Years ago, when I first experienced the Kingdom Hearts series, I was not only befuddled by the absurdity of its concept, but to put it simply, I just did not understand what made the game special and why people loved it so much. The same perspective pervaded my mind throughout me playing most of the games in the series. Now that I have developed a more complex taste in games and matured, I decided to play through the entire series once more. The journey begins here.
Kingdom Hearts' first outing is decent enough to grab one's attention. Some of the series' outstanding qualities however are rooted in this game, such as the flawless music, satisfying combat and some of the best art direction in any game series. That being said, some of the series' glaring problems also start here, and definitely haunt this series all throughout.
The strenghts are what I noticed most, however. The combat is a tad bit janky, but it still feels very satisfying and there is a decent level of challenge and learning even to the easiest difficulty setting. The magic casting and item distribution are enjoyable due to how fluid and accessible the menus are. Menuing in this game is a total treat and by the halfway point, you will have muscle memory for casting healing and exchanging items in your stock. Kingdom Hearts shines at the technical and gameplay aspects.
The world design is in the middle ground for me. Platforming adds a bit of charm but it still feels very floaty and downright unecessary in some sections such as Monstro. That said, each world brings at least one unique twist, style or distraction to the game that is elevated by the legendary score composed for the game.
In the more negative side, the story is one of the most interesting concepts I have seen in any game. Looking past the fact it's a crossover between FINAL FANTASY and Disney characters, the story is two things. It is incomprehensible, horribly paced and one of the most generic I have ever experienced. At the same time, it is one of the most thematically rich stories in gaming, with lovable, complex characters and genuine emotional moments. Why is this? I really can't say, since I'm at the cusp of replaying the entire series with my goal being to understand how I feel about this.
All in all, Kingdom Hearts is a good introduction to this sprawling series. Althougth a bit janky by today's standards, it holds up with its music, gameplay and art. Despite my problems with the story and some of the world additions, I definitely see this game in a more positive light now.
Now, to continue my journey of discovery. All along, despite my complicated feelings, have I had an emotional connection to Kingdom Hearts? We'll see...
Kingdom Hearts' first outing is decent enough to grab one's attention. Some of the series' outstanding qualities however are rooted in this game, such as the flawless music, satisfying combat and some of the best art direction in any game series. That being said, some of the series' glaring problems also start here, and definitely haunt this series all throughout.
The strenghts are what I noticed most, however. The combat is a tad bit janky, but it still feels very satisfying and there is a decent level of challenge and learning even to the easiest difficulty setting. The magic casting and item distribution are enjoyable due to how fluid and accessible the menus are. Menuing in this game is a total treat and by the halfway point, you will have muscle memory for casting healing and exchanging items in your stock. Kingdom Hearts shines at the technical and gameplay aspects.
The world design is in the middle ground for me. Platforming adds a bit of charm but it still feels very floaty and downright unecessary in some sections such as Monstro. That said, each world brings at least one unique twist, style or distraction to the game that is elevated by the legendary score composed for the game.
In the more negative side, the story is one of the most interesting concepts I have seen in any game. Looking past the fact it's a crossover between FINAL FANTASY and Disney characters, the story is two things. It is incomprehensible, horribly paced and one of the most generic I have ever experienced. At the same time, it is one of the most thematically rich stories in gaming, with lovable, complex characters and genuine emotional moments. Why is this? I really can't say, since I'm at the cusp of replaying the entire series with my goal being to understand how I feel about this.
All in all, Kingdom Hearts is a good introduction to this sprawling series. Althougth a bit janky by today's standards, it holds up with its music, gameplay and art. Despite my problems with the story and some of the world additions, I definitely see this game in a more positive light now.
Now, to continue my journey of discovery. All along, despite my complicated feelings, have I had an emotional connection to Kingdom Hearts? We'll see...