User reviews

I have no idea where to start with Kingdom Hearts II. What stands out is the excellent graphics, catchy voice actors, the amazing gameplay, and a wonderfully mysterious story.

I will do my best to explain the plot of KHII. It's been a while since Sora, Donald, and Goofy defeated Ansem, and it appears that the Heartless are back to their old tricks, but before we learn of them, we see a new, and mysterious enemy: The Nobodies. Also different, the first 4 to 5 hours of gameplay are spent playing as a new character, Roxas. For a while, the story will seem confusing, but once you reach the end, it will ALL make sense. After a few hours of gameplay, you'll play as Sora once again, and you'll meet old and new friends alike. Also going on as a side story, Kairi has forgotten all about Sora, but is eager to learn more about 'the boy I used to have so much fun with', and Riku seems to be gone without a trace. Meanwhile, Roxas (who sounds eerily like Jesse McCartney *wink*) has been dreaming about Sora, and his past adventures, despite never having met him before, and while all this is going on, a mysterious new force called Organization XIII is taking shape....

The gameplay behind KHII is phenomenal. Rather than the basic play behind KHI, the system has been overhauled with a new thing called drive form, which allows Sora to increase his power for a limited time. The MP gauge is also different, which isn't that great. It's the only flaw of KHII. You'll be hooked within minutes of playing this game.

With appearances from the Disney classic characters Beast, Belle, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, The Peddler, Iago, Chicken Little, Peter Pan, Stitch, Mulan, Captain Shang, Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Chip and Dale, Hercules, Megara, Phil the Satyr, Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, King Triton, Tron, Jack Skellington, The Mayor, Sally, Dr. Finkelstein, Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Disney's villains are also back, including Captain Barbossa, Jafar, Shan-Yu, Hades, Scar, Commander Sark, The Master Control Program, Oogie Boogie, and Ursula. Square's Final Fantasy heroes are back as well, including Squall Leonhart, Aeris (Aerith), Cloud, Auron, Yuffie, Tifa Lockheart, Raijin, Fujin, Seifer, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, not to mention the most evil villain in video game history, Sephiroth is back.

Kingdom Hearts II also has some cool voice actors, including Haley Joel Osment, Hayden Panitierre, David Gallagher, Sean Astin, Jesse McCartney, David Boreanaz, James Arnold Taylor, Tara Strong, B.D. Wong, Mena Suvari, and Robbie Benson.

This is one game you cannot afford to miss. If you play one game on PS2 this year, Kingdom Hearts II should be that game. Don't miss this clever blend of fun, epic battles, romance, action, adventure, humor, and gripping suspense.

10/10 --spy

I love this game! As a huge fan of KH1,i must say that KH2 carries on the story perfectly. The graphics have improved, and i must say that i like the extended version of The nightmare before Christmas. It also has more songs from the movies, including Part of your world, and Beauty and the Beast (after you defeat Xaldin). I think Hailey Joel Osment is perfect as Sora, Christopher Lee is brilliant as Diz, and all the other voice overs are good as well. And there's more worlds too including the fabulous Pride Lands, and Mulan just to name a few. The only complaint i have is that you don't hear the Circle of life in the Pride lands. By the way the new characters are just as likable as the familiar ones.

All in all, this is my most favorite PS2 game and like KH1 it's a good game for Disney and FF lovers alike.

When I think about Kingdom Hearts II, I think that it is without a doubt the best game ever made in my opinion and deserves an obvious 10/10 if I could I would do 11/10 haha. This game was my childhood, I played it all the time as a kid and had so much fun with it I was so happy when they SE decided to make 2.5 that I actually bought a PS3 (and then PS4 for 1.5 + 2.5) just for that single game and 1.5 of course, can't wait for KHIII. May my heart be my guiding key...

Arguably one of the most anticipated games since the first shots were revealed in summer 2003, Kingdom Hearts 2 had much hype living up to it. After all, the first Kingdom Hearts was a very enjoyable action-RPG. It combined the worlds of Disney and Final Fantasy, filled with a massive story, full-on interaction with the various Disney worlds, quickly paced battles that challenged the reflexes and wits, and fun little mini-games to pass the time. It wound up becoming a hit, despite its shortcomings such as an annoying camera and a series of weak series of "Gummi Ship," shooting levels. In 2004, a Game Boy Advance title Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was released, which bridged the events of the first game and its upcoming sequel. With appetites whetted, fans eagerly anticipated the release of the PS2 sequel over a year later. And now, with it finally out after 3 1/2 years, you may ask, "Was it worth the wait?" You bet it was.

First, the graphics. They are simply beautiful. The designers perfectly captured the animation in the first game, and despite that, the new one looks even better. From the cartoony steamboat of Steamboat Willy fame to the Beast's flowing cape, the movements, designs, and animations can almost be mistaken for a finished animation cel. Its interesting to that all of the returning Final Fantasy characters sans Cid have received all out makeovers, and instead of a more anime-ish look like the first game, they now sport some slightly more realistic designs.

Story wise, KH II is just as good as the first. Yes, a certain major villain from the first is back, and yes, you're traveling worlds trying to beat Heartless, but thankfully, it's not a rehash. It has quite a few interesting twists and turns and even a few very emotional moments, starting with the beginning, which interestingly enough, doesn't feature Sora at all, but an entirely new character. And by the time Sora returns, we wind up caring for this new character quite a bit, and actually wind up missing him. And Mickey fans rejoice: while the Mouse only appeared for about a minute of the first game, this time around he has a much larger role.

Gameplay wise, Kingdom Hearts II excels. Although the platforming is gone, Square has made sure that you won't be bored. Some tasks include a wild ride on Aladdin's magic carpet, helping Mulan join the Imperial Army, singing in a duet with Ariel, and helping an amnesiac Winnie the Pooh get enough honey to eat on an insane adventure that goes throughout the 100 Acre Wood and even on the text of the Pooh book itself. The combat, well, it takes the cake. The new system is incredibly deep, filled with Reaction commands that let you perform new combos against enemies and bosses, Limit attacks that let you perform combination attacks with your various party members, and the drive gauge, which not only enhances the power of your summon monsters, but also allows Sora to merge with his allies into a full blown powerhouse warrior. The Gummi Ship segments are no longer a chore: gone are the slow-moving bland environments from the first game, instead giving us a fast paced blast fest that does a much better job of replicating the old quarter munchers of yore. And did I mention the fact that the camera has improved greatly?

There are many new tunes that each perfectly fit each new world, with the themes from the returning worlds also coming back. I have little complaints overall, in fact, my biggest gripe is I would have loved to hear "What's This?" being played during the Christmas portion of the Nightmare Before Christmas world. Voice wise, well, Haley Joel Osment once again shines as Sora, Christopher Lee is absolutely brilliant as Diz, and of course the usual Disney VAs such as Wayne Allwine, Tony Anselmo, and Bill Farmer, are perfect. Best of all, most of the cast members have voices, including returning ones who didn't in the first such as Chip and Dale, the rest of the Winnie the Pooh cast, and Cid. Only a few do not have voices, such as Uncle Scrooge McDuck(which is a shame, as I would have loved to hear Alan Young) All of the returning Final Fantasy cast members, save Cloud, have new voices though, and range from good(Squall/Leon) to disappointing(Aerith).

Kingdom Hearts II is definitely worth the time we've endured, as well as the $50 dollar price tag. This is a must buy title and it leaves me anticipating just what the unbeatable team of Disney and Square will do next.

The game series Kingdom Hearts reshaped my thoughts on video games. Prior to playing the first game, I had not given much interest toward the medium... However after playing the first game several years ago and inserting myself into the fandom I found out there was a second game released. I played through this game with my mind continuously being blown by a wide array of characters, worlds, and the seamless transition of anime and American animation. This game manages to appeal to all ages while staying clean enough that anyone of any age could play it, the difficulty is well balanced with there being a comfortable setting for any level of skill, and the music is hands down some of the best in video game history. In short buy it for yourself, share it with your children, and make sure to check out the other games in the series.

this game is fantastic

the first game was awesome, i heard about it from my friend and i bought it So i thought will final fantasy and Disney work? the answer: of course

after i played the first game i couldn't wait for the second the game play was fantastic as were the characters, voice actors, graphics, story everything was brilliant I personally think that this game is 100% perfect and it will always be my favourite game kingdom hearts rules

if you love Disney you'll love this game

if you love final fantasy you'll love this game

You will instantly love the characters like Sora, Riku and Kari

Also there are some brilliant enemies like the heartless, nobodies and organisation xiii

Be prepared for the best game you'll ever play

Did i mention that there will be a third game

Enjoy the game its impossible not to

I fell in love with the Kingdom Hearts series the very moment I started the game. This game has a brilliant storyline that includes everything - drama, romance, humor, action, adventure. The heroes are lovable and the villains equally detestable. And what human being can hate Disney? The incorporation of eternal Disney characters and their histories is wonderful. The interface of the game is user friendly and fun to look at, along with the beautiful graphics designed for each world.

When you play, you are immersed into a fantasy world that you will never want to leave. For those who are skeptical, just look at the masterminds behind this series: It's from the same creators as the beloved Final Fantasy games. Square-Enix does its best to not only satisfy its fans, but to make them fall in love all over again every time they come across a new release.

Kingdom Hearts2 (in my opinion)is the best game I've ever played.The animation and graphics really impressed me.It's a sequel to Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts:Chain of memories.In the game,Sora is still continuing his search for Riku but evil awaits....

I have played this game over again and I still love it.If you haven't heard of this game then I suggest you play the first one.Then play this one.

I don't know how people hate it 'cos I don't see anything wrong or bad about it.Kingdom Hearts fans won't be disappointed or maybe they will because I was not.Enjoy the game!

This game has a really deep meaning to me. As a huge Disney fan, it was like it was made for me. I like the two first games, since this one is the third one in the franchise (don't let the title mislead you) but oh my God, this takes the cake as the best one in the series. I never felt that much emotions playing a videogame in my entire life, and even when I replay it time and times again, I feel those same emotions again. It's funny, sad, sometimes the difficulty is insane but you feel like you accomplished something when you defeat those hard bosses, the choice of Disney worlds is really good, the story is confusing but it makes it so good at the same time. And my personal favorite part is the prologue, I cry EVERYTIME. I could recommend this game to anyone, even if you don't like Disney movies, the plot is mature enough for adults to enjoy, while the Disney worlds are still fun to explore. They are more linear than in KH1, but it makes the combat more fun imo. 10/10 masterpiece.

Kingdom Hearts, this game is truly amazing. The story BEHIND all the running around fighting heartless is indescirbable. People tend to call this a "sad game" which it is, but in the end is all pretty much happy. The words the characters speak are very deep, and really make you think. For instance, "A scattered dream is like a far off memory, A far off memory is like a scattered dream. I want to line the pieces up, yours, and mine" Those are the first words said when the game is beginning when you've chosen what mode you would like to play in. (Might I add that it was 'Soras' voice who said that.) The game itself shows excitement, sadness, complexity, and charm. Anyone with experience in this game knows exactly what I'm talking about, especially when I say that the game is "deep" within someones heart. How does Namura come up with something like this? It's so interesting. If you go on you tube, and type in the Twilight Town song, listen to it, and read the comments - you'll see I'm not the only one who thinks of Kingdom Hearts (1 and 2) can make you cry just thinking about it. It's so tempting that this game makes me feel weird. Heck, if I could, I would want to be able to some how be transported in this game just to interact with the characters. Yes, I know that sounds crazy and stupid, but it's true.

Kingdom Hearts is so unique that I haven't seen anything like it since Final Fantasy, which is obviously why because they were made to be linked together. But as I begin to conclude my review of the Kingdom Hearts series, may I suggest that you *really* listen to what their saying in the story line, and maybe you'll get a sense of what I'm trying to show you about it. Overall Kingdom Hearts is the best game I've ever played, and I would hate to see it fade away like it wasn't anything important.

• the understood.

I realize while starting to write this that it saddens me that most people are too stunned with the actual game itself to write a critical review. I shall try my best to do otherwise.

Let's all face it we were all damn excited to hear of the sequel to the Kingdom Hearts series. I myself had bought and played Chain of Memories just to keep up to date with it. And as you could expect, I was thrilled when this was finally in my hand.

Graphics: Terrific! There is not much to critique on this, the graphics are smooth and very nicely done. As someone mentioned in an other review, Port Royal is the only world that is a bit pixalated and rough. But that is to be expected of course, considering the game designers were trying to get as close to possible with the real thing. I felt that the facial expression were Superb, Sora's mouth as well as others are now 3 dimensional, and actually attempt to go along with their voices.

Voice Acting: I felt like this could have been loads better. Considering the success of the First Kindgdom Hearts, you would think they could be a little more original with the voice acting. Don't get me wrong, they chose the best possible people to voice act the real thing, but it just wasn't cutting it....Butchering Captain Jack Sparrow, and Will Turner, I rather wish they would have just used text bubbles. Some others I was disappointed in was Leon, Simba, and Mulan. But, all in all they did a decent job at trying to get similar voice actors.

Battle System: This was definitely an improvement, anyone could see that. Sora's movements are nice and fluid, and there are a TON of new abilities, making the battle system highly more strategic, and instead of mashing X the whole time you can use other buttons too and coordinate your attacks, the Limit attacks, and the Drive ability were ingenious! There however, was a GIANT hole in this system...This made the game is ENTIRELY too easy! All of these things combined made the bosses look like cupcakes...Even Sephiroth was a joke to me.

Content: Now this is what really got me...For some reason I keep feeling like the worlds are way shorter than in the first one. It never really dawned on me until recently, that it was because, again they made the game too easy. The treasure chests are no longer hidden, and are in plain site, there are hardly any mini-games that actually give you something for all the frustrating times you tried doing them, and there isn't NEARLY as many secrets...No secret bosses except for...Seph-Cough cough...And the paths you walk all throughout the game are linear. No secret rooms with treasure chests, and no dungeon to explore, you go this way and that is it. There arn't nearly as many weapons and equipment this time around unless you want to synthesize....But by the time you get all your materials it's pointless anyway because you can kill everything with a flick of your wrist by then. I miss trinities, because it gave you a REASON to go back to the worlds. I feel like you main goal in this game it to get to next cut scene....There was hardly any satisfaction with the replay of this game.

One thing I was excited about was the gummi missions, they are addictive and extremely entertaining, I spent hours one time trying to get them all S rank.

OVERVIEW: Honestly, I love this game. But it seems to me that they tried to appeal to both an older and younger crowd this time around, throwing in the fun factor....But with no difficulty, and no thinking process.

First of all, let me state that I loved the original Kingdom Hearts. I grew up as a Disney child and I still have all of my old VHS tapes. I am also a Final Fantasy lover, so Kingdom Hearts offered the combination of nostalgia and modern entertainment.

An ideal combination of challenging combat, large-scale platforming, and Square's typical top-notch production created one of my favorite games. I eagerly anticipated the sequel for a very long time - and was then severely disappointed.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is nothing but a large budgeted sequel that forgot its roots. The platforming elements are almost entirely wiped away in favor of linear, forgettable worlds that you can usually complete in an hour or less. They offer you nothing. I believe the only level I enjoyed was the first within a massive town that was actually worth exploring.

The combat was severely compromised. I know many will argue with this point but hear me out. Previously we had combat that forced us to make critical choices, learn attack patterns and fight challenging bosses. In this game many of the boss fights can only be won with the "God of War" button timing madness that all mainstream games must now have by some unwritten game developer's code. You can hack and slash the life out of a boss all you like, but the only way you can defeat (some of) them is by pulling off one of these button-timed events. Perhaps it's just me, but I don't feel satisfied killing off a massive hunk of metal 20 times my size just by hitting a triangle like the screen told me to. The Dodge Roll move (my favorite form the original) was removed, and the entire game feels like it takes on the attitude that fighting "guns a blazing" is the only way to do things. It is true that the new forms Sora can undertake are fun and a nice addition, but they are merely flashy show-offs that far too much energy went into instead of developing the worlds.

Story wise I think this game actually took the series further downhill. I will not reveal anything so as not to spoil, but character attitudes towards each other seem to have altered. Also somewhere along the line Goofy and Donald completely switched roles. Goofy now takes on the smart and sensible roll while Donald is just plain greedy and a little out of touch with the world. The FF characters are even taken down a notch... the voice given to Aerith in this game is absolutely dreadful.

This game is yet another sufferer of Square's modern disease I like to call "Mainstream Flash". Basically this means you give the audience eye candy, a couple of "cool" features and cut back on many other elements. The games seem to be leaning more and more mainstream and that is saddening, because Final Fantasys and other Square originals used to be shining gems in a sea of mediocre attempts. I give this game a 5/10 because of the graphics and what it COULD have offered us. These games offer so much potential, and Square completely ignored that fact in this sequel.

The first Kingdom Hearts game was a genre-defining title. Squaresft had a huge hit on its hands, spawned from its partnership with Disney, that no one really expected. When the sequel was announced, fans of the game (myself included) were overjoyed. And now that it's here, we know that our reaction was justified.

This game is everything it promises to be and more. Everything, from the graphics to the gameplay, has been completely redone, with stunning results. It still shows the same crisp look and feel you expect from Square, but with a new polish that's readily evident.

The game feels the same, but different - like an old car with a brand new engine. Sora jumps and attacks with speed and flourish, just as he did in the first game. Only this time, they've thrown in a couple new features for you to play with - the Drive and Limit functions.

The Drive command is a stroke of genius on Square's part - when selected, you transform into one of 5 forms with the help of your allies - Valor (Goofy), Wisdom (Donald), Master (Both), Final (Both), and AntiForm (All allies). The first three are gained as the story progresses, but Final form and AntiForm are random occurrences. The Drive forms imbue Sora with new skills and abilities, allowing him to take down his enemies in ways never thought possible.

Anyone who's played Final Fantasy will recognize the Limit command. Sora teams up with his partners to unleash a flashy, devastating combo attack that decimates the enemies around him. Limit attacks do ridiculous damage and are often graphically stunning. Each ally (including those specific to the current world) has his own limit attack, and each one is completely unique.

As with he first game, the story is a brilliantly crafted and well-told narrative. All your favorite characters from the first game are back, including some new faces, like Stitch, Tifa, and, of course, the three stars of Final Fantasy X-2, Yuna, Rikku and Paine (making their appearance this time as three mischievous fairies that inhabit Hollow Bastion).

Overall, this is a fantastic and well-thought-out game that anyone who even mildly enjoyed the first. Games like this really only come once in a great while, and this should definitely keep you busy until the next ground-breaking new hit is released.

Kingdom Hearts 2 picks up exactly where the GBA series link, Chains of Memories, left off. Sora, Donald and Goofy awaken from their long sleep, however, they have no recollection why they've been asleep or of the events that occurred in Chains of Memories. One thing leads to another and the trio now have to deal with a mysterious band of evil-doers known as "Organization XIII." The plot is as strong as ever, with many twists and revelations. In fact, the story is probably why people will buy this game, even if they didn't like the first one but still completed it. The need to see what happens next is unbearable, as it'll keep you hooked.

The game basically has you travelling from world to world encountering familiar faces, both friendly and hostile, from both the Disney universe and the Final Fantasy universe. Once you arrive at a world you are thrown into an event where you must defeat the respective villain of that world. For example, Scar in the Pride Lands and Captain Barbossa in Port Royal. If you've seen the movies, then you'll know the basic storyline for each world, as that's what they follow. In each world you must fight both the heartless, world-specific enemies and new entities known as "Nobodies." However, things quickly become more complex as the Organization starts to cause more trouble.

The battle system in Kingdom Hearts 2 hasn't changed much since the original. It's still an action RPG. You run around hitting the X button in order to perform the command you have selected using the D-pad. It's all relatively simple. But now Drives, Limit Breaks and Reaction Commands have been thrown into the mix. Drives basically allow Sora to change the colour of his outfit and wield two keyblades, granting him new abilities. Limit Breaks are where Sora teams up with another member of the party and performs an impressive attack. Reaction commands are probably the coolest new feature though. When you see the triangle button appear on screen whilst fighting, you'll want to hit it, as it'll make Sora perform a solo onslaught of pain which can be both helpful and powerful. It can be especially helpful during boss battles, as it'll stun some normally difficult, or even impossible, to hit enemies, or will make them vulnerable at the very least. Reaction commands are also used during Limit Breaks.

As you travel from world to world, you have to actually fly your space-ship, called the gummi ship, through a StarFox-esquire course. This was introduced in the original Kingdom Hearts, and didn't go down very well. Mainly because it was dull, boring and slow, which was a pain when you wanted to travel far distances. However, in Kingdom Hearts 2 the gummi ship sequences have had a complete makeover and are now actually pretty damn fun to play. The sequences now usually have the screen bursting at the seems with enemy ships, you'll fly through the course within a minute or two AND there's no more having to mess around with the gummi blocks to get a new gummi ship; you get the blueprint, you've got the ship, simple. But the best part is that once you've completed a course, that's it; you never have to do it again. You can if you want to, it's entirely up to you, as once you've completed the course then new missions become available to you.

Graphically, the game doesn't disappoint. The only graphical disappointment is Port Royal. Because the world is based upon the live action film, Pirates of the Caribbean, they've tried to make the graphics look close to the film. However, all they've succeeded in is creating a very rough-looking world. But don't fret! All of the other worlds look nice and clean. Everything runs smoothly, and the character animation during cut scenes is superb. Even during battle, there never seems to be a quirky moment; all of Sora's movements string together smoothly, which helps the battles feel more fluid rather than jagged and rough.

The soundtrack to Kingdom Hearts 2 is brilliant, but then again, what else would you expect from the company who make the Final Fantasy series? Also, the voice acting is mostly spot on. There are some….awkward moments here and there where the actors seem to get the tone of the voice wrong, but other than that the speech seems pretty flawless.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is by no means a small game. It'll take at least 25-30 hours to complete without doing any of the side quests. The only let down, is that there's not as much hidden content in Kingdom Hearts 2 as there was in the original. Kingdom Hearts 1 gave us several secret bosses, whereas Kingdom Hearts 2 only seems to supply us with one…Three guesses as to whom that is. Also, Donald and Goofy's ultimate weapons can now only be obtained through synthesis, which is a let down, as finding synthesis items can be too much of a chore. But, there's still a fair bit to do and a fair bit to see, so Kingdom Hearts 2 will keep you entertained for quite a while, just maybe not as much as the original.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts 2 is a great game. Not a perfect game however, but hey, not many games are. Is it as good as the original? That's a difficult question to answer, as they both have their good points and their bad points. But personally, if you were to ask me, I'd say that they were both just as good as each other.

i thought that kingdom hearts 11 was brilliant because it focused a lot on final fantasy rather than Disney.!. however i loved squalls voice in the first one as David Boreanez (angel in Buffy) ! the new guy in my opinion just does not sound like squall .. what do you all think !?!?

secondly. i prefer the whole focus on final fantasy's rather than the focus on Disney. being AA final fantasy fanatic playing all games i felt that the way the characters were portrayed in kh11 was perfect. the inclusion of Auron really added that finishing touch to it in my opinion

now back to the game... i wonder what one do you think is better kh1 or 2 .. don't hesitate to respond loll :) !!!!!

I think what made this game fun was the familliarity in the sources of games and movies.. Although I did find it awkward to hear Goofy say Sephiroth and Mickey Mouse authentically swear an oath of vengeance...

I still recall the days in middle school when the rumor of Disney and Square were working on a game and how absurd it sounded.. turned out to be pretty good.

Anyway.. I really don't think pronouncing it finetically with a Japanese dialect is necessary... it's still spelled "Kingdom Hearts" In Japan... they don't put kingudam Hatsu on the box in Japan...

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the game....

When I first finished this game, I liked it. I thought it was good.

I was a blind moron.

After going back and playing the original (my favorite game of all time), the second not only pales in comparison, its a downright ABOMINATION. We waited 4(?) years for this game, and all we really got was a gigantic step backward. After the Game-Boy game (Chain of Memories), I was convinced that this new one for PS2 would be darker than the original, a concept which i liked.

Instead Kingdom Hearts 2 is one of the most childish games I have yet witnessed. People like Sora have actually regressed in mental capacity, and often redefine what it means to be a moron. I almost punched myself in the face when Sora nearly jumped out of his skin about getting a library card.

Once again, the gamer journeys through several Disney realms. Unfortunately, these worlds are not only graphically a step backward from the original, they are also a step backward in complexity. Many are simply a straight street with two turns included. Yawn. In Kingdom Hearts 1 we had realms like Hollow Bastion, which you could explore for quite a bit of time, taking in the visual beauty. No such luck in Kingdom hearts 2.

Kingdom Hearts 2's plot line is also randomly lost for huge portions of the game. It seems the Disney worlds exist only to fill time, as if the designers ran out of ideas half way through the game. They are completely irrelevant to the plot line: for some reason gamers are stuck not only fighting Disney villains with no clear tie with the REAL villains, at one point you're actually stuck in a world where all you really do is SING. In fact, you actually fight a boss with music. I was so embarrassed that I was playing a game like this that at one point I actually had to make sure that everyone in my household was GONE, just to continue playing.

The side-quests really hold no real value. They're flat out boring and are guaranteed to put you into a coma within 20 minutes. The only conceivable reason i can see to complete these is to see a secret video at the end (which you can also see simply by playing the game on hard mode - which isn't even that difficult).

As one final criticism, this sequel is incredibly easy. Don't bother playing it on Normal mode; a better challenge is actually found just opening the case for the game. At one point I actually TRIED to get hit by a boss' attacks, just to see if I was actually being damaged. I can only imagine what Easy mode is like. Hard mode is like Normal mode from KH1.

So after all my criticisms, how does this game get a 4/10? Well, I'm a giant Kingdom Hearts-fan, so that helps. Also, the main villains for this game (when they're ACTUALLY impacting the game at all) are extremely entertaining, and are lots of fun to battle. Unfortunately, most seem to be found only at the end of the game (a world that i particularly enjoyed). The Drive forms are a cool add-in, and leveling them up takes unique strategies.

All in all, however, this is one to be skipped.