Assassin's Creed. God of War. Uncharted. What do these have in common? They all have sequels, that no matter how beloved or nostalgic the original, are such a substantial improvement on their predecessor that they allowed the franchises to continue unfettered. Kingdom Hearts 2. I had quite a good impression of KH1. It was obviously dated for its time and held back by the technical limitations of the hardware, but it still captured the magic of both the Disney and FF universes that it was drawing from. Kingdom Hearts 2, is just better, in every single way. It has more narrative depth, which can often be confusing but allows for enough intrigue that the player will want to figure it out. The introduction of Drive Forms, and the redesign of other mechanics make it an actual blast to play. The worlds that we explore, both the new and the returning, are excellently designed, and the boss fights are so incredible and bombastic that its truly a cinematic treat every time you enter a fight. At no point did this game feel like a chore, maybe a challenge, but never a chore. Just a stellar gaming experience from beginning to end. And while the first game put me on to the franchise, this is the one that has made me a fan.