but this game wastes it all

11 months ago

Thanks!

11 months ago

While I agree with most of this I don't think watching the movie in the collection is the real 358/2 experience. I always felt like the grindy and tedious mission system was in a way kinda intentional. I feel like it makes you feel how Roxas feels, you just want to get through your boring day job to finally be able to hang out with your friends. Of course the movie removes the gameplay part so this part of Day's story I feel is conveyed through the gameplay is lost

11 months ago

@Fisher I sort of got that vibe from watching the movie too (not as much as the game though), but I get where you're coming from. It's definitely another reason to justify a remaster or remake that adds a few QoL improvements.